Deep massage on upper back

Deep tissue massage on the back technically heals the spine and the whole body. The procedure helps to treat osteochondrosis, scoliosis, radiculitis, intervertebral hernia, and other diseases. After the massage, the pain and chronic fatigue syndrome will pass, the patient will feel lightness in the body and a surge of new strength.
The masseur acts on the spine, deep and superficial muscles of the back. Then, begins the procedure from the lower back and gradually moves to the shoulders.
Non-professionals without special education to conduct therapeutic massage is strictly prohibited – it can be harmful to health.

Therapeutic back massage is indicated for patients with pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular and neurological disorders:

• osteochondrosis of the spine, disc herniation (in the initial stage);
• deforming spondyloarthritis, sciatica, radiculitis;
• posture disorders (scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis);
• spinal injuries;
• angina, hypertension, hypotension;
• chronic bronchitis, frequent colds;
• chronic gastritis, motility disorders of the large intestine.

Preparing for a session is necessary not only for the client but also for the massage therapist himself. Beginning masseurs should start with the simplest wellness massage. It will allow removing the general tension in problem areas, will have a relaxing and strengthening effect. The general stages of preparation can be reduced to a small list, although everything is individual:

Put your hands in order. The nails should be cut short so as not to accidentally scratch the patient. Wash your hands thoroughly as well.
Next to the masseur, you need to put a clean towel on which the patient can lie down, and which can also be used to wipe after a moisturizer or oil. Cosmetics should also be prepared in advance.
The room itself must be aired before the procedure, but the temperature should be comfortable. The hands of a massage therapist must be warm, during a session it is very important for a person to relax.
It is possible to carry out massage only on a hard surface, it is advisable to have a special table. It is also worth buying a special massage oil, which must be thoroughly rubbed and heated in the palms of your hands.
The massage session lasts about half an hour because the back and neck are always the most problematic areas of a person. Palm movements should be in the direction of blood flow. To avoid infection, wash your hands thoroughly.

Beginners should remember that if the patient experiences severe discomfort, then the procedure must be stopped or the effort reduced. Pressure on the spinal column should be very accurate.

Spinal anatomy – localization
All back muscles can be divided into two large groups: superficial and deep. In order to use them all during the massage, you need to carefully work out each group, for this, we highlight the main anatomical units:

Rhromboids:
First of all, observe the patient’s posture, noting the shoulders turned forward, the flat chest, the winged shoulder blades as signs of Trigger Points in the Pectoral. Pectorals and Scalenians should therefore be treated as a minimum (as Scalenes also report pain in the same area as the Rhomboids).
Once this is done, observe the direction of the rhomboid fibers in the anatomical table, to distinguish the muscle from the overlying trapezium whose fibers have opposite or horizontal directions. For the massage of the rhomboids, you can have the patient prone on the table, with his hand resting behind his back in the lumbar area so as to abduct the scapula, then examine the muscle with the friction of the fingers to identify the bundles of contracted fibers, and Trigger points, which will be massaged with strengthened fingers, strengthened thumbs, knuckles or elbow. Self-massage is very easy if you use a tennis ball against the wall or the Theracane. Trigger points tend to be located towards the scapular edge where the bulk of the muscle is located.

Serratus:
Before proceeding with manual therapy, it is imperative to exclude traumatic factors such as fractures of the ribs and visceral conditions.
The main trigger points are usually located in an area identified by the intersection of a vertical midaxillary and a horizontal passing through the nipples. It is the area on the fifth or sixth vertebra. However, it is always good to explore the whole muscle because Trigger Points are also possible in the other sections.
The massage of the trigger points can be somewhat painful and it is good not to overdo it with pressure and duration, but to repeat the massage several times over time.
Muscle stretching can be performed while sitting on a chair, placing the arm of the side in question behind the back, and after inhaling deeply, start the exhalation and simultaneously rotate the torso from the opposite side to that involved.
It is also essential to correct perpetuating factors such as chronic cough and abnormal breathing habits and to limit sporting excesses for certain exercises, such as excessive bending on the arms or excessively intense running, at least during the treatment phase.
Erector spinae:
It is the most important muscle of the cervical area, it participates in the extension of the cervical and dorsal spine, and cervical lateralization movements, as well as in extreme movements of the scapula and shoulder. Trapezius myofascial syndrome is common after whiplash traffic accidents and in postoperative neck pain syndromes. It manifests with pain in the cervical area, often accompanied by occipital headache and contracture.
The muscle is blocked by locating the cervical fascia and the muscle with its trigger points. Using ultrasound, we locate the trapezius immediately below the subcutaneous fatty tissue. Ultrasonography allows us to correctly visualize the pleura when we perform punctures in the middle and lower trapezius, thus avoiding producing a pneumothorax, one of the most serious complications when performing this technique.

massage therapists at Step Above Massage try to determine which muscles need more attention and reference to those muscles properly. they try to get constant feedback from clients to make sure treatments are in the client’s level of comfort. with these careful considerations, our therapists try to provide the best massage in the Raleigh, NC area.