| > | | | | accumulate, they start to irritate pain nerves. |
| Find out what causes tension and the negative | | | | If the tension is significant, you’ll actually |
| effects it can have on your body. Learn how to | | | | start to feel achy. If the tension is less severe, |
| identify tension and become aware of the | | | | the nerves become sensitive and any added |
| muscles where you're most likely to feel it. | | | | stimulus, like a squeeze to the muscle, can cause |
| Understand an easy way to relieve tension and | | | | discomfort. |
| come away with two simple exercises (with | | | | 1 Easy Way To Relieve Tension |
| illustrations) to prevent muscle tension where | | | | Massage can play an important role in helping you |
| almost everyone traps it. | | | | deal with your tension and your massage |
| The Basics | | | | professional, like a mechanic, can adjust how fast |
| Imagine a car that’s idling too fast. | | | | your muscle motors are idling. |
| It’s revved up and working hard but | | | | Basically, massage does two things: |
| nothing useful is happening. The motor’s | | | | First, it helps induce a relaxation response. This |
| burning more fuel, creating more pollution and | | | | reduces the common defensive reactions in your |
| experiencing added wear and tear. | | | | body, including that turtle-in-the-shell action |
| Well, it’s kind of the same with muscle | | | | of your neck muscles. Relaxation also causes your |
| tension. It doesn’t help you move and it | | | | brain and nervous system to slow down, which in |
| certainly doesn’t make your muscles | | | | turn lowers the tension level of all the muscles in |
| stronger. So really your muscles are working hard | | | | your body. |
| but not doing anything useful or accomplishing | | | | Second, massage pulls and stretches, which |
| anything. | | | | physically releases the muscle. In addition, the |
| In fact, muscle tension causes a lot of wear and | | | | sensations that your muscles feel, both conscious |
| tear on your body. It strains tendons (which hold | | | | and subconscious, give your brain information |
| your muscles to your bones). It pulls joints tighter | | | | about the level of tension that exists in your |
| together (leading to grinding/crunching sounds and | | | | muscles. This helps your nervous system adjust |
| worn out cartilage). It limits your movement, | | | | your muscles to a normal level of tone. |
| interferes with your co-ordination and may even | | | | Remember too that the effect of a massage on |
| make you more accident-prone. | | | | tension is almost instantaneous. You feel the |
| Tension also burns up the fuel in your muscles | | | | tension leaving your body immediately. You |
| (which makes you feel tired) and creates toxic | | | | don’t have to wait days or weeks to see |
| waste products called metabolites (the | | | | results. |
| equivalent of car exhaust) which fatigue your | | | | Also, regular massage both reduces your tension |
| muscles and make them feel sore and achy. | | | | and trains your muscles to maintain a lower level |
| Why Control Tension | | | | of tension. |
| You’ll feel more comfortable. | | | | And when your muscles are healthy and relaxed, |
| You’ll prevent problems from occurring | | | | they won’t be tender and you |
| (like kinks in your neck). You just know from | | | | won’t feel any discomfort, even when |
| experience that tension isn’t good. | | | | you’re receiving a massage. |
| 2 Causes Of Tension | | | | 1 Easy Way To Prevent Tension |
| 1. Stress is one of the major sources of muscle | | | | One of the areas most likely to get tense is the |
| tension. When under stress, you become like a | | | | shoulders. |
| turtle trying to pull its head into its shell. So your | | | | (In the nearly 8 years that I’ve been doing |
| shoulder muscles might simply tighten up or they | | | | chair massage, the shoulders are still the Number |
| might round forward and lift up as your head pulls | | | | 1 area people ask to have massaged because |
| back. And if your stress level is high, you may | | | | they’re experiencing tension there.) |
| actually notice your shoulders around your ears. | | | | The muscle that makes up the shoulders is called |
| 2. Just sitting or staying still for periods of time | | | | the trapezius, often referred to as the |
| causes your muscles to tighten up. By remaining | | | | traps. It’s an easy name to |
| static, you’re basically training your | | | | remember because this is the muscle that |
| muscles to lock your back or neck in a certain | | | | traps a lot of tension. |
| posture. Then when you begin to move, your | | | | The good news is you can help prevent tension |
| muscles remain tense in an effort to maintain | | | | from building up in this muscle. If you’re |
| your position. Plus it takes some time for your | | | | sitting or standing still for any significant period of |
| muscles to realize that they can let go and relax. | | | | time, be sure to move this muscle through a full |
| So the longer you sit without moving, the more | | | | range of motion, at least once in a while. |
| you train your muscles to lock into position and | | | | Something you can try is the 20/20 Rule: |
| the longer it takes to release them. | | | | For every 20 minutes that you are inactive, |
| Key Tension Areas | | | | spend 20 seconds moving. |
| Simply based on the way tension is created, the | | | | This helps ensure that your muscles don’t |
| areas most vulnerable to tension are your neck, | | | | have the chance to lock into any particular |
| shoulders and back. Although tension can develop | | | | position. |
| in any muscle in your body, these are the areas | | | | Use the two simple exercises in this article to |
| that are most commonly affected. | | | | bring your traps through a full range of |
| Tenderness And Tension | | | | motion and keep your muscles relaxed and |
| One of the best indicators of tension is | | | | tension-free. |
| tenderness, which is the discomfort you feel | | | | Download your exercise illustrations here: |
| when you press on a muscle. | | | | If you have specific health concerns, consult your |
| Blood vessels normally deliver oxygen and | | | | medical doctor. The information in this article is |
| nutrients to a muscle and flush away waste | | | | educational only and is not intended to replace the |
| products. But, when your muscles are tense, | | | | advice of your personal health care provider(s). |
| they’re essentially squeezing their own | | | | This article may be freely reprinted or distributed |
| blood vessels. | | | | in its entirety in any e-zine, newsletter, blog or |
| So now, the muscles are working hard and | | | | website. The author's name, bio and website links |
| creating lots of waste that’s not being | | | | must remain intact and be included with every |
| washed out of the muscle. And as these | | | | production. |
| metabolites (i.e. waste) begin to | | | | |