Stretching Can Relieve Pain People get pain that they find difficult to get rid of sometimes. It can be a sore elbow, shoulder or knee that wont stop aching. Because of the density of nerve endings in the hands, they can be particularly painful. The neck/back and legs get tight and achy also. What can be done? Frankly, it depends on what caused it. Most pain related problems are due to periods of inactivity. People become less active for a period of time, and then they do a lot of activity. It can be too much work, yard work, exercise, lifting, etc. If your pain lasts more than a few weeks and is not getting better, its time to do something. Very often stretching is a vital part of a pain relief program. Why is stretching so helpful to relieving pain? When we stretch, what are we stretching? Muscle? Bone? Ligaments? Tendons? Most people assume they are stretching muscles. However, muscles are largely made up of two types of connective tissue. These are collagen and elastin. Collagen is dense and not very stretchy. When you stretch, it is the elastin in the connective tissue that is being stretched primarily. It should be done in a painless fashion. Stretching to the point of pain may cause tearing of the connective tissue or injury to the joints themselves. When we stretch patients, we look at the direction of the muscle and connective tissue fibers. We try to elongate or stretch out these fibers to make them longer. This allows greater energy for muscle action plus it reduces pressure on the joints that are attached. Sometimes people have muscle spasms. What causes these? Decreased blood flow to muscles by over exercise, over work or poor circulation creates a protective muscle reflex (spasm). Passive stretching of the affected muscle will help. Also pressure on the nerves to the muscle, especially in the neck and back can also cause spasms. These too may respond to stretching, provided there is not a significant injury such as a ruptured disc or permanent nerve injury. The goal when working to increase flexibility is to train the stretch receptors in the muscle to a lengthened state therefore increasing range and function. Disorders such as tennis elbow, rotator cuff problems, wrist tendonitis, neck, back, knee and hip pain may be due to loss of flexibility in muscle groups. This loss of flexibility followed by high periods of activity can cause pain or inflammation of these tissues. To minimize your pain or problems keep these tips in mind: If pain persists beyond a few weeks, talk to your doctor. If you like, give us a call or request a referral from your doctor to see us. Try to remain active. Loss of range of motion may be due to tight muscles and connective tissues. Stretch slowly and gradually. Increase the pull over time. Do stretches for 20 seconds, hold, repeat 5 times generally. If you feel localized warmth it may indicate you are over stretching. If you feel a sharp pain, burning, spasm or pop with pain, stop stretching immediately. Use the RICE system (Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation). If pain persists, see your doctor. In review, overuse or under use can lead to tight muscles and pain. However, most pain due to tightness in the muscles or joints can be relieved by a good stretching program. If you would like more information on what can be done for your problem, give us a call today or ask your doctor for a referral. You can reach us at 924 Seton Drive at 301-759-4263 or in Petersburg at 304-257-4263. Give us a try. You will be glad you did! |
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