You Really Knee--d This!

 

Massage therapy treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee is becoming increasingly popular. And for good reason. Finding an accredited massage therapist can be the key ingredient for a successful treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee. There have been many studies done recently proving that massage therapy treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee works. For example, a 2012 study published in PLoS One showed that just one 60-minute Swedish massage session each week dramatically reduced osteoarthritis pain in the knee. People in this study also said that their knees had greater flexibility and range of motion after a few weeks of treatment.

 

Another study published in the August 2015 edition of the Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine found that people with osteoarthritis of the knee could benefit from Chinese massages as well. Both of these studies prove that the treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee is related to massage therapy. But why is this so?

 

Why does massage therapy work for people with this condition? No one knows for sure. Some theories suggest that a message therapist helps by increasing the blood flow to trouble spots in each patient. Also, massage therapy generally increases the production of pain-reducing chemicals like serotonin into the brain.

 

A Swedish massage is a very common treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee. The massage therapist using the Swedish method works to increase the overall oxygen flow in the body by using long and circular strokes. Another way massage therapists can help treat knee pain is through trigger point therapy. Massage therapists using the trigger point method look for certain areas of the body that is full of tension and apply pressure to them. This is supposed to get rid of the pain in certain spots within the body.