Therapeutic massage for the back: benefits, indications and contraindications

From this article you will learn:

• Indications and contraindications for wellness massage
• Preparing for a wellness massage
• Wellness massage technique
• Basic techniques of healing massage
• Required number of wellness massage sessions
• Manual therapy as an alternative to wellness massage

Wellness massage is an effective procedure as part of standard spa programs; in addition, it itself serves as an excellent means of restoring the entire body. It is not necessary to sign up for a session only when there are obvious problems. It is better to use massage as a preventive measure, without waiting for back or joint diseases.

Professionals recommend taking the course twice a year, 10 sessions every other day. However, as always, there are some problems here. In our article we will talk about who will benefit from massage, who should avoid it, and we will also analyze techniques and techniques.

What problems with the spine can massage cure?

Massage is not just a pleasant procedure that allows you to relax muscles and improve blood circulation. There are therapeutic massage techniques aimed at restoring the mobility of individual segments of the spine and eliminating the symptoms of diseases.

Indications for the procedure are:

• Chronic back pain associated with sedentary work and a sedentary lifestyle;
• Migraine;
• Neck pain, decreased mobility;
• Numbness and weakness in the upper and lower extremities;
• A diagnosis of osteochondrosis of any part of the spine has been made.

Therapeutic massage for osteochondrosis helps prolong remission, eliminate unpleasant symptoms, slow down the development of the disease, and also prevent muscle atrophy.

Osteochondrosis appears due to abrasion of the intervertebral discs. The cartilage between the vertebrae becomes thinner as a result of various factors: stress, infection, high physical activity. This diagnosis is increasingly being made to young people aged 25-30. The reason for this is a sedentary lifestyle, a long stay in one position (often incorrect) at the computer .

Osteochondrosis is a chronic disease. Few people manage to restore cartilage tissue after destruction, but the course of the disease can be slowed down if you use classical types of massage, physical therapy and take medications as prescribed by your doctor.

Stooping, curvature of the spine, and incorrect body position during sleep also increase the likelihood of osteochondrosis. The disease cannot be ignored. Lack of proper treatment will lead to the formation of hernias, as well as impaired blood circulation in the brain (with osteochondrosis of the cervical spine).

Who is recommended for back stretching?

In 90% of cases, pain appears suddenly. This may be due to an unhealthy lifestyle, sedentary work, or excess weight. In 50% of cases these are car owners, office employees, pensioners, and disabled people. When the first signals appear, you should immediately contact a specialist to prevent the development of diseases such as radiculitis, osteochondrosis, rheumatism. Stagnation of blood and pressure on the intervertebral discs entails the accumulation of salts, impaired coordination in the transmission of nerve impulses, and failure of the blood circulation. At 80 % of cases, diseases occur due to poor lifestyle, physical inactivity or excessive activity. Indications for relaxation activities may be as follows:

• constant nervous tension at work and at home;
• discomfort and unpleasant sensations in the neck, thoracic region, lower back;
• poor posture;
• muscle spasms that occur suddenly, lasting more than 1 minute;
• athletics, weight lifting, visiting traumatic sections;
• depression and loss of strength.

Benefits and effects of massage

Massage has a relaxing effect on the muscles. When we experience pain, the muscles tense, numbness, a feeling of tightness, and discomfort occur. An experienced massage therapist will help eliminate muscle tension, relax muscles and improve blood circulation in the affected area.

With the help of classic therapeutic massage (provided that it is performed by a professional), you can achieve the following results:

• Restoring mobility of the affected segments of the spine;
• Removing tissue swelling;
• Elimination or reduction of pain;
• Strengthening individual muscle groups;
• Increasing the overall tone of the body;
• Improved well-being;
• Relieving chronic fatigue

A massage session lasts 30-40 minutes. The course includes 8-10 sessions, after which you need to take a break.

Required number of wellness massage sessions

To achieve a significant effect, it is advisable to carry out a wellness massage complex. A single procedure will not give long-term results, but will only alleviate the condition for a while.

A course of healing massage of the back or other parts of the body usually includes from 8 to 15 procedures. Please note that you can save money by purchasing the entire package rather than paying for each session individually.

Thai massage can compete with the classic massage. This technique, which came from Asia, can be suitable not only as a healing massage for men. Its unique atmosphere and many additional bright details will help you relax, improve your body’s condition and serve as a healing massage for women. The result in the form of improved well-being in this case is achieved effectively in the same number of sessions.

