I don't promise to be able to fix your shoulders, however an awful lot of shoulder pain is due to posture and tension and if that's the case then there is a good chance I can help. Old injuries can also make an uncomfortable companion as there may be scar tissue which pulls on the surrounding muscles and causes pain.
Shoulder pain can really get you down, I have been doing massage (especially sports/deep tissue massage) treatments all over Cardiff and the surrounding areas for more than 3 years now and worked in the spa industry for nearly 10 years before that. And I have always found that around 80% of people (if not more!) have a massage because they have shoulder/neck pain of some sort.
This seems to be down to our ever more sedentary work lives and the fast stressful pace that life is lived at. A lot of us work at desks or drive an awful lot, this leaves your body stuck in one position for long periods of time, potentially sitting hunched over or our desk is the wrong height etc. And then add to that stressful traffic jams, deadlines to meet, children to look after and you are probably not at your calmest either.
Our bodies aren't made to be stuck in one position like this, and all this sitting tends to leave the muscles in our upper back and neck very tight and restricted, this can pull on the tissue of the scalp and cause tension headaches, the muscles can tighten around the nerves which can pinch them and cause pain, sometimes this tightening of the muscles can cause numbness and tingling in the arms and hands too. (If you have this in both arms/hands all the time it's a good idea to check with your doctor or osteopath to make sure it's not spinal or neurological)
Also I'm not missing out those of us who work in very physical jobs which involve lots of lifting all of this strain on those back muscles can really make your shoulders feel heavy and sore.
So, what do you do if you suffer with that horrible burning ache between the shoulder blades? Your head feels heavy and achy, the tops of your shoulders and up into your neck feel sore to touch? Well, for starters look at your routine, look at how you sit and stand. Improving your posture will feel strange to start with but will help your muscles need to work less hard. You sit down all day? Take time to walk around the office for a few minutes every hour, or sit at your desk and stretch a little, roll your shoulders backwards and twist your torso. Those who lift a lot, watch your posture when lifting, and don't push your body to hard, stretch your back out through the day.
Sports Massage can also be of great help here. Sports Massage will help stretch out those shortened muscle tissues in your shoulders and get them moving more easily getting rid of that burning ache. Don't get me wrong, this may take some time, massage can't fix things over night. If this tension has been building up for a long time then massage will take a few sessions to have a lasting effect. I generally recommend having a few deep tissue massage treatments every week for a few weeks to start that relaxation process as well as taking on the advice I have given in the previous paragraph. Using heat to relax the muscles and taking up regular exercise (I always recommend yoga) can also do you the world of good. Also if your shoulder pain is being caused by an old injury then massage can be helpful in getting the scar tissue moving more freely.
If you'd like to find out more or would like to book a treatment just get in touch.
My aim is to provide you with the treatment that is right for you and gives you the results you need. Therefore when it comes to booking it is essential that I speak to you to personally. All email enquiries will be answered and followed with a phonecall so we can talk about your requiremnets and discuss a booking that suits you.
