Decontracting massages: recipe and preparation

The importance of aromatherapy massage has already been described in a previous article; however, specifically, massages are often requested by athletes or people under high tension.

When our body works under stress, especially during sports, it operates like a well-oiled machine; but what happens if the “gears” are not properly lubricated or the structure is not trained? Muscle contractions, cramps, or in more severe cases, strains or injuries can occur.

Muscle contractions can also be caused by incorrect posture or repeated sudden and incorrect movements over time.

Before starting any physical activity, it is important to remember to prepare our body with warm-up exercises and gentle movements that begin to awaken the muscles and joints.

Decontracting massages usually target a specific part of the body that is under stress and tension. It is always better to rely on skilled hands for treatments, especially if they involve delicate and sensitive areas, such as the cervical spine, which, in addition to causing pain in the specific area, can have secondary effects often overlooked; such as tingling in the hands, respiratory dysfunction, and temporomandibular joint problems.

Decontracting massages: what can we do at home?

Self-massages can be very useful using a carrier vegetable oil such as Sweet Almond oil or Olive oil, preferably cold-pressed, combined with essential oils.

Here are some essential oils recommended for decontracting self-massages:

Eucalyptus Essential Oil: excellent analgesic and very useful for muscle strains.

Cypress Essential Oil: it is a calming and strengthening oil, indicated for nervous tension and rheumatism.

Lavender Essential Oil: it is soothing and a balm for pains.

Ginger Essential Oil: particularly helpful for muscle cramps.

A very simple way to relax muscle tension for neck pain is to sit comfortably in the lotus or half-lotus position (cross-legged), keep your back straight, and with your hands massage the neck parallel to the right and left, starting from the nape and letting the hands slide forward towards the sternum, applying pressure with the fingertips.

For the upper part of the neck, perform crossed squeezes with the hands as if squeezing something, starting from the base of the neck and moving down towards the end of the neck.

FRANCESCA SCALMANA