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Condition/Pathology Symptoms Causes Massage Protocol
Tension Headaches "Vice-like" or "Achy" pain in around the head and neck. Trigger points, hypertonicity, or injury to cervical or occipital muscles. Lighten pressure, decrease speed, and decrease tension of upper trapezius, suboccipitals, and sternocleidomastoid. Heat therapy is indicated. Rule out cluster, allergy, vascular headaches.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) "Numbness and tinglinling" or "Electrical" pain in thumb, index, middle, and half of ring finger. Compression or impingement of median nerve usually caused of hypertonic wrist flexor muscles. Decrease tension to flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus, flexor carpi ulnaris, and flexor carpi radialis. Lymphatic drainage towards axilla to decrease swelling. Heat therapy to anterior forearm. Cryotherapy to wrist.
Tendonitis Sharp, local pain where muscle attaches to bone. Local inflamation. Overuse or improper use of muscle causes microtrauma to tendon. Cross fiber friction directly to injury followed by ice massage. Decrease use of muscle.
Whiplash (Cervical/Neck) General pain surrounding area of injury. Pain with contraction or stretching of muscle. Tearing of soft tissue due to ballistic movement. In late subacute - chronic stage (4 weeks- unlimited time) passively reintroduce range of motion and myofascial release. Decrease guarding patterns in surrounding muscles of stabilization.
Degenerative Disc Disease (DDD)/Facet Joint Irritation Sharp, local pain at various points adjacent to the spine Discs in between vertebrae decrease in size causing compression of vertebral facet joints. Combine massage techniques to decrease tension of soft tissue surrounding the spine. Traction.
Plantar Fasciitis Sharp, local pain on bottom of foot, especially first hour of the day and beginning athletic activities. High heels, high foot arches, hard surfaces, and obesity cause plantar fascia to stretch rapidly when planting foot on the ground. Glide through fascia of the bottom of foot with the fibers from heel to toes. Self care stretches that produce dorsiflexion of ankle and extension of toes.
Iliotibial Band (ITB) Contracture General pain over lateral thigh. Sharp pain and "pulling" at lateral knee. Overuse of hip muscles (tensor fascia latae and gluteus maximus) leads to the ITB adhering to vastus lateralis. Decrease tonicity and stretch hip muscles. Separate ITB and vastus lateralis by frictioning longitudinally in between them at the ITB's posterior border.
Shin Splints (Anterior Tibial Stress Syndrome/ Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome) "Burning" pain and weakness in front of the lower leg and ankle. Overuse of plantar flexors (gastrocnemius, soleus, tibialis posterior, plantaris) inhibits the function of tibialis anterior, causing it to tear. Decrease tonicity of plantar flexors and increase strength of dorsiflexors. Heat therapy to posterior leg. Cryotherapy to anterior leg.
Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) "Numbness and tinglinling" or "Electrical" pain in half of ring and pinky fingers. Hypertonicity of scalenes, subclavius, or pectoralis minor muscles. Decrease tension of and stretch hypertonic muscles.
Piriformis Syndrome Mimics sciatica with "Numbness and tinglinling" or "Electrical" pain into posterior hip down to the foot. Trigger points, shortening, or lengthening of piriformis. Decrease tension of and reset length of piriformis muscle belly.