Is it and can it be as/more? Effective than getting a massage from someone else? I try to get a full body deep tissue massage every couple of weeks, my main problem areas, or places that I really like a massage are around the head, ears, neck, shoulders and back. I can reach those places pretty easily myself and many a times I know exactly how much pressure, and exactly where I want attention. So what is the benefit of getting a massuese in this scenario? Is it more a relaxation/treat thing? Or is a qualified massuese just so much better?
Being serious...I find self massage like self tickling. It just doesn't feel the same when you're doing it to yourself.
Ditto. Very easy to reach parts I can try to massage myself (mostly arms & legs), but even with those its not quite the same. Plus compared to the masseuse, I know practically nothing about what I'm doing.
Foam rolling fulfils the same purpose as a massage, but without the masseur. It can in fact prove more effective, as soft tissue mobilisation techniques should be done without any days off. Your massage performed once every couple of weeks by another person is probably achieving no real change in your tissues in the long term due to the layoff between applications. Massage, trigger point therapy, fascial release, or whatever you want to call it, is an important element in flexibility training because it addresses sliding surface dysfunctions that stretching typically does not. However, you need to make sure you're doing it right - go slow, go against the muscle grain, and go for at least 2 minutes. Your mileage may vary with that last point, being fairly old and all.
If this is a serious thread, then you may want to look into buying the below. It's got rave reviews on Amazon. I have one and it's really good for neck, shoulder back etc. cheaper on Amazon. http://www.homedics.co.uk/massagers/back-massagers/shiatsu-cushion.html
If you know what you're doing, and why, and how to do it, then yeah, if you can reach the areas, it's worth it. If you're only poking blindly and don't even know how the muscles underneath are arranged, then... less so. Also, lol.
My idea of self massage is rolling around on a hard floor trying to work the knots out of my back. I imagine I look something like an overturned turtle with neurological problems, but it does help.
Pretty much like that! But I promise, that's not me in the pic. That's my cat. But he must have learned it by watching me... (tear) [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-Elr5K2Vuo"]"I Learned It By Watching You" Anti-Drug PSA - YouTube[/ame]
The thera cane is good at getting spots you cant reach.. https://www.amazon.com/YOFIT-Trigge...t_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=D127H1HS9KHACHSJ123S
Lying on a foam roller and various sized plastic balls is my nightly ritual. It can be painful but it definitely helps. I go see a Physio about once every 4-8 weeks now instead of once a fortnight.