Structural Reintegration: Massage Edition
How your body organizes your posture is subject to your brain’s instruction. And what your brain thinks is “normal” posture is relative to how you have used your body in day-to-day life. A knot that took 10-15 years to develop doesn’t disappear after an hour massage. The relief will almost certainly be temporary and then stress, poor posture, and your brain reasserting muscle memory on how it positions itself will reignite the issue.
Exercise is the key, because most long-term way in which we have used our bodies has caused a structural imbalance. Massage helps calm the nervous system and reframe persistent pain patterns, but any pain management or rehabilitation requires at-home care. Let’s take the common pain of upper back and neck pain as an example.
Modern humans internally rotate their shoulders and upper body all day every day. Driving, computer work, texting, reading, etc. This constant position stretches the rhomboids and lower traps out, weakening them, while the opposing muscles (pectorals) become tightened. Imagine your pectorals (chest muscles) and rhomboids/lower traps as two people on a see saw. Your pectorals are overactive and acting as the larger person on the see saw. The rhomboids/lower traps are the underactive, small person and are constantly struggling to even your body out.
Weak rhomboids and low lats benefit from low row exercises. Pulling exercises. Pinching the scapula (shoulder blades) together. The overactive pectoral muscles can be stretched and lengthened, while you activate the rhomboid and lower lat muscles.
If you aren’t doing corrective exercises in addition to getting massage, the pain sensation will always come back. If you can find out what you are doing to cause your knots, you can change your habits to stop putting those muscles under stress. A skilled massage therapist specializing in athletes, rehabilitation, and pain management would be the optimal find. Look for a therapist trained in myofascial release, neuromuscular reeducation, sports therapy, or trigger point therapy. These specialties are generally geared towards rehabilitation more than a traditional relaxation therapist.
Physical therapists, physiotherapists, osteopathic manipulative treatment, and the right massage therapist are all avenues of educating yourself on your specific muscular imbalances. This will lead you to finding information of what exercises, stretches, and care you need to apply to your daily life. All of these professionals help guide your body to the best avenue of healing, but it is inevitably your responsibility to research and discover what works for your individual situation.
Massage Solutions is dedicated to providing information, education, and a great launching point to your goals for a better quality of life.
