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[S424]Shoulder And Neck Massage

by Alien, Ali

I am always surprised by the number of people who carry tension in their chests. Bad posture; sitting cramped over a desk; hunching over a steering wheel; certain sports, such as golf; and illnesses such as asthma, can all cause strain and tension in chest muscles. The chest muscles shorten and contract, causing the muscles in the upper back to become overstretched. This results in rounded shoulders and tight, inflexible muscles in the neck and shoulders. Massage can really help to stretch and relax the chest muscles, and thus alleviate aching in the upper back and neck. Working on the muscles between the ribs can help to straighten out the shoulders.

Get it off your chest

The ideal time to do a chest massage is before you massage the face but it also fits in naturally after a back or stomach massage, or after massage, or after massaging one arm, and before the other. Your partner should lie on his or her back and you should stand or kneel behind the head. Some people like to put a small cushion or a thick book, such as a phone book (thick but not too hard) ; under the head to allow complete relaxation of the neck. Since it is difficult to relax the chest and neck unless the shoulders are relaxed too, I always include the shoulders in a chest and neck massage.

Stretching the shoulders

Cup your hands around both shoulders and gently push them down toward the feet. Lean your weight onto the shoulders, keeping your arms straight. First push both arms down together, then alternately. Our shoulders tend to hunch up toward our ears as we become tense, and the gentle downward pressure counteracts this habit, helping stretch and loosen the chest muscles and release tension. Throughout the chest massage, whenever your hands stroke over the shoulders, give them a gentle push down toward the feet.

Spread the oil by stroking the whole chest and shoulder area with firm, flowing movements. Start with your hands next to each other, just below the clavicle at the base of her neck.

Stroke down the chest toward the breast or nipple, keeping the pressure smooth but firm. Then fan out your hands and, keeping them relaxed, glide out across the chest toward the shoulders.

Making sure your hands mold to the contours of your partner's body, stroke over the shoulders. Cup your hands over the shoulders and gently press the shoulders toward the feet or down onto the floor.

Swing your fingers around to the back of the shoulders. Stroke behind them, and bring your fingers slowly up the back of the neck. Then glide your hands very lightly down the sides of the neck to the collarbone. Repeat the sequence at least four times.

Additional chest touches

After stretching and stroking you can try anyone, or a combination, of the following moves: knuckling, deep pressures, and kneading.

Knuckling

Make your hands into fists and ripple your fingers around to make small circular movements with your knuckles. Work gently all over your partner's chest, then move to behind the shoulders, and all around the base of the neck, where you can work more deeply.

Deep pressures

Make a series of thumb pressures on the muscles between the ribs. Start in the middle and work in lines out toward the shoulders. Pressures in this area can be painful, so be guided by your partner's reaction when deciding on depth.

Get feedback about what you are doing. Find out what feels good, what is not so pleasant, and what hurts. An involuntary flinch or a verbal expression will usually make it obvious. If you know your partner well, communication will not be a problem, but you may have to keep asking if you are massaging a stranger.

Kneading

You can use this technique to great advantage on the fleshy area in front of the armpits. Pick up and squeeze the muscle with alternate hands. Work with both hands together on one side of the body, and then move to the other side and repeat the action. This simple motion can release tension not only in the chest, but also in the arms and back,

The muscle in front of the armpit is called the pectoralis, which is Latin for breast. This area is often affected by emotional stress, so massage the area with sensitivity.

Article Source : Body Massage

Alien has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pregnancy Problems, Fitness and Get Rid of Bed Bugs. Robin is a and fitness expert. In his spare time, Mr. Robin write for. Alien's top article generates over 673000 views. to your Favourites.