Sitting at the Desk: Quick Pick-Me-Up Massage

Back, Neck and Shoulders: Under Pressure Quick Massage Pick-Me-Ups while Sitting at a Desk

By Dawn Groves

Originally published in Massage & Bodywork magazine, February/March 2000.
Copyright 2003. Associated Bodywork and Massage Professionals. All rights reserved.

When you sit at a desk, hunched over papers or a computer, your body tends to form a C shape. This slumped posture creates pressure on your back, neck and shoulders and can cause pinched muscles, fatigue and, if you've been reading a lot, eye strain. The following pick-me-ups will help break this tension cycle. They don't need to be performed in any particular order. However, if you do only one technique, be sure to repeat it to get the best results. In some cases, you do not need to actually massage the muscle, because the movement itself creates the massage effect. You'll get the maximum benefit from doing two or three techniques.


Preparation
1. Loosen your collar.
2. If possible, remove confining or thick garments such as jackets and sweaters.
3. Center your attention before beginning.

Shrugging the Shoulders
When you shrug your shoulders, you are exercising muscles that tend to get pulled forward and hardened by tension. This tension buildup commonly occurs when you sit with your weight resting on your tailbone instead of forward over your hips. Shrugging breaks up the tension and provides a mild form of exercise that increases blood flow and restores mobility. The more you support the mobility of your shoulders, the less likely you'll be to harbor tension there.

1. Slowly lift your right shoulder straight up to your ear.
2. Slowly return your right shoulder to a neutral position.
3. Repeat the lift/release movement with the left shoulder.
4. Repeat the lift/release movement with both shoulders together.

Hints:
- Keep your shoulder muscles soft as you do this. Don't force the movement.
- Don't tilt your head toward your shoulder. Bring your shoulder up to your ear.
- Keep the opposite shoulder in a neutral or slightly dropped position and avoid hunching it as you lift the shrugging shoulder.


Squeezing the Neck
It's easy for your neck to become tense, especially when you are seated at a desk. When the neck muscles tense up, your neck often loses its mobility. A neck massage helps to restore muscle flexibility and release built-up tension.

1. Place your right hand on the right side of your neck and position your fingertips just to the right of your neck bones.
2. Keeping your fingertips together, massage the neck muscle using a gentle, circular motion. Without straining, move your hand up and down the neck muscle. Keep your neck in a neutral position as you massage.
3. Repeat the procedure using your left hand on the left side of your neck.
4. Repeat the procedure again using both hands and massage both sides of the neck at the same time.

Hints:
- Don't press your neck so hard that you feel compelled to counteract the pressure in order to keep your neck from being pushed out of a neutral, upright position.
- Watch out for the tendency to hunch your shoulders, especially as you increase the pressure.
- Don't let your head fall backward into your hand or forward into an extreme bend. Keep it level and in a neutral position.

Pressing the Temples
It's almost instinctive to rub your temples and forehead when you are tired or stressed. Exerting pressure on the temples does help relieve headaches and jaw pain, and often refreshes the facial muscles.

1. Place the index, middle and ring fingers of each hand against the corresponding temple on either side of your head.
2. Close your eyes, press gently and slowly move your fingers in small circles for about 15 seconds.
3. Rest for 15 seconds and then repeat, with the fingers moving in the opposite direction.
Hints:
- Rest your elbows on the desk as you massage.
- Don't press too hard, otherwise you might irritate the delicate skin over the temples. If you want to use the pressure technique, keep your fingers still and slowly increase the static pressure.
- Move your fingers very slowly. The slower the movement, the more relaxing the massage.
- Using the same circular movement, massage up your temples and across your forehead.

Excerpted from "Massage for Busy People," by Dawn Groves 1999. Reprinted with permission of New World Library, Novato, Calif., www.nwlib.com, toll-free ordering at 800/972-6657, ext. 52.

Please read: Swine Flu Facts Hard to Find

As reported by Jon Rappoport atnomorefakenews.com, the CDC stopped testing for swine flu in July.

The CDC H1N1 flu site reads:

"... tracking of 2009 H1N1 hospitalizations and deaths will not be the same after August 30, 2009.

In an effort to add additional structure to the national 2009 H1N1 reporting, new case definitions for influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths were implemented on August 30, 2009.

