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Groin
Strains and Restless
Leg Syndrome Groin
strain injuries and restless leg syndrome are common complaints
that we often deal with at Gaia Holistix, so we thought it would
be a good idea to put up some information about it and how we
sort it out.
I can remember many years ago, when I first began to massage, being presented with some problems which no one seemed to know the answers to. These were people with long term lower back problems who, when you massaged their backs, showed no obvious signs of an injury which would have accounted for it. A similar situation arose with restless leg syndrome, 'RLS', where regular massage of the legs did not seem to offer a permanent solution to this disfunction either. The training I received sadly did not address these issues. It is as though the groin area does not exist and massage therapists are usually taught not to address this area. So I did a lot of research both in medical books and on the early people who came to me (for which I am grateful to them for letting me experiment on them!) to establish a way to remedy the associated dysfunctions. I am glad to say that my perseverance paid off and I traced the route of both problems into the groin. Since that discovery, I have been able to help a lot of people over the last few years. Through my experiences in sorting out both short term as well as long term groin strain injuries, I began to realise that some painful lower back problems, without an underlying mechanical dysfunction, as well as RLS are often side effects of various forms of groin strain injuries. Some of the cases which I was presented with had been in existence for well over 30 years. During that time they had often received a myriad of treatments from a variety of different practitioners, with no visible long term improvements, which is quite understandable since they were not taught how to deal with groin strain related injuries. When
I explain what I do to sort it out, they generally comment that
no one has ever checked their groin to establish if the problem
originates from there. They are also quite surprised to find that
although they were not previously aware of a problem in the groin
area, this quickly becomes self evident as the pain is often quite
acute during the sessions. As the pain starts to diminish, so the
referred pain in the lower back or leg/s also subsides. So if you have been experiencing RLS or a protracted lower back problem and/or painful knee/s, which x-ray and scans have revealed no underlying mechanical symptoms; which has also not responded to other treatments that you have received, then it is time to consider coming to see us to make sure that your dysfunction is not actually caused by an underlying groin strain injury. What
are the common symptoms of restless legs syndrome? The sensations can occur anywhere in the leg, feet and may also occasionally be present in the trunk or genital area. These feelings may move from one part of the body to another or may affect only one side of the body. For example, one leg may have unusual sensations whereas the other does not. Symptoms often become more obvious whilst at rest and may be temporarily diminished by voluntary movements of the affected limb or limbs. RLS may also be provoked by prolonged periods of inactivity such as occurs during travel in a plane, train, or car. Most symptoms
occur most frequently during the evening or the early part of the
night, which is very annoying to say the least, but the good news
is we usually get it sorted out in a few sessions. The symptoms are very similar as we are actually dealing with the same underlying problem. The main symptom of RLS is the requirement to move the leg/s in order to get comfortable, where as a groin strain injury does not always give RLS symptoms, but it will give pain as well as other physical indications. Since any associated pain, from what I term a groin strain injury, is usually radiated either up the inguinal ligament from the groin traveling around the trunk to manifest in the lower back and/or is radiated down the leg to manifest in the knee or further down into the foot. This means that if the practitioner has been treating the symptoms at their extremities where it is manifesting, they will not be addressing the underlying problem area (the groin) so it is usually overlooked. Other symptoms are not being able to bend over forward without discomfort, although this discomfort is being manifested in the lower back, it usually emanates out to the sides of the body. With a more pronounced groin strain injury you will not be able to stand up straight, but will be leaning to one side or the other if you look in the mirror. Addressing the cause is often uncomfortable mainly due to the fact that we are generally dealing with a trapped nerve inside the muscles and tendons. Saying that, the effects of the session are usually evident straight afterwards, but the areas that have been worked will feel sore for a day or two and need time to adjust before the next session. How many sessions are required for RLS/groin strain injury. This varies from person to person, I would suggest you are looking at a minimum of four sessions, but if you have had the underlying problems for several years then it can take possibly 7 or more. You will know how you are doing as the sessions progress. It is important to remember that the symptoms associated with a groin strain injury or RLS will probably disappear before all the underlying causes have been sorted. It is important to get as many, if not all, of the underlying problems dealt with before stopping your sessions. You will know when this is, simply because the sessions will stop being painful to receive and I will keep you informed of your progress . |