How many of you expereince frequent neck / shoulder / back pain?  Over the years, I have noticed that these sites of pain have been a frequent problem for many people.  The problems are not structural, i.e. skeletal, but muscular.  The one form of treatment that seems to relieve the symptoms is sports massage.  Let’s look at the reasons why.

Firstly, daily lifestyle can cause postural changes.  How many of you commute to work sitting down, i.e. on a train, in a car, on a bus?  You arrive at your place of work and sit down in front of your computer for endless hours at a time.  Your back is supported by the backrest of your chair, and you have a tendency to lean forward with your shoulders elevated and/or rounding whilst you stare at your screen.  At the end of the day, you travel home by the same mode or transport.  Upon your return, work has exhausted you so the best way to relax is to slouch in front of the TV.

The same applies to exercise.  How do you know that your body is in optimal alignment as you perform your repetitions in the gym?  Is your running stance restricting your breathing pattern?  We all have a dominant side, and usually develop stronger muscles on one side of the body.

What is all of this doing to your posture?  Muscles shorten and lengthen according to what we do to them.  They find what is called a ‘position of ease’. This position is normally out of optimal alignment, hence the neck / shoulder / back pain.  Welcome to the world of muscle imbalances that not only impair your movement, restrict your breathing and give you pain, but also get worse over time if they stay untreated and can lead to injury.

Sports massage can eleviate these imbalances.  As therapists and Surrey personal trainers, we always offer our clients advice on how to prevent muscles imbalances and overcome postural issues.  The Total Personal Training Team of Surrey Personal Trainers specialise in postural correction and treating muscular injuries. 

I see great results after releasing the small muscles around the shoulder blade and those that run into the neck.  For example, if you experience pain in your arm, this isn’t necessarily the site of the problem.  Sports massage isn’t about relaxing music and scented oil, it’s about treating and rebalancing the alignment of muscle tissue.  It may not always be pleasant, but the feeling of having a muscle ‘released’ is worth the short-term tenderness during the treatment!