Experience Comfort and Relief with Recovapro Lite

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March 17, 2022 3 min read

Recovapro massage gun works in two ways for crossed syndromes: First, Recovapro's innovative vibration therapy eases out tension from the tight muscles due to its inhibitory effect. Second, it activates the lengthened muscles via its facilitatory effect. Both mechanisms follow either the process of Autogenic Inhibition or Reciprocal Inhibition.

UNDERSTANDING AUTOGENIC AND RECIPROCAL INHIBITION

Autogenic Inhibition

The golgi tendon organ (GTO) is a proprioceptive sensory receptor located at both ends of a muscle. It responds to changes in muscle tension by preventing further muscle contraction, causing relaxation (reflex inhibition) on the muscles, while activating the opposing muscle.

Autogenic inhibition is important when you want to stretch a severely tight muscle in crossed syndromes either with manual stretching or mechanical vibration.  When the GTO prevents the contraction of the agonist muscle and allows the contraction of the antagonist muscle, the muscle will be easier to stretch.

Reciprocal Inhibition

The muscle spindle is a proprioceptive sense organ that senses changes in muscle length or stretch and the speed of the stretch. When a muscle is lengthened, the muscle spindles are stretched and activated, causing reflex contraction of the muscle (stretch reflex) and relaxation of the opposing muscle.

When mechanical vibration is applied to the already stretched muscle in crossed syndromes, these muscles may be activated and respond more to the strengthening program.

ON TIGHT, OVERACTIVE MUSCLES

There are three mechanisms by which localized vibration therapy can be beneficial in improving range of motion: increased pain threshold, enhanced blood flow, and induced relaxation.

Increased Pain Threshold

It is normal to experience pain during stretching. This is our bodies' way of preventing the muscles from being overstretched and injured. But in situations where aggressive stretching is required, this may be appropriate and can be safe provided that the end-range stretch is performed just above the limit of the available range. A decrease in pain allows greater ranges of motion before stretching pain occurs.

Enhanced Blood Flow

Following exposure to mechanical vibration, there is enhanced blood circulation. This induced blood flow may increase local body temperature, which has been associated with increased muscle flexibility.

Induced Relaxation 

If a muscle is allowed to contract either by voluntary sub-maximal effort or facilitation by local application of mechanical vibration and then stretched, it is mediated by a mechanism of Autogenic Inhibition, but if it is followed by stretching of the opposite muscle, it works through Reciprocal Inhibition. Increasing muscle tension through mechanical vibration activates the GTO, which inhibits contraction of the activated or vibrated muscle, resulting in its relaxation. And therefore, can be easily stretched. The alternating pressure by mechanical vibration can relax and soothe any tense muscles.

ON WEAK, UNDERACTIVE MUSCLES

At an appropriate frequency and intensity, mechanical vibration can produce contraction of the targeted muscle through tonic vibratory reflex by stimulating the muscle spindle, while also relaxing the opposing muscle via GTO inhibition. 

Many studies have demonstrated the facilitatory effect of mechanical vibration, specifically in aiding muscular contraction and strengthening. When vibration was applied simultaneously with isometric contraction, greater force production was elicited in the vibrated muscle. Likewise, a significant increase in voluntary maximal isotonic contraction of the treated muscle was also observed following vibration.

ON RECOVAPRO'S  VIBRATION SYSTEM:

Recovapro's vibration enhances blood circulation. The massaging effect has the following benefits:

  • Provides both the tight and stretched muscles ample supply of oxygen and nutrients needed for healing, repair, and recovery.
  • It helps in alleviating pain by flushing out pain metabolites, apart from decreasing pain perception through the gate control theory.
  • It softens adhesions and contractures in tight muscles.
  • It washes out toxins, particularly in stretched and fatigued muscles.

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