Joint pain, such as pain caused by arthritis or osteoarthritis can be truly debilitating. The combination of pain, soreness, and stiffness can lead to you not being able to really move at all. For this reason, many people, especially experts, recommend getting massages.
Indeed, it is proven that various techniques and types of massages can work wonders in terms of relieving pain in inflamed and arthritic joints.
That said, what are the best massage techniques for joints? Right now, we want to take a look at some of the best massage techniques which are used to relieve pain and inflammation in affected joints.
Best Massage Techniques for Joints
Deep Tissue Massage
For those suffering from extreme muscle, joint, and tissue pain, one of the best massage techniques is the deep tissue massage.
This type of massage focuses on working both the top and lower layers of muscles and tissues. This often requires very intense, strong, and focused pressure on specific spots to relieve pain and inflammation in problem areas.
Remember, this massage technique is designed for serious cases, for people suffering from severe muscle and joint pain.
Keep in mind that this type of massage is often fairly painful, and soreness from the massage may linger for quite a while. That said, it’s proven to be one of the best massage methods for relieving severe joint and muscle pain.
Swedish Massage
The Swedish massage is one of the most common and popular types of massages. This massage technique is ideal for all sorts of muscle and joint pains, even fairly severe ones.
That said, it’s usually best for people who are suffering from mild to moderate pain, although it can work for more severe cases too.
The Swedish massage involves long and fluid stroking of the tissues and muscles. This massaging of the muscles and tissues helps to increase blood circulation to the muscles and joints.
This in turn helps to relive muscle and joint pain. Moreover, Swedish massages are also shown to be great stress and anxiety relievers.
How much pressure is applied during this type of massage will depend on your pain level and sensitivity to pain.
Lymphatic Massage
When it comes to joint pain, one thing which often happens is the buildup of fluids.
People who suffer from arthritis often have swollen and inflamed joints, accompanied by the buildup of fluid. If this fluid is released, it can help relieve pain and inflammation.
This is exactly what lymphatic massages are all about— draining the fluid away. This type of massage uses specific stroke patterns with light to moderate pressure, with the aim of allowing excessive lymphatic fluid to drain into the blood stream. This type of massage is usually not very painful and it can work for pain levels from mild to severe.
Shiatsu Massage
Shiatsu is a very popular type of massage that has its origins in Japan. What is interesting to note about the Shiatsu massage is that practitioners apply pressure to specific areas of the body which are said to relieve pain in other parts of the body.
They will use continuous and rhythmic motions to help increase the flow or chi or qi in the body, or in other words, to spread healthy energy throughout the body.
While some people are skeptical of how well this works, mainly because it is viewed as an old and traditional healing, as opposed to real medicine, thousands and thousands of people swear by the Shiatsu massage for muscle and joint pain relief.
Myofascial Release and Rolfing
This type of massage has the goal of relieving pain in the joints and muscles by manipulating the fascia, which are the connective tissues that surround the muscles, nerves, and blood vessels.
The aim is to stretch and release the myofascial tissue by very gently rolling the skin back and forth.
This can help to relax the muscles and it also increases blood flow, something which in turn can help relieve joint pain and inflammation.
Rolfing is often used in conjunction with myofascial release, as both are similar. Rolfing involves moving the body into specific positions and then manipulating the myofascial tissue.
Together, these massage techniques can relieve muscle pain, joint pain and inflammation, and they can also help to restore proper posture, mobility, and flexibility.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many types of massages and techniques that can be used to help relieve joint pain and inflammation.
It may take some trial and error to determine which works best for you.