Below you will find two videos to guide you through self massage techniques for the upper and lower neck.
Recommendation: As a general rule of thumb, start with 3 x 45 seconds, per self massage, per side. Adjust to how you feel – try everyday for the first week, then approx twice a week for a month. It’s not an exact science đŸ™‚Â
Did you know?
There are two types of tension.
- Sedentary tension
- Stabilising tension
Sedentary tension is the exception to the ‘Tension is intelligent’ rule. It’s the more general stiffness you feel when you haven’t moved a part of your body for a while. You experience this when you’ve been in one position too long, at your desk, or when you wake up in the morning.
To experience stabilising tension, grab an object and hold it out in front of you. A water bottle filled up will work well. The longer you hold it, the more you will feel tension spreading through your arm, maybe up into your neck. This tension is your body trying to deal with the weight of your arm, and the object. By holding out your arm, you’ve made a lever. Gravity is pushing down. Your muscles and tissue are becoming more active to stop you dropping the water bottle. If you keep holding the bottle for long enough, the effort starts to feel less like tension, and more like pain. That’s what happens in your body. If an area is asked to be overactive for long enough, your brain will send a pain signal.
