23/06/2021
Revisiting an old discussion topic that still stands true...
As a Therapist, I'll often find people coming to me asking for a very specific treatment, or at least expecting something that I will do TO them that will be a one-stop fix. So some sort of PASSIVE therapy, such as massage, acupuncture, taping...they put themselves very much in my hands, and have perhaps quite overly-optimistic expectations. Almost like a miracle one-off session!
And it is true that these passive therapies do have their place in the bigger picture. It's often a good way of turning the volume down on pain symptoms, which will then allow a patient to move forwards with more movement based and ACTIVE therapies. It opens up the window of opportunity, if you like! Which is why I do apply some manual therapies myself, and occasionally taping etc.
My preferred approach to injury recovery, and what is generally accepted as a proven approach, really is that of ACTIVE recovery. This involves the patient very much as an active participant through the process - Largely through corrective exercises; possibly stretching; maybe some foam rolling too. But also through learning how to better manage their exercise habits. A crucial link in the process is learning to manipulate the basic principles of training: FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, DURATION. Learning to better recognise when to take a step back, or when the time is right to push on.
Passive therapies will likely still play a part in this, but used alone, any benefits will probably be nothing more than short-term. So I want to empower the individual, and have them participate fully in the recovery process. Tissues need loading to stimulate the body's natural healing processes, and then this loading needs to be progressed appropriately towards whatever level is necessary for that individual - competitive sport, recreational exercise, or even just day-to-day living.
So yes…it’s ACTIVE RECOVERY. Not Passive Recovery.
