Why your arms need a massage


Oh, the things we put our arms through.

Gripping a steering wheel.  Computer and office work.  Cooking and laundry.  Yard work, carrying your kids and their stuff around, and lugging shopping bags.  Squeezing and clenching and buckling and writing.

Sports and exercise can be hard on your arms.  You get it.

We put our hands and forearms through an awful lot of stress every day.  And yet, when I start to massage a hand and forearm, I often hear, “Oh! I had no idea my arms were so sore!”.  It’s a common comment, but not really a surprise.

Arms get sore.  And when they get really overworked, we end up with carpal tunnel, tendinitis, trigger finger and a whole host of other issues.

Wrist and hand pain can start in your forearm.  Most of the muscles that let you move your wrists and fingers start in your forearm.  Working on those muscles can help relieve your wrist and hand pain.
The good news here is it’s pretty easy to massage your own hands and forearms.  Here’s how:

Start at the top.  Using the opposite hand, gently squeeze the meaty, fleshy areas just below your elbow.  Squeeze on the inside of your arm then on the outside.  Gently is the key here – don’t be jamming your thumb in there hard and causing pain.  It should feel good, and if it doesn’t, back off a bit.

If you want to get fancy, roll the wrist around and wiggle the fingers as you squeeze.  Do that light squeezing all the way down to the wrist.  Do this a few times, up and down the forearm to cover all the territory there.

Then move to the hand, using a light pincer grip, squeeze that meaty area at the base of your thumb.  Lightly squeeze up and down all those finger bones through the palm, and up each finger.  When you find a good spot, stick around it for an extra minute.

Whatever feels good to you is just fine.  Then, switch hands and do it again on the other arm.  Better yet, find a buddy and massage each other’s arms and hands.

Another option is to roll a golf ball or two on your arms.  That way you are getting a good amount of pressure without using the muscles of your other arm much.

If you’ve got carpal tunnel or tendinitis, or just achiness and pain that you can’t figure out, you may need even more attention to keep those issues at bay.  Come on in and I can work on those issues to let you keep doing what you want.

I’ve had a lot of success using my new Neural Reset Therapy on arms. The pain and tightness usually come on gradually and is not noticed as much as other painful areas. When the muscles relax back to normal – in just a couple of minutes – you will notice a big difference.
Your arms do a lot for you.  Give them some attention with a massage so arm pain doesn’t slow you down.
Barry is a licensed Massage Therapist at Main Street Massage in Hudson, Ohio.  Find out more about him, his business, and massage at www.HudsonMassageTherapy.com

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