Each of us has or will have experienced these musculoskeletal symptoms at some time during our lives. At any given time, as many as 24 million Americans are experiencing muscle related pain. In fact, muscle related pain is so prevalent that it results in 50 million lost work days each year.
Muscle deconditioning affects performance and places the individual at greater risk of injury.
In sports, muscle dysfunction significantly affects performance by impairing coordination, timing and fine motor skills. This can be unfortunate in events where the intent of in-season training is to facilitate peak performance. Basketball, baseball and football athletes must also be aware of the lingering effects of muscle fatigue, stiffness and soreness on performance. In any event, prudent therapies that provide therapeutic benefit for musculoskeletal dysfunction should be explored that will benefit the occupational and functional health of each individual, as well as to provide the therapist the most judicious modalities for treating patients. Application of physical agents such as cold, heat, light, friction and pressure have traditionally been used as therapeutic modalities for musculoskeletal injuries.