|
Postural Distortions & Massage 
Part 9 of my new series!
In this series, I will attempt to describe some of the common problems that could be helped through massage therapy. If you are afflicted with any of these, massage could be used on it's own or along with your doctor's administrations. Just be aware that some of these problems may take some time to achieve results.
Tennis Elbow:
This section will cover a little more than just tennis elbow since many of the muscles of the forearm tend to work together and therefore get tight together. (reminds me of a saying.....) The trigger points that occur within the muscles that lay on the "top" side of the forearm, namely brachioradialis and the extensors, will harbor trigger points that refer primarily to the elbow and secondarily to the wrist and fingers. One other muscle that I will include in this group would be supinator which lies across the underside of the arm and turns the hand palm side up.
Symptoms of over tight forearm muscles that have produced trigger points will include pain and weakness. Pain in the elbow will often occur while trying to do grip actions such as giving a firm handshake, turning a doorknob or using a screwdriver. Most often this will occur at the outer edge of the elbow, which is often referred to as tennis elbow. Depending on which muscle has the trigger point - pain could be felt at any one of the fingers. Pain at the web of the thumb will often coincide with pain at the outer side of the elbow when trigger points of brachioradialis and supinator are involved. The extensor of the ring finger will produce a trigger point on the INSIDE of the elbow.
Weakness in the grip is another symptom that can indicate trigger points or overly tight forearm muscles. Usually the grip is weakest when the hand is held vertically with the thumb on top like when you take a sip from a coffee cup or pouring milk from a carton.
As usual, repetitive motions are the primary cause for the tightening of this muscle group. Gripping and twisting motions in particular will cause these trigger points to occur. Taking breaks while doing any repetive motions is the best thing you can do.
Stretching for this area all involves action at the wrist. straightening the arm down to your side and moving the wrist around will undoubtedly result in your being able to find a good position to hold a stretch. This is easily done throughout the day while working at your desk. Once trigger points have built up - massage is your best bet to alleviate these symptoms.
|
