Many people spend the entire workday sitting at their desk, getting up only at lunchtime or when nature calls. There are many health risks to this sedentary lifestyle, including developing sore muscles and repetitive strain injuries. If your workday movement is limited, you can almost certainly benefit from regular visits to a massage therapist. Your company's health plan may even cover the treatments. While you can certainly opt for a full-body massage, which can be ideal if you're stressed, it's also a good idea to ask your massage therapist to focus on certain problem areas, including these.
Shoulders
Having your massage therapist work on your shoulders is a good idea for a couple reasons. Many people develop shoulder pain from sitting at a desk for long periods and reaching forward to the keyboard and mouse, especially if their chair isn't at the correct height or doesn't have armrests to provide support. In these situations, the person can quickly develop tight, sore shoulders that a massage can improve. Additionally, many people hold tension in their shoulders when they're stressed. If you're unhappy in your career and find that you're chronically stressed at work, your shoulder muscles might be very tight and sore.
Wrists
Because they don't have large muscles, some people don't think of having their wrists massaged. However, having your therapist spend some of your session working on your wrists can decrease pain that you may not have known existed. Carpal tunnel pain—inflammation on the inside of the wrist—is common among people who sit at a desk for work. The constant strain on your wrists as you type and use the mouse can lead to these areas being inflamed. A skilled massage therapist can help reduce this discomfort, and this is ideal because many people end up missing work due to carpal-tunnel pain.
Low Back
If you sit all day, there's a high probability that your low back isn't as comfortable as you might like it be. Even among people who adopt a correct seated posture, low-back pain can be an issue. Additionally, if your office chair doesn't provide adequate lumbar support, the low back can slouch to the point that the muscles are overtaxed and sore. In addition to massaging this area, your therapist will also likely provide you with some low-back stretches that you can try throughout the workday to alleviate the discomfort you're experiencing.
Make an appointment with an organization such as Inner Harmony Center For The Healing Arts Inc to get started minimizing your pain.
Share18 August 2016
Going for a first-time massage can be a little intimidating. With so many types of massages available, how do you know what kind you would enjoy the most and what would be most beneficial to you? I can remember my first massage and how I felt walking into the spa for it. I was worried that I was going to do something inappropriate or not get the type of massage that I pictured myself getting. Since then, I have gone for weekly massages and have had every type of massage available to me at the spa that I visit. Read on to learn all about what to expect during your first massage and a short description of each type of massage.