If you’ve been working the last couple of months from your computer, chances are your body is struggling with tension and bad posture. Whether you’re working from home or in an office, spending long hours staring at your computer can have consequences on your body.
We all need to relieve our bodies every now and then to reduce stress and tension, especially for the neck, shoulder, and back. These areas have the main muscle groups we use most as we go about our day and they can easily be affected by bad posture. When these muscles are tense, you can start experiencing migraines or back pain. To avoid it, you have to book a massage session.
However, for those who don’t have the time to book a massage therapy session every couple of weeks, they can perform self-massage at home every day.
Here are three ways to perform self-massage and how it can help you and your body:
1. Head And Neck Massage
Head and Neck self-massage can easily be performed anywhere you are. You don’t need external equipment and it only takes a few minutes.
Place the palm of your hands on your neck near the spinal cord, and hold the back of your neck with the bottom of your palms. Move up and down slowly and gently. Tilt your head forward and move to the area between your head and neck, gently press with your fingers and move downwards. Tilt your head to the left and move your fingers from the top to the bottom of your neck, do this three to four times then switch. Repeat the same process on the right side.
If you’re at work and you feel your neck stiffening, do this massage routine and follow with a neck stretch afterward.
To stretch your neck, tilt your head downwards for ten seconds and slowly tilt it to the side, stay for 10 seconds, then tilt it back, and then tilt to the other side. Repeat this movement a couple of times and pay attention to your breathing. Throughout the process, you need to take a deep breath and let it go slowly.
To massage your head, use two fingers to press on your jawline, below your ears. Keep pressing and moving with the hairline until both your hands meet. While pressing, move in a small circular motion.
This massage will help enhance your blood flow, release tension for your neck, and potentially reduce migraines. You can massage your head and neck before bed to release all the tension, or while you’re working to give the muscles a break.
2. Shoulder and Upper Back Massage
Hunching at your computer will definitely result in shoulder and back pain after a long day at work. To avoid any serious complications from bad posture, you should regularly massage your shoulders.
Place your right palm on your left shoulder and squeeze with your fingers until you find an amount of pressure that feels right. Once you find it, move your fingers in a circular motion and move from the outside to the inside near your neck. Repeat the same process on the other side.
For better and faster results, you can use a tennis ball or a massage gun from the base of your neck, to your shoulders and upper back. To get the best results from a massage gun, read more on how to use one and find out what the best option is for a self-massage gun. If you don’t have a massage gun, place a tennis ball on the wall and press your back against it and move your back around to feel the difference.
Self-massaging your shoulders and upper back will prevent rounded shoulders and reduce shoulder pain.
3. Lower Back Massage
Many people experience lower back pain on a regular basis after sitting for more than an hour at a time. This mainly happens because your muscles can no longer support your body and you need to relax. You can reduce tension from your lower back by using a tennis ball and pressing your lower back against it. However, you should avoid putting pressure with the ball on your spinal cord. Move side to side and up and down to get the best result
For faster relief, you can use a foam roller on the ground, center the middle of your back on it, and move up and down.
Massaging your lower back will help strengthen the muscles, improve blood flow, reduce back and leg pain and enhance your posture.
When you have a tight schedule and going for a massage session is not an option, self-massaging will do the trick. You can dedicate 10 to 15 minutes every day before going to bed to self-massaging your body. There are many tools that you can use, such as a tennis ball, foam roller, or massage gun that will help you relieve the pain from your muscles. If you don’t have any of these tools, your hands will work just fine. Avoid pressing too hard with your hands unless you feel that your muscles are too stiff.
