Anyone successfully use deep tissue massage to treat old muscle injuries?

I am wondering about how many sessions it took and the overall efficacy.

I have a muscle in my mid-upper back that I strained 20+ years ago and unfortunately had to continue to use vigorously for several more days. I used ibuprofen at the time to mask the pain and reduce swelling, but was unable to not heavily work the muscle.

As a result, I am plagued with one or two bouts of pain each year lasting 4-7 days due to a seemingly innocuous movement that triggers a strain in the area.

I am guessing it is scar tissue related to the original injury and would like to try deep tissue massage as a possible cure.

Anyone else have this work for them?

 

 

I have a ton of scar tissue in my lower back from my L2 and L4 vertebrae exploding when I was hit in 2014. The most effective thing for me in breaking up the adhesions (scar tissue) was ultrasound followed by strong stretching of the affected areas by my physical therapist.

 

I am a huge fan of deep tissue. But you have to find a REALLy good masseuse. I have been seeing the same person for almost 10 years now. Regular sessions help A TON. Sadly, I can't always get weekly...and I have to wait for my back to get REALLY bad before I can justify spending the money to get worked on. Regular sessions are more preventative and upkeep.

The times where I am unable to book with my regular person, because of vacations or whatever...I am always left disappointed because the other people just aren't as good.

The day my masseuse retires will leave me sad as hell.

I have found this to be much more helpful that chiropractors or acupuncture.

 

Thanks to both of you for the info, I was secretly hoping you both might have some insight.

I wish this was an easily stretchable area, but unfortunately it isn't. It;s just below and a little on top of my right scapula and I find it very difficult to find a way to get a really good stretch on it.

I may see about those franchise massage places, they seem to be everywhere. Buy 6 get one free...

David, how did you find your person you like and how long do they work on your back for each time?

I feel like my area is so small it would end up being a 15 minute thing each time.

 

He came by recommendation, and happened to work at one of those chain places. They can have really good people there...but more often than not I have been disappointed. He still works at the chain, but he also does private bookings and lives close to me. So, I'd rather the money to all to him and its more convenient, so I do that now.

I generally book 90 minutes...or 60 if I'm lower on cash or just need a tune up. You might have a trouble spot, but the majority of your body works towards that one area. So, you have more to get worked on than you think.

 

Good point, thanks.

Now to find someone...

 

 

Not on backpage...

 

Out of curiousity have you tried a foam roller?

 

I had one about half a year ago. I personally didn't care for it. Some parts felt good, others it hurt. And leaving there soaked in those massage oils. Ew.

 

No, I am not sure the area would be conducive to a foam roller though. Do you think I would have any success using one in the area of my scapula?

Deep tissue is supposed to hurt. It's more medicinal than "relaxing" as you would expect in a typical Swedish style massage.

As far as getting all lubed up, check with Miz for good ways to clean yourself up...

 

This Google search has some videos and pics showing how a foam roller can help your scapula. I was going to roll last night but I forgot

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...a+foam+rolling

 

Wow, thanks! I wish that would address my issue (old scar tissue) but I am going to keep searching around to see if I can do this at home with a roller.

Much appreciated.

 

True from what I've heard old scar tissue is usually best with a massage. Maybe the roll will give a temp relief. I don't know much about treating muscles vs building them

 

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

If you use the roller vertical (parallel to your spine) and roll side to side holding your arms out in front, palms touching...it does get into that area a bit. I use one occasionally.

Also...door jambs...I will get all up under my shoulder blade in random door jambs.

Those hook shaped back massagers with the knobby ends....I'll use those, too.

But deep tissue massage is the best treatment overall.

 

Lay and roll on a lacrosse ball, it will break up the scar tissue but you may cry in the process, ha.

 

Suffering through a flare up right now that just wont go away...

Heating pad, Aleve, and rolling on a tennis ball to work the are all help a little, but this is just not going away like it usually does.

 

Having personally used a tennis ball for pressing & massaging lower / upper back muscles, it doesn't have the effectiveness / density of a lacrosse ball.

On a side note, how is your back health overall? Any disk issues? Lower back pain? Any chiropractic work done?

 

Yeah, I just used what i had available...

While I have had L5/L6 disc issues related to different injury (no longer really a problem for me), this issue arose from a time when I was performing a swinging motion for basically three days straight, pulled the muscle in the first 5 minutes and couldn't stop. It was never allowed to rest and recover and I just did more and more damage over the three days.

It usually flares up ever 4-5 months for a day or two. This time is different in the duration of the flare up.

 

If this persists, I am going to the doctor to get an insurance-covered prescription to a physical therapist for this I think.

