Hi Dan,
I'm so glad you wrote to me so I can explain my view of muscle/joint pain. I agree with you that there are other causes for just about any pain a person may experience, but my expertise is only in muscle pain so that is where I focus.
My experience is that people will go to their doctor and have x-rays, MRIs, etc., and go to physical therapy and have all the programs they offer, but the thing that is frequently overlooked is how a tight muscle may be causing pain. Also, if a person has had pain for years, the odds are they have already tried everything they can think of, or that the professionals can offer. Since I don't have the training to speak from a medical position, I only offer my insight about muscles.
I've been specializing in the treatment of chronic pain and sports injuries caused by repetitively straining muscles for 25+ years. My initial education was as a massage therapist, and then I had the good fortune to be trained by an Osteopathic MD, an acupuncturist, and an amazing PT who had his PhD in physical therapy. In each of these cases we continued my training by focusing on only the muscular component of pain.
You're right that it appears I'm ascribing a single cause for all problems, and looking at the body through my narrow lens, I agree. My entire premise is that a muscle is repetitively strained causing it to shorten into spasms, and that this puts a strain on the tendon. The now-taut tendon is pulling on the insertion point on the bone and will cause pain, as well as the potential for inflammation. I've seen the tight muscles be responsible for tearing the tendon from the bone, whether it is the biceps tendon, the Achilles tendon, hamstrings, etc.
My feeling is that it's easy enough to self-treat the muscle at home without all the expense and time that the other therapies require, or the need to take medications or buy expensive items such as orthotics. If the self-treatments don't work, then move on to explore other options.
Having said all of that, I'm taking your comments seriously and in the future I will preface my statements with "I am a muscular therapist so I'm offering you only one solution out of the many that may be available." What do you think? Does that explain it better?
Thanks for bringing this to my attention, I appreciate that you cared enough to tell me and not just tell the world without asking for my input.
Have a great day,
Julie
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