April 30, 2008
Carpal tunnel syndrome and surgery seem almost inevitable these days for any writing or computer-based profession.But massage therapy may prevent people from going under the knife, as well as relieving headaches, stress and boosting the immune system.
"Ninety percent of the time, carpal tunnel problems come from the neck," said certified massage therapist, Marie Peterson.
Whether it's from constant writing, working on the computer or just being a Type A personality, this repetitive motion causes the shoulders to tighten up, she said.
"The tightness goes down the arms and pinches the nerves, cutting them off from circulation," Peterson said. "Using massage, I go in and break up the scar tissue and lengthen and restructure the muscle."
This process, along with modifying stance, helps considerably, she said. And many times this can prevent clients from surgery.
"A lot of people who have surgery come out worse," Peterson said. "Cutting the nerve is not getting to the root of the problem."
Students generally come to Peterson to get their muscles loosened up for sports, to heal injuries or right before finals, she said. She uses a mixture of therapies to help them.
"Muscles have memory, so after an injury a muscle will tighten up and hold that trauma," Peterson said. "I go in and try to re-educate and teach the muscle how it's supposed to move."
But students don't seem too worried about carpal tunnel problems now.
"I don't really think about it," said freshman Krystal Thomas. "But a massage definitely sounds like a good alternative to surgery."
A career in agriculture education wouldn't require any more computer-use than student life currently does, she said.
Getting a massage doesn't seem to be high priority for most students.
"I haven't had a massage since I left Indonesia seven years ago," said graduate student Andy Haryanto.
It's more common for children to get massages in Indonesia, he said. They usually get massages for shoulder pain relief.
"I have heard that Chinese massage, Shiatsu, helps with carpal tunnel," Haryanto said. "I'm not worried about it now, but I would probably look into it later."
Another therapy that can be used for carpal tunnel syndrome is reflexology.
"What drew me to reflexology is that it's mobile," said certified reflexologist Karyl Clark. "It provides an opportunity to fix a problem anywhere you are."
Particular locations on the hands and feet correspond to every area of the body, she said. Applying pressure to these specific points can relieve pain.
"For example, the toes correspond to the head. If you have a headache you can work on the big toe," Clark said. "Squeeze the toe until you find a sensitive area, then press and release that area for a few minutes."
A reflexology session usually lasts about an hour, she said. But she also teaches her clients exercises they can do at home to prevent and reduce carpal tunnel problems.
"I have some exercises that I do regularly before I do computer work to keep myself healthy," Clark said. "Certain stretches and positioning yourself correctly in front of a computer is very important."
Investing a little time into health will result in a stronger immune system also, she said. By doing reflexology on a regular basis it's easier to stay strong when pressures are high.
"If we pay attention to our bodies, they will last longer," Clark said. "If you never change the oil in your car, eventually it will go out."
Sonja Kydd can be reached at
skydd@theorion.com
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