5 Tips for Neck and Shoulder Care Between Massage Appointments

People with neck and shoulder issues often have their pain return before their next massage appointment. Work, play, and children all make demands on the body. A dull ache can quickly turn into a burning pain while doing household chores, working/playing on the computer, or any of your other daily activities.

What can you do between professional massage appointments to take the edge off neck and shoulder pain? Try one or more of the following!

Take a break
Take short breaks as often as you can if you sit at a computer all day. Move your shoulders around, take a deep breath, and stretch up towards the sky. It’s best if you can get up and move around a bit, but even if you’re chained to the desk, you can try some of these Deskercise moves to stay loose.

You don’t have to stretch alone
Have a short yoga break with the kids or your partner! There are plenty of videos made specially for kids, and the moves are just as beneficial for adults (here are more you can try). Bonus: got a little one averse to naptime? Try the lying-down postures here and maybe you’ll get a short break.

Heat it
Just 10-15 minutes of heat on your shoulders can make a huge difference in how your tissue moves and feels. There are lots of great neck wraps and heating pads out there, but you don’t need a fancy heating pad– you can DIY that.

Self-massage
It’s not complicated, just grab a tennis ball or a lacrosse ball and check out these techniques. Try it, you might be surprised how much it helps!

Choose the right pillow
You spend about a third of your time in bed, be sure it’s cozy for your neck. Whether you’re a side-sleepers back-sleeper, or a belly-sleeper, we all have different needs. The right pillow at night can help you all day.

A few minutes of self care every day can make a huge difference in how you feel. See you at your next appointment, or give me a call at 904-274-1584 to set one up!