Back, Neck and Shoulder Pain is one of the most common treatments massage therapists see and treat. It’s very common among students, office workers and anyone sitting at a desk using a computer and mouse for several hours on a regular basis.
Since back pain including upper, mid and lower back have many different associated problems, I’m going to cover them later in future posts. For the remainder of this post I will be focusing on Neck and Shoulder Pain.
Causes of Neck and Shoulder Pain
- Poor posture for long durations (most common reason)
- Sleeping wrong (Sleep Posture)
- Breastfeeding or carrying a baby
- Wearing a heavy book bag on one shoulder or heavy purse
- A fall or Motor Vehicle Accident (Whiplash)
- Driving for long durations
Symptoms of Neck and Shoulder Pain
- Headaches or migraines
- Numbness and tingling (in neck, shoulders, arms)
- Muscle pain and tightness or spasms
- Stiff neck – difficulty moving head and shoulders
- Feeling of knots in between shoulder blades or top of shoulders
Common Areas For Massage Treatment
- Upper back, between shoulder blades
- All shoulder blade attachments
- Upper Pecs (Chest)
- Top of shoulders
- And Neck
Most people are unaware of the part that the upper portion of your chest (Pecs) plays in upper back pain and tension (especially in between your shoulder blades). When your Pecs are tight they pull your shoulders forward and in towards each other causing your upper back muscles to be overstretched. Most people feel the pain and tension in the stretched portion of the muscles but don’t notice the tension in the tight muscles until pressure is put on them.
Remember in 99% of cases, what caused your pain or tension wasn’t done in one day, if it’s due to prolonged poor posture (work / student / etc) – think about how long you’ve been working using that posture, some people may say years… One massage won’t fix everything but it can help you feel better with each treatment.
One massage treatment can usually make quite a bit of difference for most clients, allowing them to feel more relaxed and a lot less pain and tension.
Combining massage, good posture and the self care tips provided by your massage therapist is the best way to see continued improvement. Adding K-taping at the end of your treatment can also help extend the treatment, helping to increase your awareness, use better posture and decrease pain and tension.
If this sounds like you, book an appointment and let me help you decrease your pain & tension.