Deep tissue massage may follow, but this may be the only way to address the acute issue.

I will see how I feel tomorrow.

 

Gotcha.

Go by Big5 or Sports Authority and pick one up and give it a shot. Like 6speedTL stated, it hurts like a motherf%#$ but totally worth it.

I think a combination of physical therapy (repetitive motion) & breaking up scar tissue would be your best bet.

As for somebody who's had some lower back issue(s) over the last few years: I swear by the combination of an inversion table, lacrosse ball, stretching, and maintaining core strength.

Good luck!

 

Lacrosse ball is my go to solution for any back pain that I can't get to with a foam roller. When I have pain near by traps, or scapula I place it on the spot of pain and move my arm overhead and down to by my hip then out to the side and continue moving it with my arm straight making sure I don't shy away from putting my weight onto the ball. I also work around the area as back pain can radiate so I repeat in different places in my back.

Good luck and hope you can get some relief.

 

The 4 + hours of heating pad yesterday must have helped, I am about 40-50% better.

I am still searching for a good massage therapist and will grab a lacrosse ball this weekend.

 

Thanks for the tip about the lacrosse ball guys

 

Per Sarlacc's advice, I have been using a lacrosse ball for months now to help out when the pain hit about a 4/10. This morning I woke up and by the time I made coffee I thought I was going to pass out. Pain at 8/10, NO position would relieve the pain... 800mg Ibuprofen and three hours of agony later, I was/am down to a 3-4/10. Aleve followed the Ibuprofen and has been the only thing keeping me upright today.

I now have sufficient motivation to find a massage therapist.

 

I can’t take credit for the lacrosse. I think that was someone else. But I went through the same thing today. I got a bad knot in my usual place that is just murder and then I had an arthritic flare up. 800 mg of Advil and soaking in a super hot tub.

Days this bad are generally when I’ll break down and resort MMJ usually to tolerate it enough to be able to sleep.

 

Eff, you too?

Aleve is the only thing helping me right now, it last for 8-10 hours...

 

 

I gotta get my mmj card...

 

That’s easy

 

Lacrosse ball is the best thing ever. It's not going to do much for chronic pain but it certainly helps to loosen up the muscles that are tight. I use it on my traps, scaps, lower back, foot, butt, and neck all the time. Also look into a TENS machine. They help immensely to relieve pain for me and are now quite inexpensive on Amazon.

FWIW, if you have chronic severe pain, go see a doctor and PT. They can provide you with a lot of options to help stretch the muscles out the right way to allow them to heal and give you tips on what to do if it happens again. If you have enough scar tissue in there, it may also be time for surgery to remove it. Lastly, it could be a neurological thing as well. The massage may help in the short term to relieve pain but if you can find a way to have it never come back, you should at least give it a shot.

tl;dr go see a doctor.

 

 

You should get a TENS unit for pain management. They are cheap and effective. If you choose to get one, my suggestion is to get one with this face and controls:


That unit is:
Don't get one like:


Those type just do wimpy muscle contractions. You want one that buzzes the muscles, and I know the first one I suggested does.

 

I have one. Meh.

 

My first appointment at PT is next week. Hoping they have the Tens machine with a couple of hundred horse power AND a masseuse with really strong thumbs.

Honestly, I am with David in that I never really saw much relief from the Tens units. Even the ones at the PT places that they can turn up to eleven. Just never really saw much net effect.

 

Well, I finally went to PT to start getting this addressed...

First visit was a long chat, followed by painful stretching, followed by painful massage, followed by some strengthening exercises, capped off with 15 minutes of electrostim/ice.

The massage... Yeah. Here is the result:



The PT guy did what is called "scraping", which is Norwegian for "leaves big bruise".

They use a piece of plastic much like a cutting board scraper in the kitchen to work the scar tissue area over and over. And over. And over....

I was warned the area might be red and bruised, so not a total surprise, although my wife was like WTF did they do to you???

According to the PT guy, my pecs are too tight ( :giggitty: ), resulting in a rolling of the shoulders forward. This caused my traps (especially the right one) to basically ALWAYS be stretched to the max. Combine that with the scar tissue and the muscle just had no recourse but to spasm whenever it was remotely stretched further, which apparently is three or four times a years for me... Hence my regular agony (and posts in this thread).

Moving forward, I have many more visits to the PT and a recommendation to a good chain masseuse person for upkeep, but also stretches and strength exercises to balance the tension in my upper front and back.

 

Awesome! Glad you're getting back on track.

TENS machines are good for minor aches and tightness, if you have a chronic issue, it's not going to do a whole lot.

 

The TENS was basically the R+R at the end to relax things...