In today’s Western society, we cannot function without the use of our machines i.e. cell phones, computers and personal cars. Thus, we spend tons of time and money maintaining and repairing these vital gadgets in order to function and thrive in the world. Some say the body is like a complicated machine. But we don't do as good of a job in remembering to maintain our own health and wellbeing as we do with our belongings. We all want to feel good in our bodies but most people do not take the necessary steps to make this possible. The common thinking to living a well-balanced lifestyle is exercise and a healthy diet. While I agree, as these two things are extremely important, we need to also spend some time on musculoskeletal maintenance care. This provides support and allows for better movement in our bodies while preventing chronic injuries and pain.
Unfortunately, popping anti-inflammatory and pain pills or using muscle relaxers before or after a workout is not musculoskeletal maintenance care. These do not address the cause of the problem – they simply reduce the intensity of the pain and act as a Band Aid to the injury. If the cause of the problem is not addressed, over time it will result in chronic pain or sudden acute failure of a ligament, tendon, or muscle. This may require a surgical intervention and months of recovery.
What is musculoskeletal maintenance care?
Musculoskeletal maintenance care consists of two parts: at home recovery and assisted recovery. The amount of time, money, and energy you should be spending on each has to do with any pre-existing conditions and how much you use and abuse your body on a regular basis. The more injuries you have, the more your body has had to overcompensate. Scar tissue builds up around the injured sites over time and unless you’ve worked really hard to rehabilitate each site then this scar tissue will make you more susceptible to further injuries and compensation.
At Home Recovery:
This includes stretching, foam rolling (I recommend the Trigger Point foam roller), mobility work (see below for one of my favorite shoulder mobilizations), as well as ice and heat for increased circulation. For areas with a lot of scar tissue that are reachable by the patient, I recommend the Fascia Blaster to help break up tight fascial adhesions or areas with scar tissue. These at home recovery exercises should all be done to tolerance and should never be continued if you experience sharp or shooting pain.
Assisted Recovery:
The help of a health care practitioner should be utilized based on your individual needs. Preventative care is key to protect the body from muscle strains, tears and herniations that all could possibly lead to surgeries. Similar to a dentist’s recommendation of routine cleanings every 3-6 months to prevent cavities and root canals, you should also be getting your musculoskeletal system assessed and cared for. Depending on various factors such as: past history related to injuries and accidents, exercise, diet, type of work and stress this will dictate how often to have assisted recovery care.
In my experience and as a chiropractor, the best practitioners for this type of care include seeing a chiropractor, osteopath, physical therapist, massage therapist, or acupuncturist. Just as your dentist can evaluate your overall dental health so too should your musculoskeletal practitioner be able to evaluate your musculoskeletal health (i.e. muscles, joints, and bones, etc.). He or she can guide you through the maintenance and recovery process to effectively treat and prevent injuries.
As a chiropractor, I can speak to some of the therapy treatments that are effective for assisted recovery.
Chiropractic Manipulative Technique (CMT) or commonly known as an adjustment, helps to realign the vertebrae while restoring movement to the joint that had become fixated.
Myofascial Release Techniques (MRT) or massage techniques work on areas that have muscular adhesions or knots due to over use or strain. This helps create more pliability within the muscles allowing the body to become more balanced. It can help the muscles recover faster after a lot of activity.
Laser therapy and ultrasound increase blood flow and thus oxygen to the cells accelerating healing while reducing muscle tension.
Kinesiology taping facilitates blood flow and supports optimal muscle movement. This can be used during hikes or stressful exercise routines to help prevent injuries. For those who play sports and/or do a lot of walking or standing, I utilize the Normatec recovery system. The sequential compression that is created from the feet to the thighs helps to pump out lactic acid and inflammation faster, which leads to less muscular soreness and faster post-game and/or workout recovery.
In conclusion, if you want to continue to live a healthy and active lifestyle then it’s important to incorporate at home and assisted musculoskeletal recovery care into your exercise and diet routines. The more stress placed on your body, the more vital your recovery program becomes to your overall health. If you drive your car more often you’ll need to get an oil change sooner; the more you use your body, the more often you should be going in for musculoskeletal maintenance care.
Exercise: Shoulder Mobilization
I use a folded towel because that's usually what’s most readily accessible. You can grab the towel with your palms down in its longest distribution and simply move the towel above your head and behind your back trying to not bend your elbows. The further apart you hold the towel the easier it will be to move the towel above and behind your body. Then flip the grip and hold the towel palms up and perform the pass through motion using this grip. Repeat 5 to 10 times with each grip or until the shoulders feel warmed up. See photo below.
