How Sports Massage Can Help Your Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, which can also be known as OA, is a well-known condition so it’s likely that you’ve heard of it before. However, you might not have heard as much about how sports massage can help you if you suffer from it. So, we’ll take you through what you need to know. 

Osteoarthritis is where a joint becomes painful, stiff, and inflamed due to the degeneration of healthy cartilage. It’s the most common type of arthritis in the UK, with current estimates suggesting that 10% of all adults have been diagnosed with it. Weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips are most affected, but osteoarthritis may also be found among the distal joints of the fingers, wrists, neck, and ankles. 

 

Those who suffer from osteoarthritis say they feel persistent and deep pain combined with stiffness around at least one joint every day. They find that pain is exacerbated when a joint is not properly warmed up (before exercise) or has been overused. The pain can be debilitating if it occurs in the knees or hips as these are essential to everyday movements, such as walking. 

As part of normal life, your joints are exposed to a constant low level of damage. In most cases, your body repairs the damage itself and you do not experience any symptoms. However, when you have osteoarthritis, the body is no longer able to do so due to the lack of cartilage. 

 

The exact cause is not known, but several things are thought to increase your risk of developing osteoarthritis: 

 

 

It’s also believed that osteoarthritis can be caused by muscular imbalances caused by prolonged sitting or repetitive movements that pull a joint out of alignment. 

Alongside medication for severe cases, massage can help relieve pain and reduce inflammatory responses. A 2010 study by the University of California showed that massage can: 

 

 

The combined result is a lower feeling of pain and an improved mood. The study also found that massage can lower the production of the neurotransmitter substance P (often linked to pain), which can then improve sleep. Working on muscular balance through massage and exercise therapy is key to relieving longer-term pain as well as encouraging joint alignment. 

 

During the initial consultation, we will talk through all your pain symptoms and work out a plan to tackle those specifically. We are trained to look for ‘contra-indications’ i.e., signs that massage would not be helpful so we will only recommend massage when it’s safe and beneficial for you. 

 

We find that chronic osteoarthritis responds well to massage as pain is relieved when the muscles surrounding the joints relax. This helps release stiffness and allows for a better range of motion and mobility. Massage therapy also offers increased relaxation, decreased stress, and a general sense of wellbeing.