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Wiilliams works on martial arts instructor Joe Villeniueva's back pain.
“I think it’s important that people get out of the mentality that massage is a luxury,” says massage therapist Tranette Williams as she works the kinks out of a martial artist’s lower back. As a martial artist herself, Williams knows firsthand the benefits of massage as well as being experienced in dolling those benefits out.
When honing a combative skill, strains and injuries are unavoidable. Most martial artists know basic injury care; ice it, rest it, etc. but few pay the proper attention to stretching and rehabilitation of injuries, chronic or otherwise. “Athletes are a lot more fun than a group of girls that are coming into the spa for birthdays,” says Williams, “I went to a clinical massage school [the Soma Institute], working with athletes, I get to use that clinical knowledge.”
Williams method is simple, but effective. She inquires about the pained area and suspected activities that may have caused the pain before getting to work. If the patient isn’t sure what initially created the strain, she’ll ask about recent differences in the patient’s routine. If the affected muscles aren’t obvious, she asks more questions as she goes, sleuthing it out and until she finds the problem area. A sports massage is not necessarily a massage you’re going to fall asleep though, sometimes the therapist will have to dig deep, literally, to treat the affected muscle. There are also the trigger points to consider. Sometimes a strain in your thigh will trigger pain in your knee. “Athletes have a lot that they do, so there’s a lot to figure out. [It’s more] engaging for me intellectually, and actually with athletes it’s a lot easier to see progress.”
Massage makes sense biologically. When you bump your arm, or pull a muscle, you instinctively rub the injured area. Massage is a highly effective way to increase blood flow to an injury as well as increasing body awareness overall. When you do go in for your first massage, however, do not expect to be cured overnight. Although some results come quickly, some injuries are the result of tension brought on through years of continuous ill use, which won’t disappear after 60 minutes of work. “If you’ve never had one try it and see how it affects your body,” encourages Williams, “it’s worth a shot, at least you’ll get relaxed.”
For more info: Tranette Williams is a nationally certified massage therapist licensed in the state of Illinois. She currently works out of Degerberg Academy, Urban Oasis and Chicago Touch and is a member of the American Massage Therapy Association.
Comments
Having reveived treatment from Tranette, as well as other therapist, she is b far the best massage experience I've had. She has an expertise second to none, and has brought my perception and intruige for the field of massage therapy to a level it never would have reached without having experienced her. I wish her good luck in all of her future endeavors; I know she's going to achieve greatness for years to come.
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