Massage therapy can increase the regrowth of muscle tissue after an injury, even on the opposite, non-massaged limb, according to a new research from Colorado State University and the University of Kentucky. Massage therapy has multiple health benefits, some long-understood and some recently claimed. Among the benefits recently asserted for massage therapy is the hypothesis
The delay between vastus medialis obliquus and vastus lateralis muscle onset has been suggested as a possible cause of patellofemoral pain syndrome. However an Italian study dispels this idea. Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS or runner’s knee) is a common musculoskeletal condition in running and jumping athletes, presenting with anterior knee pain, and aggravated by physical
A recent article published in Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies by authors from Israel attempted to objectively define deep-tissue massage to provide an evidence-based therapy. However, massage therapist and instructor, Art Riggs, commented that gallant as their effort is, the task of defining deep tissue massage is not only impossible, but is unproductive. Deep-tissue
A new research from orthopeaedic surgeons from Austria shows the existence of a deep layer of the ITB. Fascia Latae and Iliotibial Band (ITB) The thigh is enveloped in a layer of fibrous tissue known as the fascia latae, which thickens in the lateral thigh and is described as the iliotibial band (ITB). The ITB
“Could it be that longus muscles act as length-variable sensors, contributing to stability and adaptability, via their rich mechanoreceptor capabilities ?” – Til Luchau. Anterior view of the longus colli on the right and the longus capitis on the left. Copyright Joseph E. Muscolino, used with permission. The longus colli and longus capitis are
In the past few years, the lumbodorsal (thoracolumbar) fascia has been proposed as one of possible sources of “idiopathic low back pain” (pain that is stated as having no known cause). Authors Jan Wilke, Robert Schleip, Werner Klinger, and Carla Stecco wrote a review in Biomed Research International investigating the possible role of the lumbodorsal
Feeling high after a massage? Receptors for the body’s own cannabinoid substances (endocannabinoids) can be found in fascia according to a recent research study from the Stecco group at the University of Padova in Italy. Endocannabinoids, usually found in the nervous system, are the body’s own substances that have biological effects similar to those of
It is known that stretching can have a non-local effect of the body, a unilateral hamstring stretch can increase the flexibility of contralateral hamstring. Now, a new study examined if stretching of the shoulder would affect hip flexor range of motion, and vice versa. It is well known that stretching one side of hamstring can
Working memory, our ability to recall and process information, is used throughout our lifespan. By improving it, we may be able to realize gains in key areas, from school to work to retirement. University of North Florida (UNF) researchers enlisted 72 participants between the ages of 18 and 44, who were asked to run at
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has recently published clinical recommendations on non-invasive treatment of low back pain based on current evidence, consisting of a review of more than 150 studies. Medications tend to have only temporary and modest benefits, and thus massage and exercise therapy were recommended as treatment for acute and chronic low
