Pain and aches are a part and parcel of your daily life. The pain in a person’s life can be due to something as simple as a backache to something as complicated as arthritis, and it can affect every individual at any given point of their life. However, mankind has invented a remedy that is considered as messiah for people with backache and arthritis – massage.
In this article we are going to understand how massage helps in curing lower back pain and arthritis.
Massage helps in loosening, realigning tight and strained muscles. Stretching along with deep muscle massage are the most highly effective treatments for discomfort related to lower back pain.
Listed below are certain steps you need to keep in mind while giving back massage:
Step 1
Apply lotion or oil on your hands so that you can avoid friction while moving your hands over the back. You can also apply some oil directly on the back just to lubricate the skin more efficiently.
Step 2
Start with light strokes when you begin just to warm up the lower back. Termed as effleurage, the light touch can involve caressing oil gently with your fingers. Certain sports website insist that the effleurage should go on for at least five minutes so that the person can get used to your touch and you can shoot for more intensive rubbing.
Step 3
Drag your hands upwards, close to the heart, as that’s the direction in which the blood flows. As we move from light caressing to stronger scrubbing, keep the strokes moving from the tailbone up through the lower back. Bring your hand back to the bottom by sliding them softly along the person’s sides.
Step 4
Go with circular kneading rotations with your hands once the back is warmed up. Apply slight pressure with the help of your palms and your fingers to get rid of knots and toxins that have accumulated in the muscles. Termed as petrissage, you can shuffle this kneading by starting with light strokes for an additional three minutes before moving on to stronger strokes.
Step 5
Work your thumbs over the top of the buttocks with high pressure. Apply pressure pressing your thumbs in the center of the lowest part of the back and drag it in circular motions outward toward each side, then upward toward the center of the back.
Step 6
Keep your thumb in the center of the lowest part of the back and spread your fingers out to the sides. Press down and keep the pressure maintained as you slide your thumbs up close to the middle of the back. Run your fingers slowly down the sides and repeat the upward sustained motions at least 5 to 10 times. Complete the massage with additional effleurage that will help in cooling down the muscles.
However, if one is not trained in giving deep-tissue massages, ensure that you go through all the warnings as there are lot of risks associated with the techniques.
Now, let’s move on to dealing with arthritis.
Majority of people look at massage as a luxurious indulgence, however, if you are suffering from arthritic condition like ankylosing spondylitis, it can tell you the difference between soreness and satisfaction.
Below mentioned are 4 massages that will offer you relief from Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Swedish. This one is the most popular, and it can be a good massage if you are suffering from ankylosing spondylitis. It consist of long strokes, circular movements and kneading, which helps loosen the tight muscles. The pressure applied can range from very light to deep, depending on the requirement of the client
- Shiatsu. In this type of massage, the practitioner massages certain spots that are known to reduce pain elsewhere in the body. The areas focused will depend on what type of pain you are going through. Practitioners may also mildly stretch your limbs. Advocates of shiatsu say that it helps in balancing the flow of qi, which according to Chinese traditional medicine is the life force present in all living beings
- Lymphatic massage. Also termed as lymphatic drainage massage or a “detox massage,” this type of massage involves light, patterned strokes that helps in excess lymphatic fluid drain into the bloodstream.
- Petrissage. If you choose this massage, your therapist will slowly lift your skin and knead or roll it. This helps in lengthening the tissues that joins your muscles, helping them in relaxing.