The new definitions allow states to report to CDC hospitalizations and deaths (either confirmed OR probable) resulting from all types of influenza, not just those from 2009 H1N1 flu.

1. Influenza and pneumonia syndrome hospitalizations and deaths may be an overestimate of actual number of flu-related hospitalizations and deaths, but CDC believes influenza and pneumonia syndromic reports are likely to be a more sensitive measure of flu-associated hospitalizations and deaths than laboratory confirmed reports during this pandemic.

However, the syndromic reports of all hospitalizations and deaths recorded as either influenza or pneumonia will mean that the case counts are less specific than before and will include cases that are not related to influenza infection."

So how do we know we are in a true epidemic state? We don't.

Please read the full report from Mercola.com.

Acai Berry Exposed

Use care when you are choosing the acai berry products that you will use in supplement form. Check the ingredients list very carefully before you take any over the counter product. If you want the most benefit of acai berry without the side effects of other ingredients, you should look for a product that is made of pure acai berry and not filled with other ingredients. Some of the products could be dangerous.

Read more at this informative website.

- Copyright © 2009 | Acai Berry Exposed

Massage Helps with Menopause

After months of hot flashes, fatigue, and irritability, oftentimes the last thing a woman in the throes of menopause wants is to be touched. Yet, this is exactly when a woman needs to experience touch, especially massage and bodywork. When she most needs to be nurtured, comforted, and reminded of her beauty and inner spirit, is often when a woman's body rebels and begins fighting against her.

Read more...

Proof Why Massage's Reduction of Anxiety Is Vital

On Monday I had the opportunity to massage a regular client under unique circumstances. He had a heart attack four days prior, resulting in a new stint.

I was very surprised when he called to verify his appointment time and mentioned to me his procedure. I was a bit apprehensive, but quickly reminded myself how important massage will be to his recovery.

His session went very well and he was able to rest and sleep for a portion of it. He reflected on how his body must still be tired. I can't imagine the trauma a heart attack puts on the body. He left feeling restored and balanced.

Today I received a great article from the Institute of Integrative Healthcare Studies pointing out "based on the premise that massage reduces anxiety, a collection of emerging research suggests that massage therapists are needed to work side-by-side with cardiologists, pulmonologists and gastroenterologists."

I am honored my clients trust me as a resource in maintaining their health. Its times like these we personally experience and share in the vital components of advantageous bodywork and massage.

Best to you!

Stretching

Every day I ask my clients to stretch more frequently. I can't stress how important stretching is to our health and maintenance of our bodies. Even simple stretching can help minimize or even eliminate nagging aches and pains.

I often give my clients stretching homework hoping they will remember to do at least one each day. I give handouts with pictures, demonstrate myself after their session and sometimes follow up with emails.

In my constant search for new stretches I found a great site on YouTube. Thanks so much Optimum Care Providers for sharing your knowledge with the us!

http://www.youtube.com/user/OptimumCareProviders

*Before starting a stretching program, please consult your physician.

Hives, itching and redness while exercising?

I've been on vacation for two weeks and have missed my routine rigorous walks with my dog (and he has, too). So I headed out this morning for our 60 minute loop around a nearby park. The weather was somewhat cool so it was easy to set a quick pace and get the heart pumping.

About halfway through my loop, my thighs and calves started burning and itching where red blotches were appearing. I've experienced this several times before when using my leg muscles again after a break from exercising. I couldn't remember why this was happening so I looked up the symptoms when I got home. I found the answer very interesting and thought I'd share since it is very common.

What I was experiencing was exercise-induced urticaria, a condition that causes hives and other allergic symptoms. Familydoctor.org explains it can occur during or after exercise. Hives or "welts" are usually raised, flat bumps on the skin that are more red around the edge than in the middle. Hives may also look like red spots, blotches or blisters. They can occur on any part of the body. Please click on the links to follow their post for more information.

Personally, after a couple of days of regular exercise this condition goes away. Thankfully, once I stopped exercising and rested my legs, the symptoms subsided within 20 minutes or so and my the rash, itching and burning went away.

If you experience something similar to this condition, please check with your doctor for his or her suggestions.

To your health!
Tanya