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Giving neck and shoulder massages is a great way to help relieve the stress and tension that your spouse or friend may be feeling, and you will find that the neck and shoulder massage is actually one of the easiest forms of massage. After all, the person only needs to sit up straight directly in front of you in order for you to easily give them the massage. If you are local , there are many massage – Chiswick based practices offering professional services, however it would also be useful (and fun) if you to know how to do it yourself, here are some tips on how to give a good neck and shoulder massage: 1. Have the person sit on a chair with a low back, as that will help you get good access to the shoulder muscles. If you don’t have a low chair, get them to lay down on the floor. Make sure that their arms are either extended alongside their body or out to either side. This helps to make the shoulder and neck muscles as accessible as possible. 2. A unique form of massage is to “play the piano” on their shoulders. Simply place your four fingers on their shoulders and mimic the motion that you make when playing the piano. Move your fingers all around their shoulders to give them a thorough massage using the tips of your fingers. 3. Form your hand into a fist and place the knuckle of your first finger on their shoulder muscle. Roll your wrist outwards in order to press on the muscles with each knuckle successively, and repeat this up to 100 times all over the shoulders. Use both hands to perform this stress releasing motion that helps to relax the shoulders. 4. Have the person lie on their back, and place a towel beneath their neck. Place your hands behind the person’s head, holding where the neck and skull joins. Pull very gently towards you as you turn the head from side to side (be sure to pull VERY gently), and this helps to relax the muscles of the neck as you stretch them. 5. Find the ridge of muscles that run up either side of the spinal column, and use your thumbs to gently press on these muscles. Run your thumbs from the base of the neck all the way up to the skull, as this helps to relax the muscles. 6. Place your thumbs on the spine, and use your index and middle fingers to gently press on the muscles on the side of the neck. Knead softly in circular motions, and go from bottom to top and back down again. Be careful to knead these muscles gently, as they can be very sensitive and may hurt if you apply too much pressure. 7. Don’t only focus on the muscles on the top of the shoulders, but knead the muscles behind the neck and running down behind the shoulders. The latissimus dorsi muscles can become very tense, and you will find that kneading these muscles gently can help to relieve the stress very effectively. 8. Pull the head very gently towards you, making sure not to pull too hard. You don’t want to extend the neck too much, but you simply want to be sure that the neck muscles holding the head up are loosened via the stretch. 9. Have the person sit up as straight as possible when giving them a massage in a sitting position. They may find that the tension in their shoulders and neck will partially dissipate when they sit up straight, and you may not have to give a long massage to help work out the rest of the kinks. It is important to always sit up straight and to have good posture. Good posture can help to eliminate neck and shoulder pain, so always sit and stand as straight as possible in order to reduce any pain or discomfort. It is essential to seek expert advice and treatment if the condition becomes more than just mild discomfort. If you are local to the area, there are many professional massage – Chiswick based clinics that can offer this service. Always check that the therapists have credentials recognised by the industry, client testimonials they can provide and most importantly, that you feel comfortable and relaxed with them. Author: Fran Kehoe is a fully qualified and insured Sports & Remedial Massage Therapist with ITEC Diplomas in Sports Massage, Reflexology, Anatomy & Physiology, Holistic Massage and a FHT Certificate in Deep Tissue Massage at The Massage Centre, Chiswick. Click here for more information on how sports massage can effectively treat Neck and Shoulder Pain. Or call Fran for a no-obligation discussion of your problem: 020 8166 8958
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