“In competitive sports we are always looking for science-based and permitted therapy concepts”
Dr. Thomas Frölich of Reha-Zentrum Böblinge is team doctor for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim.
Use in muscle injuries
He has been successfully applying the Extrazell® concept for more than 4 years using it for treatment of the extracellular matrix (ECM) for short, matrix therapy, to successfully treat their athletes.
The cells of our body are embedded structurally and functionally in the complex structures that are the extracellular matrix, also named interstitial (intermediate cell area). This extracellular space serves the supply of nutrients and the dissipation of final metabolic waste products. The hormonal regulating, vegetative regulation and the immune responses also occur across this space. The metabolic process in the interstitial fluids are regulated not only by diffusion, but also through micro-circulation, that importantly depends upon the intact skeletal muscles within this space.
Muscular injuries cause their natural vibration behaviour to become disturbed, leading to a congestion of metabolite, which can induce local hyperacidity with pre-inflammatory transformation. Cytokine and other inflammation mediators grow mature in the morbidly changed extracellular matrix and interfere the basic regulatory system. Due to decreased cell metabolism with insufficient ATP formation, an energy deficit within the affected cells is induced.
Practical use
These theoretical basics guided him to bio-mechanical stimulation/matrix therapy, which became an important component of their overall strategy in the treatment of muscular injuries. The externally introduced oscillation must conform to the biological oscillation patterns, in order to achieve a positive effect. The frequency range is in between 8 – 30Hz with an amplitude of 0.1 – 5mm. Higher frequencies could cause in this context a negative impact. If no structural muscular injuries are present they immediately begin the matrix therapy after first aid and the accurate diagnosis has been provided. First they use 10Hz for 10 minutes in longitudinal direction of the muscle fibres,by applying moderate pressure.
Afterwards a deep effective and water filtered infrared A irradiation (wIRA) is performed for 10 minutes. Then a running training session is carried out under strict observation of the pain limit for 10 minutes. Every single therapy session takes therefore about 30 minutes. 5 sessions daily should be planned, each session separated by taking a rest of at least 30 minutes. Additionally alternative circuit training and a training of non-injured muscle groups while still observing of the pain limit. If structural muscular injuries are present they begin the matrix therapy as outlined above just 3 days later, in order to avoid causing any secondary bleeding and not to interrupt the initial healing process. The period before belongs first of all to acute measures, immobilized bandaging, lymphatic drainage and massages of surrounding muscles.
Conclusions
In summary it can be observed, that the player down time is reduced through consistent application of matrix therapy and the recurrence rate is decreased significantly. Important to muscle injuries is the consistent and systematic implementation of the therapeutic measures, while observing the pain limit.