Any procedure, including a wellness facial massage, is an investment in your health, performance and appearance. Such an investment will definitely yield a positive result. However, you need to choose a salon or clinic based not only on its location and cost of services. First of all, you should pay attention to the reputation and professionalism of specialists.

Contraindications for therapeutic back massage

The procedure should not be accompanied by severe pain and does not lead to side effects, provided that the patient has no contraindications. Before a massage, it is advisable to consult a doctor , get a consultation, and then provide the massage therapist with complete information about your health.

It is not recommended to perform a back massage in the following cases:

• Increased body temperature, fever;
• Thrombophlebitis, thrombosis and atherosclerosis;
• Reduced blood clotting;
• Purulent and infectious processes in the body;
• Aneurysm;
• Fungal skin infections;
• Inflammatory process in the lymph nodes;
• Neoplasms in the spine;
• Tuberculosis;
• Venereal diseases;
• Unstable psyche, mental illness.

It is necessary to inform the massage therapist about the presence of allergies and all known diagnoses. If the procedure is required after a back injury, you need to wait some time to allow the spine and tissues to recover before starting massage treatment.

Preparing for a wellness massage

Wellness massage technology involves the last meal two hours before the session. This will help avoid discomfort in the digestive system, and painful sensations will not interfere with the enjoyment of the session.

In order to pre-relax your muscles, you can take a warm shower right before the massage procedure.

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It is imperative to warn the massage therapist before the session if you are allergic to any oils or their components.

Surely an experienced specialist will warn you that after the procedure there is no need to rush to get up from the massage table immediately. It is necessary for the body to cool down a little and return to its usual state. To do this, it is recommended to lie quietly for 10 minutes.

Massage technique

The specialist must interview the patient, clarify the diagnosis, symptoms, and tell about contraindications. The procedure is performed lying on the stomach (if a massage of the neck and shoulders is required, the patient sits with his back to the specialist and rests his hands on the table). The massage always starts from the part of the back where the pain is least severe.

Massage includes several basic techniques:

• Stroking . The massage therapist gently strokes the skin without pressing hard to warm it up and prepare it for more intense treatment. A therapeutic massage session begins and ends with such actions.
• Rubbing . They help increase blood flow to the massaged area of ​​the body, as a result, the tissues are better saturated with oxygen. Rubbing also helps reduce pain.
• Kneading . With the help of kneading, the specialist affects not only the skin and muscles, but also the tendons. Such a deep impact allows you to improve the mobility of the vertebrae and tendons.
• Effleurage . The massage therapist intensively affects the area affected by osteochondrosis, which improves blood circulation and increases muscle tone.

Classic manual massage can be supplemented with cupping or reflexology to achieve better results. If severe pain, burning or other unpleasant sensations occur during the procedure, you should immediately inform the specialist .

Acupressure can be used to treat back pain. The specialist influences acupuncture points to relieve pain and speed up the process of tissue repair. Thanks to acupressure, muscle spasms can be relieved.

It is better to entrust the procedure to a professional who knows the characteristics of muscle tissue, the location of cartilage, nerve endings and controls the force of pressure. If you undertake to give a massage to a loved one with osteochondrosis, make sure that your manipulations will not harm him. Try to perform all movements towards the heart and not put too much pressure on the body.

For therapeutic massage, a special massage cream or oil is used, but the patient is not allergic to the components. First you need to apply a small amount of the product to your wrist and wait 5 minutes. If there is no redness, itching or burning, you can begin the massage procedure.

How is lumbar massage performed?

If osteochondrosis has affected the lumbar spine, you need to place the patient on his stomach and place a small cushion under the sore area. Your arms should be along your body and your head should be turned to the side. You need to try to relax as much as possible.

First, the massage therapist will warm up your lower back. He will work the massaged area with gentle rubbing movements. For the next 5 minutes, the specialist uses kneading movements that improve blood flow in the lumbar region, allowing you to stretch and warm up not only the skin, but also the muscles.

It is also necessary to treat the gluteal area near the lower back with intense circular movements. You can end the session with stroking.

What do massage therapists recommend?

