Honey, Would You Rub My Back?


This week, I'm going to tell you how to give a relaxing back massage for someone who is carrying a lot of tension in their upper back and shoulders. Another time, we'll focus on the low back and hips. Eventually, you'll be able to give a full back massage that your loved ones will be clamoring for. Make sure you get them to read this little how-to item, so you get to be on the receiving end, too.

Have your friend or loved one lie face down on the bed (I'm assuming you don't have a massage table) with no shirt on. Get a little bit of oil on your hands (cooking oil is fine and canola works well) just enough that your hands don't stick to the skin. Start at the base of the neck, and using a little pressure, run your hands down both sides of spine as far as you can reach. Right now, you just want to get the oil on the back...so spread it around the shoulder blades and upper back.

Now, go back up to the trouble area and use your thumbs (try not to use the very tips, that hurts) to put pressure on the muscles on either side of the spine, and press outwards for an inch or so. Do this for the whole area from midback to the base of the neck. If it hurts at all, it should be a "gee that hurts good" feeling. You can do one side and then the other, always applying pressure AWAY from the spine, and not directly ON the spine.

Now, to help loosen up all the muscles in that area, put your palm on one of the shoulder blades and shake it. You should get a nice loose movement going of the whole shoulder girdle and arm. Do the same for the other one.

Go back to the back muscles, and with the thumbs again, and as heavy pressure as your hands and the person's back can take, stroke from the spine all the way out to the shoulder blades. Do that on both sides (one at a time) from the bottom of the shoulder blades up to the base of the neck again.

In many people, the muscles in the back of the neck feel like guitar strings, and you'll probably find some very tender spots along the upper part of the back and across the top of the shoulders. Don't be afraid to work on them, but make sure you get feedback on whether it hurts or not. If the person says you're going too deep, or it hurts, lighten the pressure immediately.

The copyright of the article Honey, Would You Rub My Back? in Massage Therapy is owned by Chris E Barrett. Permission to republish Honey, Would You Rub My Back? in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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