Self-massage is a technique that consists of massaging certain easily accessible parts of the body yourself. Airdrie Physiotherapy And Massage This technique does not require any particular training, but it must be practiced with caution so as not to hurt yourself or tire yourself unnecessarily. In addition, some massages are practiced with a little equipment.
Self-Massage to Soften The Fascia’s
Among athletes and in the world of massage in general, self-massage is recommended, especially to take care of the fascia’s. What exactly are fascia’s? A fascia is a fibro-elastic membrane that is found almost everywhere in the body since it envelops all the anatomical structures.
Of course, it is not always possible to self-massage certain fascia’s. However, fascia also wraps around our muscles and plays an essential bio-mechanical role in their functioning. They are particularly useful for transmitting the external stresses linked to muscular activity.
To sum up roughly, they protect the muscle and physical activity can fatigue them. Taking care of your fascia means taking care of your muscles.
How To Do A Self-Massage?
It is not very difficult to learn how to massage yourself. On the other hand, each area of the body requires learning a small adapted protocol. It is, therefore, necessary to take the trouble to obtain information to better understand each muscle and its functioning in the area concerned. Here are several of the most widespread and requested self-massage techniques.
Self-Massage Back
The back is one of the areas of the body that generally benefits the most from a good massage. Tensions build up quickly and the pain can be bothersome. Unfortunately, without equipment, a large part of the back is simply not reachable in self-massage. If we exclude the top of the shoulders which is often integrated in the self-massage of the neck and the cervical, you can especially self-massage the lower back.
The lower back and the lumbar area are among the areas most stressed by daily efforts and poor posture. Learning to self-massage the lower back is therefore a very good solution to limit back pain. You can use two self-massage protocols, one for the lower back, and the other for the lower back.
Massage Your Hands Yourself
Hand massages are done in two stages to take care of the palm and fingers in turn. Start by placing your thumb in the center of your opposite palm, resting the massaged hand on the other four fingers of the massaging hand. Press the center of your palm with your thumb to gauge the pressure needed. Then start making small circles, always clockwise. Gradually expand the size of the circles until you reach the base of the fingers.
Then grab each finger at its base and gently but firmly pull the finger. The goal is to allow the finger of the massaging hand to slide along the massaging finger while exerting sufficient pressure on the delicate muscles that compose it. When you have massaged all the fingers, switch to the other hand.
Self-Massage of The Head
Self-massage of the head can be very effective in the fight against certain headaches. Always start by massaging your scalp. Put your ten fingers on the top of your skull like two big spiders. Then, make small circular movements. You can also spread your fingers like you would widen a clamp. Here it is not necessary to exert significant pressure. A few minutes of light massage will help you relax a lot.
Self-Massage of The Face and Eyes
We have already published a more detailed article on facial self-massage which you can read here. Nevertheless, here are two protocols to take care of your face and eyes.
For the face, you can wake up and firm the skin by performing small pinches. Start from the chin and use both hands to perform symmetrical movements. Go up to the cheekbones, then leave the nostrils to go up to the temples. Finally, start from the center of your forehead to the temples again.
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