Your back is under severe stress daily. The spine is the support of the whole organism. Impact on its various sites helps to cope with most ailments, as well as prevent the development of any serious diseases. The article will tell you how to do lumbar massage correctly, where to start and what contraindications.
Types of massage
Massage is relaxing and therapeutic. The first type is aimed at helping the body relieve tension in the muscles. It is performed with light movements all over the back. This massage is recommended for everyone who works all day, for example, at a computer or drives a car.
The second option is aimed at affecting certain parts and organs of the human body. Such a massage is prescribed by a doctor after a thorough examination. This can be a massage for hernias and shifts of the intervertebral discs, osteochondrosis.
Benefits and contraindications
Many people regularly visit massage therapists. This is definitely good. But there are situations when massage is simply necessary not only to relax, but also to improve health. Below is a list of indications for which massage will be most beneficial:
- muscle pain;
- nervous tension;
- chronic fatigue;
- with weakened immunity;
- with insufficient physical exertion;
- rachiocampsis;
- osteochondrosis;
- after spinal surgery;
- under tension;
- cellulite.
On the back, along the spine, there are many nerve endings, the impact on which helps not only prevent, but also cure many diseases. With all the positive effects of the procedure on the body, massage can do much harm. Before you begin the process, make sure that you do not have the following symptoms:
- injuries and bleeding, as well as a predisposition to bruising;
- purulent and inflammatory processes;
- diseases of the lymph nodes and blood vessels;
- skin inflammations and allergies (psoriasis, eczema);
- mental illness, disruption of the central nervous system;
- tuberculosis and sexually transmitted diseases.
There are also contraindications that are temporary:
- pregnancy,
- stones in the kidneys,
- cholelithiasis,
- menstrual cycle in women.
Important! Before visiting a massage therapist, you must consult a doctor and undergo a full examination.
Session Preparation
Before proceeding to massage, it is worth paying attention to preparation. An integrated approach is needed here. It’s worth starting from the room. It should be warm and bright. There is nothing superfluous, only those objects that cause you positive emotions and create a good mood. If you go to a session in a special salon, then, as a rule, the rooms there are decorated in the appropriate style. This is a kind of island of happiness.
The next point that you need to pay attention to is the place where you will lie. In massage rooms, these are special tables. At home, you can do with a couch or sofa. The main thing is that the surface is equal and solid enough.
If you act as a massage therapist, then you need to carry out procedures to clean your hands. To do this, wash them with warm water and soap and apply a protective cream or any other nutritious composition. Also prepare massage oil, a towel, and clean clothes. If you are a patient, then you also need to put yourself in order, take a shower, remove hair, if necessary, remove jewelry.
If you are thinking about how to get a good back massage, then the tips above will help you with this.
Back massage: features
Massage has a beneficial effect on all areas of the back. How to do a back massage?
Important! When doing the massage, do everything very carefully. Sudden movements should be avoided. Smooth and measured transitions from one technique to another.
There are many myths about how to do a relaxing back massage. The massage itself is already relaxing. Such a massage will bring many benefits if it is performed by a professional, but even simple strokes will help relieve stress.
For massage, it is best to use a specially designed oil, it includes nutrients, as well as substances that will make the procedure most enjoyable and relaxing. If there is no such oil, then any oily cream, for example, for children, can be used. Before using any product, make sure that there is no allergy.
Stroking
As a rule, any massage begins with stroking. Movements are made with a full palm, with a large amplitude. The direction should be throughout the spine, capturing the sides. You need to start moving from the lower back to the cervical spine. Perform such movements 2-3 times. After that, you can start stroking the edge of the palm. This is a more intense stroking, which will help prepare the muscles for further manipulations.
Trituration
Now that the back is prepared, you can proceed to rubbing. The skin of the back must be captured with two fingers and, moving from the lower back to the neck, to perform wavy movements. This will help to disperse blood, improve skin absorption of oxygen, and also activates blood vessels. This is done within 3-5 minutes.
Kneading
To perform these movements, one hand is placed on the other to enhance the effect, and smoothly moved from the lower back to the chest, and then to the cervical. Kneading is the main technique for massage. During these movements there is a profound effect on the muscles and organs of the body. At this time, the processes of purification from toxins, blood circulation, as well as normalization of stress levels are activated.
Classic massage
Classic back massage is the most common technique. This is an effect on the entire back. Such a massage can be attributed to both therapeutic and relaxing. There are practically no contraindications for conducting sessions.
It is worth noting that a classic massage will help get rid of headaches, back pain and thoracic spine. Also, acting on the capillaries and blood vessels, massage will help get rid of congestion. Hence, as a result, the work of the heart improves, the pressure normalizes.
Classical massage includes all the techniques of execution.
Lumbar massage
Problems and pains in the lumbosacral spine are the most common. Any awkward movement can trigger a worsening. In order to avoid such problems, it is recommended to carry out massage procedures.
Massage is prescribed by a doctor with intervertebral hernias, displacements of the discs. But, before you visit a massage therapist, you need to make sure that there is no pain. This is best done in a hospital under the supervision of medical staff.
Massage of the lower back takes place in several stages. In the first session it is only stroking. From the second day you can begin to make more serious movements - kneading, squeezing and rubbing. Hand movements should be intense. At the end of the procedure, the masseur performs stroking. All movements are performed from top to bottom.
Massage improves blood circulation and outflow of lymphatic fluid. The total time is 40 minutes, but it’s worth starting with 20 minutes, gradually increasing the time.
Lumbar massage at home
There are situations when visiting a massage therapist is not possible. In this case, many are wondering how to do back massage at home. Here it is worth remembering that everything is good in moderation and not to overdo it. Another important point is the need to exclude any pain.
If pain is still present, then you should take painkillers. Once the pain is gone, you can begin the session.
The technique of doing massage at home is absolutely identical to that made by professionals. It is worth starting with light strokes, gradually increasing pressure. After you can go to grinding and kneading. The end of the massage must be performed by stroking.
- We put our palms on the lower back, along the spine and with a little effort we bring the palms down. This will help prepare and warm the skin and muscles.
- Now perform stroking in the direction from the spine to the sides. Gradually moving to the tailbone.
- Rubbing can be done with the palms, fists, phalanges of the fingers. These should be intense movements with the use of force.
- Kneading is done with tweezers. The direction should be from the lower back. This will help disperse the blood.
Specialists recommend using ointments that contain bee or snake venom for massage at home.
Lumbar self-massage
If you do not have anyone to ask for help or you are at work, then you can apply the technique of self-massage of the lower back. There is nothing complicated here. If you follow the instructions below, then the question of how to do a back massage yourself will disappear by itself.
- Before you start, you should rub your hands well so that they are warm.
- Cross your palms and attach to the lumbar for 30-50 seconds. During this time you should feel warm.
- Now focus your fingers on the lower back, with your hands on the sides of the spine. Perform intense circular movements until you feel warmth or a slight tingling sensation.
- Now you can gently pinch the skin around the spine. Head from top to bottom.
- Now turn one palm on the spine in the lumbar region with the other hand, exert slight pressure with the other hand. Massage the area in circular motions for no more than one minute.
Such simple tricks of self-massage will help you cope with tension in the spine. But, you should not perform them if you feel pain during movements.