It is nice when you know how to give effective neck and shoulder massages. This way you help those around you relax after a hectic day at work. Training someone to do this to you would be another advantage.

This type of massage is one of the easier kinds to do, because people do not have to lie down to have it done. Anyone can go to a professional to get this done, but it’s also useful to know how, for those times when you’re in between visits. Below are seven tips for massaging the shoulders and neck correctly.

7 Tips

1. Have the person sit down in front of you on a stool or a chair that allows access to the back. Feel his/her neck and shoulders to see where the tension needs to be relieved the most. These areas should be given special attention.

2. With one hand on each shoulder muscle (up next to the neck) start gently squeezing and rub the muscle. Extend your thumbs down towards the back a bit while doing this. Check with the person to make sure you are not applying too much pressure. Remember, you want him/her relaxed not in pain from your actions.

3. You can also use your side of your hands to do chopping movements from one of the shoulders to the other side. This will act to loosen the tension even further than the above action.

4. After the shoulders have been relaxed, turn your attention the neck. Use your fingertips to massage both sides of the neck. Make sure to apply slight pressure and each of the spine and not on the spine. Move up and down the neck.

5. Repeat the shoulder and neck actions until the person says he/she feels better. Additionally, go back to those areas that had the most tension and massage those areas a bit more, just to make sure these get relaxed.

6. A nice added touch is to give the person a scalp massage as part of the treatment. This is one of the easiest areas of the body to massage. Just slightly move the scalp with your fingers and gradually covering the whole head. Make sure to massage the back, sides, top and forehead areas. This is more relaxing if you always keep at least on hand on the head during the massage.

7. Warm towels can be applied at the end for the massage. This step is optional, but does add to the experience for the person who is getting the neck and shoulder massage.

These are just some tips to help you do massage at home. You can share the tips with others to help them learn. Of course, if you have a free day and would like a professional to look at your muscle tension, visit a massage therapist.

This type of therapist can alleviate many problems through massaging your body. A professional knows how to massage a person's body from head to toe using a variety of effective techniques which will be both effective and satisfying.