Reduce Shoulder Pain Today With Massage Therapy

When I see road signs that say “Shoulder Work Ahead,” I can’t help thinking that I should hang one of those outside my massage therapy office here in Millersburg, Ohio. Every day I know there is shoulder work ahead for me. Both physical and emotional stresses often root into the shoulders. Imbalances here can lead to headaches, numbness of the arms and hands, and may even reflect long-term psychological strains. The rolled-forward posture of a person who has spent his life believing he is worthless can be a too common example of this. (Further down, I’ll give a couple of simple tips for reducing shoulder tension. Feel free to skip ahead. Points will not be deducted.) When one shoulder is raised higher than the other, it is easy to see. This can come from over-use of one side or repetitive activities that create the imbalance, like a bowler who is constantly making a forceful movement that is one-sided. Another cause is working at a keyboard that is resting on a surface that is too high for your body. In this case, it’s possible for both shoulders to be chronically elevated, which is a little harder to notice. A combination of moist heat, clinical massage therapy throughout the neck and shoulders, and stretching can help high shoulders to lower, relieving the discomfort. Military shoulders, as the name suggests, give a person the posture of standing at attention. There is an over-emphasis on sticking the chest out, and a rigidity in the shoulder girdle that often comes with this condition. Because of this backward “roll” of the shoulders, tension of chest muscles overlying nerves can actually entrap nerves, which creates numbness or tingling sensations in the arm. With massage, we can carefully release soft tissues of the chest. It is especially important to treat the small pectoralis minor muscle in this condition. Likewise, attention is required on the upper back, directly opposite the chest. These muscles between the shoulder blades get into a tug of war with the chest, and the person’s body becomes a constant battlefield. Massage and proper stretching that gradually loosens both sides eases compression on nerves and puts an end to the battle, tug-of-war, or (insert metaphor here). If you happen to have tight or stiff shoulders, without severe pain, one the following simple shoulder-openers could be helpful to you. There are a lot of other good stretches you can benefit from, but these can be a good start and focus on the chest: For the first, you will need a rolled up blanket or two and a small pillow. The blankets should be firm enough that they won’t been completely compressed by the weight of your body. Place your rolled blankets on the floor and lie atop them so that they intersect your upper back. (Blankets are perpendicular to your spine, not running in the same direction.) Place the small pillow under your neck, so it is not hyperextended or uncomfortable. Stretch out both your arms and lay them on the floor so you are making a “Y”. The hands are palm up. Say, “ahhhhhhhhh.” Lie in this position and breathe normally, but let your mind stay with the movement of your breath. As long as you are comfortable, stay like this for about 2 minutes. If there is discomfort which you can’t quite adapt to resolve, carefully roll out of the position. Don’t force it. Number two is deceptive in that it looks easy, but can be an intense stretch. Find a section of wall without pictures or anything else hanging on it. Stand with the side of your right hip against the wall. Raise your right arm so it is pointing skyward, with the right palm flat against the wall. Your right armpit should be facing the wall if you are in the correct position. Now for the stretch. Imagine your right arm is the arm of a large clock and is now at 12 o’clock. You are going to move from here down to 6. Keeping your palm in contact with the wall and keeping your arm straight, slowly move your hand in a semicircle behind you. Do your best to keep your shoulders pointing forward - don’t turn your torso towards the wall. (If this is too challenging, you can start over with your body a few inches away from the wall.) Each time you reach a point of resistance or tension, stop here for one or two breaths, allowing yourself to relax as much as possible. When you are done, switch sides. This can be a great supplement to massage therapy treatments.