Self-Massage
Self-massage can be as effective or, in some cases, even more so than that done by a professional masseur. Of course, if you get to talk to an expert, he or she can intimidate you by using unfamiliar terms while getting into intricacies of exceptional cases, trying to impress you with his or her knowledge. But in its essence, self-massage is a pretty simple concept that one can master and promptly apply to his or her benefit. I will even go as far as saying that self-massage is something that comes to us naturally.
You had probably experienced this firsthand when you tripped over a rock and instinctively grabbed the injured foot and started squeezing or rubbing it. What do you think that was? Was that a natural reflex embedded in us by the genetics? It may not fit the classic definition of self-massage. But whatever that was, surprisingly it helped, didn’t it?
Perhaps a calming gentle stroke of your mother’s hands that made your stomach ache so much more tolerable is another example of that healing touch. It made our ancestors wonder and eager to explore it further. We don’t have all the answers as to how exactly certain things work. However, thousands of years of practice and the experience of many generations of bodyworkers have shown that one can benefit from adding massage to the arsenal of self-help tools. I believe that your wellness regimen will not be complete without regular self-massage sessions.
Manual manipulation of soft tissues lying deep or immediately underneath the skin to improve one’s body structure and function had been employed by our ancestors long before people came up with the word anatomy or postulated the idea for the existence of the central nervous system. But only now, with the recent advancements in science, we can start to comprehend the vast benefits and the complexity of the mechanism at play.
The Benefits of Self-Massage
It is hard to prioritize the benefits of self-massage without considering the context. Since this website is dedicated to the betterment of one’s fitness and general wellness, we can’t overstate the important role of self-massage in restoring the normal function of musculoskeletal structures, reclaiming functional ranges of motions, as well as subsequent improvements in one’s stability, mobility, and flexibility. Of course, all this doesn’t come by itself in isolation.
As it happens within a system where a symbiotic relationship interconnects everything, we may experience many other beneficial changes, such as improved blood circulation, which leads to the efficient delivery of nutrients throughout the body and fast recovery times of single organs and systems of organs. It may also serve as an essential means for pain and stress management. That, by itself, can have a considerable impact on your life in general. I’ll stop here and let you use your imagination to fantasize about other possible implications of practicing self-massage.
...the What
As you may already know, there are many techniques, approaches, and theories that try to explain the mechanics at work. One of the most significant findings in the recent years’ studies have shown that there may be a common denominator among various techniques - the ability to “hack” into the neural networks and influence the feedback loop, to re-organize, remap and even create new neural associations.
One of such techniques that I put to practice and will always recommend to my clients is myofascial release along with light stretching and, perhaps, some elements of fascial unwinding. (For those who wonder, myo being muscles, fascia - the connective tissue that envelops our muscles and other organs and structures.) The underlying theory behind this type of self-massage is stimulating the nervous system to let go of the memorized restrictions accumulated in our body due to previous injuries, overworked muscles, strains, etc.
Your body always adjusts to accommodate imposed physical stresses with the nervous system being at the forefront of the whole process. It’s quick; it’s responsive; it’s decisive. It’s your first line of defense against potential physical damages. It will use information coming from various sensory sources and will make an immediate decision by means of fast calculations and sending out signals to various parts of the body. This response can result in a well-orchestrated movement or a sensation that will let you know that you are entering a danger zone.
... the Why
The nervous system may alarm us by introducing fatigue, tightness, inflammation, limited range of motion, or pain. Even if you respond to its warnings immediately, it doesn’t mean that the sensation will cease right away. In most cases, it will persist for a while just to keep you in check and discourage you from repeating “the mistake.” Quite often, we experience a lingering effect of the overprotective nervous system long after the issue has been addressed. We can say that some of these responses are quite disproportionate to the dangers being imposed. But who’s perfect? Neither is your neural system!
As I said, your nervous system relies on various signals or information sources to make a decision. Multiple receptors within your body, combined with the information coming from your visual and auditory system, as well as your anticipations and perception of the events can affect how your nervous system will react.
There was a well-known case when a construction worker jumped off a ladder and landed on a long nail that pierced his boot. He was in excruciating pain when he got brought into a hospital. When the hospital staff removed his boot, he saw that the nail went right between his toes and didn't cause any damage to his foot. Apparently, his visual perception of the event caused his nervous system to overreact. But the other interesting side to this story was that by sending a signal to his brain by calming down after discovering that there was no danger, the nervous system was able to turn off the alarm and the pain dissipated.
Why is this relevant to our conversation? A cocktail of sensory information consumed by our neural computer in critical situations may set off alarms. However, it may take any (or only) one of these contributing signals to cancel the effects of these warnings (which we know can be expressed as muscle tightness, pain, etc.). All we need to do is to convince our minds that the issue has been resolved.
...the How
A self-massage based on the myofascial release technique can be described as a mild stimulation of the troubled area by physical contact while relaxing into the experienced sensation.
When you do it right, you are "telling" your brain that you got its message and resolved the issue that caused it to react in the first place. Now you are "asking" your neural system to trust you and let go of the restrictions imposed on the area. (For example, relax the tight muscles of the neck.) You may experience immediate relief, just like the guy who learned that the nail missed his foot. The self-massage technique we will be discussing in later articles allows you to communicate with your body efficiently and produce quick, lasting results.
When to Try Self-Massage
Regular strenuous activities and repetitive injuries can amplify your sensitivity to the signals that activate protective responses within the nervous system. Activities that used to result in limited tightness in certain areas of your body can start causing pain. A rational conclusion would be to think that the physical condition in that area of the body has somehow deteriorated. Once again, a disproportionate response will make us overreact, giving to your unpleasant experience even a greater reinforcement.
One can start changing his or her movement patterns to avoid pain while introducing compensatory movements that are not efficient and suboptimal for your body, which will induce the unnecessary stress on various musculoskeletal structures aggravating the rest of your body and possibly harming your health beyond any comprehension.
To deal with the onsetting issues, some may opt-in for surgical or other types of intrusive and expensive procedures, which, believe it or not, will be as effective as a simple self-massage. Utilizing the placebo effect, they will help your nervous system to reassess and initiate a reset of accumulated neural blockades in the treated area. One may end up spending thousands of dollars without any guaranteed results.
These are just a few articles that talk about the placebo effect of certain types of corrective surgeries, on which billions of dollars are spent every year:
Unless, of course, self-massage is contraindicated in treating your condition and your physician recommends that you avoid any and all types of manual therapy, including massage, you will greatly benefit from making self-massage a part of your regular body-care routine. If you experience muscle tightness, fatigue, restricted movements, or chronic pain, you should probably give self-massage a try before you do anything else. Especially since it is a very easy, affordable, and accessible option.
What's Next?
Assuming, you are ready to give it a try; I want to invite you to the next chapter where you will get introduced to the basics of self-massage, some of the most effective techniques and tools you may need to work on hard-to-reach areas. You won't need much to start. So, we can get practicing right away.