Not everyone knows that there are temporary standards recommended by experts that allow you to achieve good results from massage. If massage is performed:

– according to medical indications, it should last from 20 to 90 minutes, depending on age, as well as the characteristics of the current illness;

– when restoring the body and rehabilitation after illnesses and injuries, its duration will be from 60 to 90 minutes;

– relaxing, as well as wellness, then the massage therapist will work with the surface from half an hour to 2 hours;

– chosen for figure correction, its duration will range from 45 to 60 minutes.

Massage of the cervical spine for osteochondrosis

Massaging your neck yourself or trusting your relatives to do so is dangerous. If there is instability of the cervical vertebrae, the nerve can be compressed. Do not put too much pressure on the collar area or make jerking movements.

Massage of the cervical spine is carried out as follows:

• The patient sits on a chair and places his hands on a support.
• The specialist treats the area of ​​the neck and shoulders with smooth, careful movements without strong pressure.
• Then the massage therapist works with more intense movements at the base of the neck and shoulders, using the edge of the palm. This allows you to warm up the muscles well and prepare them for further manipulation.
• Then the muscles of the neck and shoulders need to be rubbed with smooth transverse movements.
• At the end, the specialist moves in a circular motion the entire area from the head to the back and from the base of the neck to the shoulders.
• After finishing the procedure, the massage therapist wipes the skin with a damp cloth to remove any remaining oil and covers the patient’s neck and shoulders with a warm towel. You need to sit like this for a while.

It must be remembered that osteochondrosis of the cervical spine is often accompanied by neck pain and decreased mobility. If the massage is performed incorrectly, there is a possibility that the pain will intensify and migraines will appear.

Features of thoracic spine massage

Osteochondrosis in this area is the most difficult to cure. It is not recommended to massage the thoracic region at home or on your own. It's better to leave this to a professional.

The procedure can be performed either lying down or sitting. If the patient is sitting, the specialist gently warms up, rubs and works the area, trying to warm up and relax the muscles. The session begins and ends with light strokes.

If the patient is lying down, a small cushion is placed under his chest. First, the specialist will warm up the skin, then rub the back muscles with longitudinal movements. The session ends with kneading.

Anatomy of the spinal muscles

The muscles of the back and legs are the most powerful and largest. The spinal column experiences a huge load every day, associated not only with physical exercise, but also with the realities of everyday life. Sitting and walking already pose a lot of difficulties, so the back muscles must be well developed. If certain areas of the back cannot cope with the load, then a hernia, osteochondrosis, cracks and other unpleasant diseases may appear. All back muscles can be divided into two large groups: superficial and deep. In order to use them all during a massage, you need to carefully work out each group, for this we will highlight the main anatomical units:

• Trapezius muscle - located in the upper back, connects the scapula and cervical spine. Externally it is flat, close to a triangular shape. When the upper bundles of the muscle group contract, the scapula rises; when the lower bundles contract, it lowers. When the shoulder blade approaches the spine, all bundles of the muscle group contract. The trapezius muscles play an important role in the formation of posture.
• Latissimus Muscle – Found on most of the lower back. It is responsible for connecting the shoulder and back; the load falls on it at the moment of abduction and retraction of the arm. The latissimus muscle also plays an important role in breathing. At the moment of inhalation, the chest expands precisely due to the latissimus dorsi muscles.
• Rhomboid muscles - located immediately below the trapezius muscles and are shaped like a rhombus. When this muscle group contracts, the scapula is pulled upward towards the spinal column. Another purpose of the groups is to secure the edge of the blade in a certain position in relation to the pile of the cage.
• Back straightener. This is the longest, most powerful and strongest muscle group of the back. The erector spinae stretches from the skull to the sacrum along the entire spine. The muscle is so long that it is divided into three large sections: the longissimus, spinous, and vertebral-costal. Its main task is to form posture and implement all basic movements. Flexion, extension, and bending occur with her direct participation. Other small muscle groups are also involved, but such anatomical knowledge is enough to create a massage program at home.
• The teres major muscle is located just below the latissimus muscle. With its help, basic hand movements occur. The teres major muscle is responsible for lowering the raised arm and moving the arms forward and backward. Anyone who wants to visually expand their upper back should train the teres major muscle.

There are several dozen more groups and subgroups of muscles in the back. But the listed anatomical features are enough to understand the basic principles and techniques of massage. It's time to talk about basic techniques.