Healing and recovery from intense exercise or injury takes time. Despite well-documented average healing times for different tissues, there remains a strong desire to speed things up via any means necessary, with an array of safe and much less safe options available. I am a firm believer that you can only support natural healing, and any attempt to artificially speed things up should be viewed with caution or concern.
As an educator, one of the most common pieces of feedback I give therapists is to slow down 🐌 during the application of massage techniques, and especially IASTM with the RockBlades. Here is why...
It is simply more therapeutic to perform soft tissue work at a slower pace. It is less likely to trigger a pain response and may allow you to apply more pressure during the technique, potentially leading to a faster result due to...
The Ruffini nerve endings (image below). These small peripheral nerve endings under the skin respond to deep, sustained pressure by causing chemical events that can stimulate a relaxation of muscle tone through regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
You will have experienced this in the clinic if you practice trigger point techniques or have felt a patient relax during a manual therapy session.
And there's more...
Furthermore, deep pressure therapy may also influence the release of neurotransmitters in the brain. Studies indicate that the application of firm pressure can stimulate the release of calming neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, which are associated with positive mood, feelings of pleasure, and relaxation. Simultaneously, deep pressure may help to reduce levels of cortisol, a hormone associated with stress.
Here is a video of a Lower Back Treatment from one of my London courses: https://youtu.be/a4rpWccZBnY?si=r7FLSGwqJBmURsZw
Here is an evidence based video on the use of Deep Pressure Therapy to Manage Autism: https://youtu.be/BTFDy-coni4
If you have any questions about our courses, please get in touch, and I will provide a personal response.
All the best in clinic,
Physio Dan
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