TARGETING THE CHARLEY HORSE

MANAGING QUADRICEPS CONTUSION WITH VIBRATION THERAPY

 

 Athletes involved in contact sports are prone to muscle contusion or bruise, and it is one of those injuries that just about everyone has had at one point or another in their lives. In fact, bruised muscles are the second most common sports injury after strains, and although not considered a serious injury, they can cause discomfort and create a nasty looking discoloration on the skin. Most contusions are minor and can heal quickly, without having to stop the athletes from participating in games. However, with severe cases, it can cause severe tissue damage and lead to complications that may entail stopping to engage in sports for months.

 

What are Contusions?

Contusions are caused by a direct blow or repeated blows by a blunt object to a part of the body, bruising the underlying muscles and connective tissues without breaking the skin, although the skin may be discolored due to damage of the blood vessels from the impact (hematoma). Contusions can also result from falling or jamming the body against a hard surface.

In contact sports, the most common site of a blow is to the front side of your thigh, your quadriceps, particularly the rectus femoris, and contusion to this area is known as “Charley Horse,” “Corked Thigh” or “dead leg.” Injury to this muscle can be very painful and functionally disabling.

 

Symptoms of Quadriceps Contusion

• Swelling, pain, and numbness in the thigh over the point of contact.
• Limited range of motion of joints near the injury due to pain, mainly knee flexion and extension, and hip flexion.
• Quadriceps muscle weakness due to pain.
• Torn blood vessels may cause bluish discoloration known as a hematoma.
• In severe cases, fracture of the femoral bone can be expected.

 

Treatment of Quadriceps Contusion

• Acute contusions (first 24 to 48 hours after injury): use the RICE protocol to control pain, bleeding, and inflammation. Keep the muscle in a gentle stretch position with a bandage with the knee bent 120 degrees. These speed up the recovery process and reduces the risk of complications.DO NOT APPLY HEAT OR MASSAGE AT THIS TIME.
• Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation:

• Prescription of crutches to avoid weight-bearing while the injured part is painful.
• Active quadriceps contractions, strengthening and stretches can be progressed up to the limit of pain.
• Weight-bearing should be resumed as soon as possible, as pain allows.

• NSAIDs or other pain and anti-inflammatory medications may be prescribed by a doctor.
• Unresolved hematoma may be drained surgically to aid healing.

 

COMPLICATION AND PRECAUTION: DO NOT USE HEAT AND MASSAGE DURING ACUTE STAGE AS THESE MIGHT CAUSE MYOSITIS OSSIFICANS.

Around 9% of people with a thigh contusion develop myositis ossificans or bone formation within the muscle. If present it could results in months or years away from sport. Aggressive physical therapy or surgery may be required to treat this condition.

 

Muscle Contusions and Massage

During acute stage of the injury where there is swelling and pain, heat application and massage are strictly contraindicated as these may cause myositis ossificans. After the swelling and pain have subsided, massage of the bruised and adjacent muscles can be commenced and will aid in faster recovery from injury. While light activity and heat will help the injured area, they will not remove the scar tissue. Only massaging the bruise will do that. 

Because of the disabling pain brought about by the contusion, going to the clinic might be challenging for the injured athlete. So, by having a portable massager readily available at the bedside, like theRecovapro massage gun, having a therapeutic massage is just a thumb-press away…

Designed for on-the-go, the Recovapro massage gun is a state-of-the-art portable compact massage-therapy device engineered to precisely transmit 12 mm of amplitude at a top speed of 55 percussions per second on the body. Powered by a battery of 2600 mAh for over 3 hours of uninterrupted use, it is a percussion massage device that delivers maximum power and torque for a deeper massage experience.

 

Massage Procedure UsingRecovapro Massage Gun

• Initially, the injured area may be quite tender, so start with light strokes at a low intensity using the round head attachment, moving along the entire length of the quads from the knee up in the direction of blood flow. This warms up the quads, preparing it for deeper tissue manipulation.
• Gradually increase the pressure until you’re able to tolerate firm strokes. Cross-fiber massage over the injured area is accomplished by moving the device from side to side over the scar tissue.
• Concentrate your effort at the direct point of the bruise and get in as deep as possible to break down the scar tissue. Discomfort is normal but make sure to not overdo it.
• End the session with slow stroking of the whole quadriceps to increase blood flow to the massaged area, from knee going up.

 

Notes and Precautions:

• In the acute stage, massage is locally contraindicated, but work in the peripheral areas may help to stimulate the reabsorption of the calcium deposit. DO NOT MASSAGE THE AREA IF IT IS STILL SWOLLEN.
• Stretching after massage is advised to reorient the healing muscle fibers and maximize the effects of the massage.
• Recovapromassage guns provide a mechanical advantage for the clinician by allowing deeper penetration and more specific treatment of the scar tissue while also reducing imposed stress on the hands and forearms.
• If the spot is still painful but not swollen, initially lightly touch the attachment head to the area while providing the vibration.

 

RECOVAPRO… 

MORE THAN JUST A MASSAGE GUN!!!