Self-Care Resources
The following self-care resources are for your guidance when in need of relief from trigger points, muscular tension, and/or stress relief during the times you are not scheduled for your regular massage session. These tools will assist you in keeping your body healthy, relaxed, and flexible, especially in conjunction with regular bodywork and massage therapy.
TRIGGER POINTS
Trigger points are highly irritated points, commonly referred to as “knots”, in muscles which refer pain or sensation into other areas. This occurs when nerves fire impulses at a rapid speed into an area of the body other than the area that has been traumatized causing pain to be quite removed from the actual site of pain.
Trigger point therapy utilizes deep, but comfortable static compressions in order to achieve a “release” of the trigger point.
Please note: Maintaining proper breathing is essential in allowing the nervous system to relax. This will aid in muscle relaxation and for the trigger points to release.
To increase your knowledge of the most common trigger points and their referrals, please refer to the following website regarding trigger points. It has magnificent charts and guides to help you understand the pain you may be experiencing.
Note: The “X” is the trigger point, and the red areas are typically where the pain referral is felt.
After reviewing the trigger point guide and noting areas that may contain trigger points. You can utilize a massage ball to apply static compression. We recommend not applying compression to the area for more than 90 seconds. On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being a feather light touch and 10 being white hot pain, you want to remain at about a 7. Just slightly above good pressure, but there should be some tolerable discomfort. “A good hurt.” To much discomfort and your muscles will tense up causing relaxation unobtainable. You should not be fighting against yourself during these exercises.
Please always reach out to our office if you have any questions or concerns, (562) 267-9931. This information is solely for educational purposes and is not meant to diagnose any medical conditions. Please use caution and listen to your body as you perform any of these exercises.
Breathing Excerise
The autonomic nervous system is responsible for our automatic breathing that keeps us alive. Our breath is the only part of the autonomic nervous system that can also be controlled by our mind. Every Yomassage class at Sacred Space starts with a breathing exercise. In this video you will see a sample of one our breathing exercises that you can try at home on your own.
SELF MASSAGE
