What does massaging your back do?

When you massage your back, the muscles and skin get more blood. It helps with pain and stiffness. A back massage may help you avoid skin degeneration or pressure sores. Any massage that is done on the back is a back massage. The back is the side of a person’s torso that goes from just above the buttocks to just below the neck. The fifth lumbar vertebra in the lower back goes all the way up to the first thoracic vertebra in the upper back. The cervical part of the spine comprises the neck and the cervical spine.

It’s easy to get tension and pain in many places over time because there are so many active muscles and ligaments in your back. Back pain ranks as the NIH’s number two most often reported neurological ailment in the USA. Also, the American Chiropractic Association says that eight out of ten people will experience back pain.

Massage can help minimize muscle spasms when your rib or thoracic joints become immobile, enhancing joint function. Massaging the gluteal muscles and reducing tissue tension may increase mobility in the sacroiliac joint or tailbone.

Our London Back massage therapy can help with occasional or long-term pain and can be used in addition to other treatments. Find a qualified therapist like one in London Back Massage to help with the pain that won’t go away. This is true whether the pain comes from a spine, pelvis, or rib cage that can’t move as much as it should or from nerve compression caused by illness, structural problems, or muscle spasms.

Why should you let someone rub your back?

People often get back massages to unwind, ease stress, or even get rid of the pain. Because the back is usually a place where a lot of stress and tension builds up, many kinds of massage can help. There are numerous types of massage, such as Deep Tissue, Sports, Remedial, Relaxation, Swedish, and others.

How should I best massage my back?

  • You can massage someone with lotion, cocoa butter, oil, or lanolin.
  • Put a little warm lotion or oil on your hands. Mix the lotion on your hands by rubbing your hands together.
  • Move your hands slowly to make the person you’re massaging feel calm.
  • Work your way up from the lower back first. Raise your hands, so they are parallel to your spine at shoulder level.
  • Raise your hands to the sky in a circle. As you make the circles, press your thumbs a little harder.
  • Cross your shoulders, and then start lowering your upper arms. Apply less pressure as you drop.
  • Check to see if you are massaging with too much or too little pressure. 
  • Ask the person where they are hurting. Either don’t touch a painful spot at all or touch it very gently.
  • Whenever you need to, put more lotion on your hands.

What else should I know about getting a massage on my back?

  • Before you start massaging someone, check their skin for any sores or red spots.
  • When you give the massage, make sure you’re using proper body mechanics. This protection will improve your back, shoulders, and arms.
  • If the person says their arms or legs are tingling or numb, stop rubbing them.
  • Stop using lotion if it gives you a rash or makes your skin feel bad.

Studies have indicated that getting a massage on your back before bed can improve your sleep quality. A deep tissue massage works best if you like strong pressure and have muscles that hurt easily, and it can be very relaxing if you are comfortable with the therapist’s firmer pressure.

If you want a more peaceful, gentle, and stress-relieving massage, you should try relaxation or Swedish massage. Even though these massages don’t use a lot of pressure, they help relax the body. For more information related to massage contact Back Massage London.