Your experiences with injury in your bodywork practice

[Jamerson]

Well, OK, so we can use the term "assess and address" instead of "diagnose." Maybe it's your opinion that "probably" a combo of conventional & alternative medicines is best, and yes, there are a some conventional docs who are receptive to alternative methods, but just because docs have managed to legally reserve diagnosis for their own profession does not mean that all consumers of healthcare are required to agree to visit them. (Not to mention that many, MANY conventional docs make errors in diagnosis, particularly when it comes to things like autoimmune and chronic conditions.)

But this is a total derail -- sorry!

 

[Tucker M]

I'm sorry that we're ending up discussing my book so much - the point of my posting in this forum was to hear YOUR experiences with injury.

Sorry, forum threads often become broaders discussions than originally intended. You might have better like going straight to the source (PM forum members who have posted recently about injuries. Here's a list:

christyjackson:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5898
Carpul tunnel? Tendonitis? Help!
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=65348


Sherry Dudik:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5516
Numbess and Tingling in hands at night
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7209


eblguim:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4483
help!!! ganglion cyst (?)
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5836


heart:
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5630
CTS & Massage School
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7550


Unbroken Chain
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4586
Shoulder Pain - Help!
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7257


BackrubMonster
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=189
Hyperextension tendency in hands/fingers
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6778


Ocean
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=5312
Concerned about my hands
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6745


lvingwell
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=392
holy cow my arm hurts
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6661


rtamm
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=3889
Tendonitis, etc.
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6425


Kindred Spirits
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=728
Subscapularis Technique? ...self-treat
http://www.massageplanet.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8299


Not everyone posts on every thread, which is why reading these other threads, and sending PM's to the people involved, might speed your research. Hope this helps!

 

[Pompal 09.]

I graduated 3.5 years ago and massage has been my primary career since then. My massage therapist/former instructor started out as the poster child of "what not to do", work 7 days a week, 8-10 clients a day, never take care of yourself, and he ended up not being able to pick up a hairbrush after 2 years. Several NMT sessions later, he is now an instructor of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and I have learned what not to do from him. I am not the best about doing my stretches (I'm working on it though!) but I limit myself to no more then 6 clients a day and I won't have many days like that in a row, I am physically fit, do a lot of yoga and get a massage every 2 weeks. I have found that regular massage and a consistent yoga practice really helps me. I'm not as sore as I normally would be, and arnica is a GREAT pain reliever! If my hands/wrists start to bother me, at the end of the night I put on some arnica oil and my wrist guards and I'm good in the morning!

 

[Pompal 09.]

I started working at a health club right out of massage school, and the majority of my clients were men much larger in size than myself. I soon noticed pain in my left & right thenar eminence and golfer's elbow in my left arm. Using trigger point therapy daily on my hands and elbow as well as going to a chiropractor for adjustments and ultrasound on the elbow has gotten rid of the pain. It has been around 4 years now with no reoccurance of the pain. I get chiropractic adjustments and massages once or twice a month now . And I agree with Seebs and rtamm that exercise and setting limits to my schedule are crucial in continuing dong what I love pain free. I would also add that continuing to learn different massage/bodywork modalities has given me more "tools in the tool box" that has helped soften the work load for my body. I am also blessed to work as an independent contractor in several places, so I have total control of my schedule. Of course, during the busy holidays I allowed my schedule to get out of control (people wanting to use gift certificates from last year before they expired...hehe), but I am now taking a much needed break and am feeling like my old self again.

 

[Abbey loves Jesus]

Well, OK, so we can use the term "assess and address" instead of "diagnose."

With something as serious as an injury that can keep you in great pain for years and even end your career, you're going to want to have someone with the most experience possible treating this kind of injury and the most training and education possible about these injuries, AND someone who is taught how to do differential diagnosis (this is a skill that one learns in school and that is practiced over the years by people who are licensed to diagnose). Of course, not all M.D.'s are good at what they do, but the same can be said of any professional. That doesn't change the fact that they are trained to diagnose - if they are licensed, it's because they have proven that they have the necessary training to do that part of their work. It's not that they have "managed to get it legalized" - there is a difference in the number of years of study that some professionals have, and at what level that study has been done, than others.

Every healthcare practitioner has their place in the chain of treatment. In our society, it is M.D.'s, N.D.'s, P.T.'s and D.O.'s who are licensed to diagnose. I have trouble understanding why you would be SO suspicious of these professionals, many of whom are caring, well-trained, and provide extremely effective treatments. I would seriously question the abilities (and integrity) of someone who diagnoses when they are not legally allowed to, nor have received the proper training to do so. Not someone I would want treating my injury.