Discussion: Physio - No Pain, no Gain?

Currently I have a calf injury and often come away from physio needing 1 to 3 days to recover from the massage that delibrately agitates the injury to boost healing. I'm beginning to wonder if the best approach is the standard initial RICE, icing, stretching, gentle massage, followed by build up work etc. At least the recovery should be slow and steady. Has anyone experience of both approaches?

Calf muscle, or achilles tendon?
I would have thought there were more useful ways to agitate the injury than a massage.

Every injury is probably different but I do get calf twinges once a year or so.

I've given up on physio. I stop running and keep walking and biking. I have a feeling the more rough ground the better, so if I had tramping or orienteering or mapping planned I still do it. I'm strict about not running, even in the finish shute. The trick is when to resume.

The massage agitation is a combination of cross friction, direct pressure with the flat or end of the thumb, plus ultrasound. Flectch, I agree each injury is different, the problem for the physio is they work on the area and how far they go depends partly on the feedback from the athlete, which will depend on the athletes expectation, threshold and description of the pain.

My understanding of achilles tendon issues is that eccentric exercises are used to 'agitate the injury and promote healing' (an over-simplification, but pretty much what's going on) but also to get the thing healing with tendons fibres properly aligned for full strength and function, rather than just healing in a mess that results in a weak point. (Even worse oversimplification but my brain isn't working this evening).

I was just wondering whether massage was meant to have the same effect as the eccentric loading (Alfredson technique or similar) or is it just to reduce tightness in the muscle, or is there another benefit.

(I'm assuming when you say you currently have a calf injury you're referring to a chronic issue rather than using massage as a teratment in the first few days post acute injury?)

Thanks guys, you've helped me make up my mind. Best off taking control, taking more rest than I have been and doing the hands on stuff myself. At least its low risk.

Reading up on the Alfredson technique has been helpful. The concept of continuing even though its painful is counter intuitive, but clearly it works for most people.

The calf strain occurred six weeks ago and was mild initially. Six weeks on due to a lack of patience on my behalf and possibly overdone physio sessions there are now a couple of tears!!

I used to get knots in my calves. The cure was cross friction massage right on the little ball of scar tissue to break it up and stretching. The physio also threw in ultra sound. He showed me how to do the massage myself, so I continued the therapy on my own every couple of days until it all went away.