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LOOSEN
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1980-01-01
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256 lines
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Loosen Up!
The next few paragraphs will tell you how by using simple
Swedish and other massage techniques, you can loosen your
muscles:
"How do I do that!? What is Swedish?" RELAX! Just
listen to your body and it will tell you which spot to press
or massage. Generally, acupressure points are held about
three to five seconds each. Simply find the most sore or
tense spot and press or massage there.
Massage all the sore muscles you can reach, kneading
them, working gradually from lighter to firmer pressure.
Work from the center of the body outwards. Then, stretch
gradually just to the point of discomfort, hold for fifteen
to thirty seconds, release and repeat, stretching further if
you can.
When your muscles are sore or you have an injury, it's
best to rest a day, then resume for shorter periods of time.
Repeat the one day off, one day on schedule until the pain is
gone. Pain from overworked muscles can be relieved quicker
from moderate exercise than inactivity, says Robert D.
Willis, sports medicine specialist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Relaxing a Tight Neck
Step 1
Apply cream or oil, then, using a firm, kneading motion
similar to a contented kitten's front paws, massage back and
sides of neck with both hands. Begin at the base of the
skull, working slowly to the shoulders, and back a few times
while staying off the vertebrae. Do this for 1-3 minutes.
For further tension release, press points every one-half inch
down neck for three seconds each.
Step 2
With the middle finger on top of the forefinger, press hollow
at the top of the neck for 4 seconds.
Step 3
Using your first two fingers, press the points on either side
of the spine for three seconds each.
Step 4
Continue as above until you have reached the depressions at
the ends of your shoulders.
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Treatment For a Crick in the Neck
Step 1
Feel and press the general area lightly until you find the
most tender and tense spot.
Step 2
Relax the area by warming with your hand, a hot pack,
steaming, wet, hot towels, or a heating pad.
Step 3
Apply pressure with the flat of your thumb gently.
Step 4
Press gently until the surface discomfort has subsided. Then,
press firmly and massage in tiny circles until the deeper
pain is alleviated. Total recovery may take several days if
you have torn muscles, but this treatment should enable you
to move your neck without serious pain. Shoulder tightness
may be the cause of the more serious crick. Treat shoulder
tension at the first sign of discomfort.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Relax Stiff Shoulders
Breathe deeply and fully while doing these exercises to
loosen stiff and sore shoulders:
Step 1
Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and hold for ten
seconds. Repeat this three times.
Step 2
Simultaneously rotate both your shoulders forward and
backwards for twenty seconds, if time permits. Then, rotate
them one at a time. Repeat these movements twice daily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Self Massage For Tendinitis
Tendinitis is persistent pain, commonly in the shoulder
or elbow, brought on by repeated exertion. One form of this
is "tennis elbow." Here are a few ways to prevent it:
If tennis is the cause of your 'tennis elbow' these
suggestions may be "perfect," for other causes, modifications
to the following may be what you need:
1. Use a racket that is the correct weight - not too heavy.
2. Be sure that the racket is strung properly.
3. Use balls that are adequately inflated and have plenty of
bounce left.
4. Grip the racket correctly.
5. Use the proper wrist action when putting spins on the
ball.
6. Assist a back-hand shot with your other hand.
For temporary relief: Apply an ice pack for about twenty
minutes upon the first twinge of pain. Continue this
treatment for 2-3 days. If pain persists after three weeks.
See a doctor or practitioner. An X-ray may be in order to
discount any serious injury.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Prevention
1. Before playing tennis, racquet ball, etc. again, be sure
all pain is gone and your grip strength is normal.
2. Wear a wrist support bandage while playing or during
flare-ups.
3. To tone your forearm muscles, lift small, 3-5 pound
weights by alternately flexing and extending your wrists
with palms facing down and your forearms resting on a
flat surface. Begin with 10 repetitions and work up to
40, three times a week.
There is only one cure. That is, to stop doing whatever
caused the problem until there is absolutely no more pain. In
general, the best game plan is to rest, then strengthen your
forearm muscles. Perhaps get coaching or take a class to
improve your skill level. How about some gentle, slow
stretching? What about a quiet, calming walk or hike in the
woods? The increased circulation from these activities may
help repair the injured tissue, muscle or tendon.
Please note: The above information applies to other than
'tennis induced' injuries.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
To Relax Stiff Shoulders
Breathe deeply and fully while doing these exercises to
loosen stiff and sore shoulders:
Step 1
Shrug your shoulders up to your ears and hold for ten
seconds. Repeat this three times.
Step 2
Simultaneously rotate both your shoulders forward and
backwards for twenty seconds, if time permits. Then, rotate
them one at a time. Repeat these movements twice daily.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For Further Relaxation
The following is a technique for reducing minor muscular pain
and tension sometimes caused by over-exertion:
Find an old sock. Then place two tennis balls in it. Tie
a knot right past the place you want them. Leave enough
between the balls to allow for your veterbrae. Also leave a
little bit of room for adjustment near the knot. While
laying on your back, with your knees up and your feet flat on
the floor, take the sock - placing one tennis ball on one
side of base of your spine, and the other one on the other
side.
"Scooting" your body southward, roll over them as if they
were ball bearings between you and the floor. Take some deep
breaths. For greater relaxation and relief, breathe deeply
throughout your "self-treatment." Be sure to pause on the
tender, tight spots. Explore to discover your own methods
and variations. You can use the tennis balls without the
sock, also. Pay special attention to the areas all around
the neck and shoulders.
Then move the balls into the sore areas along the sides
of the neck - up to the base of the neck, paying extra
attention to the indentations there. Experiment with
different body positions and with moving the balls closer
together and farther apart while they're in the sock. I
discovered that by placing the balls fairly far apart and
raising my pelvis off the floor, I can get a great side of my
neck and shoulder massage.
For these next techniques - you will need two loose
tennis balls:
Place a ball in your hand and roll it clock-wise, one in
the "notches" at the top of your neck with as much pressure
as comfortable - reaching all tender areas. Or, you can put
a ball on both sides simultaneously. Next, massage the in-
dentations in the buttocks. Massage the area with a ball in
your hand or lay on it and roll around.
.............................................................
End Of Chapter