Self-massage can be a great way to relax and rejuvenate, but to get the most out of its benefits, regular treatments are a must. The frequency and duration of the massage will depend on the type of massage and the area you want to target. Generally, a 10- to 15-minute massage a day is enough to help relieve pain and tension. Start by massaging slowly while focusing on the muscle activation points for about 30 to 60 seconds.
It's normal for muscle activation points to be very sore and tender afterwards, but this pain should go away on its own within 24 hours. Applying just a little pressure, not too much, for extended periods can often help tissues to be released more effectively. When your body starts to feel stiff or sore, it's time to get a massage again. You can request deep tissue massages daily, a few times a week, or several times a month to treat pain. Your massage therapist can recommend a frequency and duration to treat the underlying health condition that causes this type of massage.
To make your scared muscles relax, pressing the muscle knots, called Trigger Point self-massage, is a good starting point. Simple pressure can help muscles relax. A trigger point is a small, narrow area in the tight band of muscle fibers and fascia, which restricts blood flow to the area and causes pain. Other techniques such as PNF stretching and neural restoration therapy can trick muscles into releasing trigger points through stretching and movement. It could fail for “very simple technical reasons” due to the neurological phenomenon of “referred pain”; the trigger point may not actually be located in the same place as the pain. Pressing trigger points (self-massaging the trigger points) can help release those tight muscle knots in the neck.
The first rule of trigger point massage is that any good massage is probably better than bad trigger point therapy. Most of the changes related to “release” and the way trigger point therapy (supposedly) works, but many small changes all the time. Weakness, minor tears, muscle tension, dehydration, and even a poor diet can cause trigger points to form. Although they are benign, trigger points can cause a lot of pain and affect your daily life, so it's best to prevent them from forming in the first place. Pain from a trigger point can dissuade you from moving the affected muscle, causing other muscle fibers to contract and develop more trigger points.
Hands are the simplest tool for self-massage; if you use your fists, thumbs and elbows on the toughest activation points, you'll get almost immediate relief. This important article demonstrates that the biochemical environment of the activation points is acidic and contains many metabolites that cause pain. If you've suffered a traumatic muscle injury (even when lifting a box that was too heavy), schedule an appointment with a massage therapist who knows trigger point massage techniques to start relieving your pain. And most importantly, the pain of a trigger point should seem “relevant”; that is, the pain of the spot should appear to be related to the discomfort you are trying to treat, and not to some other type of discomfort that is simply in the same area. Trigger points and other myofascial pain are benign but can be severe and debilitating.
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