Lower back pains are common, especially to individuals who spend most of their time behind computers or to athletes. Persistent lower back pains are normally caused by strain from lifting something the wrong way, poor posture, or from an injury resulting from a fall. These tight and strained muscles can be realigned by conducting a massage. Some of the best cures for lower back pain are deep muscle massage and stretching. Before you visit a massage parlor or have a friend/relative/massage therapist perform a massage on you, you should consult your physician first. This is because if you have undergone certain therapies or have wounds in the lower back pain, undertaking a massage might be life-threatening. Although a quality massage chair can reduce your pain a lot too. Below are some of the steps to follow if you want to loosen and assist in realigning tight muscles.
-
Make comfortable the massage area
Contents
Before you start a massage, you should prepare the area that the massage will take place. Cover the place with a blanket so that the person may lay on it. Also, ensure that the light isn’t very bright and there is music in the background to soothe you and the person that you’re massaging.
-
Apply massage oil to your hand
Take a massage oil or lotion and place a small portion in your hands. Rub it so that you can prevent friction as you move your hands on the back. Also, you can squirt some of the oil directly on the back in order to lubricate the skin perfectly.
-
Start massaging the lower back with light strokes
Employ light strokes at the start of the massage so that you can warm up the lower back. The light rubbing or touching can entail applying the oil tenderly by using your fingers on the back. The rubbing should take at least more than 5 minutes to acclimate the person to your touch and gear them up for more intensified rubbing.
-
Push your hands upwards towards the heart
Push your hands up toward the heart, as that’s the direction in which the blood moves. Because you start with the light strokes and move to stronger rubbing, maintain the strokes moving from the tailbone up via the lower back. Take your hands to the bottom by sliding them slowly along the individual’s sides.
-
Apply circular kneading rotations with your hands
Utilize circular kneading rotations with your hands immediately after warming up the back. Then, squeeze with gentle pressure, applying your palms and your fingers to break up knots and move the poison that has gathered in the muscles. Also, you can change this kneading with the first stroke for an extra minute before resulting in stronger strokes.
-
Increase pressure
Apply your thumbs over the top of the buttocks with increased pressure. Firmly press your thumbs in the center of the lowest of the lowest section of the back and move them in circular movements outward toward every side, then upward toward the middle of the back.
-
Put your thumbs in the center of the lowest part of the back
Position your thumbs in the middle of the lowest section of the back and splay your fingers out to the sides. Press down and keep the pressure as you move your thumbs up toward the centre of the back. Extend your fingers gently down the sides and perform again the upward sustained movement at least between 5 to 10 times, if possible. Complete the massage with a light stroke so that it can cool down the muscle.
-
Talk to the person you’re massaging and note if they are comfortable
When performing a massage to a person, you should be able to note if the person is experiencing some pain in the back or not. Although massaging can relieve pain, it is important to let it be if the person feels excess pain or is uncomfortable. Be gentle while massaging and ask how the person feels.
Another way of relieving lower back pain is by performing stretches. There are three common stretches a person can perform. These include:
-
Crossed leg stretch
Lie on your back and cross the left leg over, so the left foot rests just above the knee on your right leg. Bend and lift the right leg toward the chest. Take the back of your right thigh as you lift to assist prolong the stretch and pull the leg as close to the chest as you can. Stay flat during the entire process.
-
Knee to chest stretch
Lie on a flat place with your legs stretched out in front of you. Get one knee close to your chest, utilizing your hands to assist swiftly pull the leg and hold it in place. Do the same with the second leg.
-
Cross and twist stretch
Lie flat on your back, cross the right foot over the left knee, resting the foot flat on the floor. Tenderly twist the lower body to the left while the shoulders remain flat to the floor. Apply the left hand to pull the right knee forward and down toward the floor for a total stretch. Do this one on the other side.
Ways of keeping a healthy lower back pain
Even though performing a lower back pain massage can relieve tight muscles and keep the back healthy, there are various ways through which a person can perform to keep the lower back healthy always. These methods can always be practiced and are very easy. They include frequent breaks from sitting for long and good posture. This doesn’t take much time, and it can be done on a daily basis to avoid having lower back pains.
Tips for stretching and massage
- A person can perform a stretch at least once every day or more if need be.
- Stretches should be carried out between 15 to 20 seconds
- Getting a massage after every 2 to 4 weeks is highly recommended for maintaining healthy tissues.
- For those with chronic pain, massage is recommended to take place one to two times every week.
Summary
Lower back pains are common to many office workers. These can lead to poor posture and other issues. Performing a lower back pain massage can relieve this pain and enable a person to have a good posture. Also, it relieves pain and loosens tight muscles. With the above information, you can now easily relieve your lower back pain by following the steps that we’ve outlined above. Doing stretches can also help to alleviate back pain if you don’t have a person to do so or can’t afford the costly massage therapies.