This patient has been troubled by shoulder stiffness since high school. She felt that carrying a bag on one shoulder while commuting and the posture of resting her chin on the violin while playing contributed to her discomfort.
After starting her job, daily computer work affected her, causing not only shoulder stiffness but also tension in her neck, leading to a situation where she could hardly move her neck, as if her neck is frozen.
When she first visited my practice, she was unable to turn her head to the left or right while keeping her body facing forward, indicating a complete lack of range of motion.
She described her back as feeling "as hard as a steel plate" and her neck as if it contained "a thick iron pipe."
Since she was resistant to acupuncture, I focused on massage therapy.
Muscle Tension Relief
The muscles in the shoulders and neck are particularly prone to tension due to stress and poor posture. This tension and fatigue often manifest as shoulder and neck stiffness. Muscle massage is highly effective for relaxing and softening tense muscles. By assessing the overall condition of the muscles and providing a comprehensive massage, I can help relax the body, followed by targeted massage on specific areas causing stiffness.
Improvement of Blood Flow
Lymphatic massage promotes blood circulation. By improving stagnant blood flow, oxygen and nutrients are supplied smoothly to the muscles, making it easier for fatigue substances to be expelled.
Deep Muscle Stimulation Through Acupressure
Acupressure applies pressure to key acupuncture points, stimulating the deep layers of muscles. This helps relieve muscle tension and promotes blood and lymph circulation. The combination of muscle massage, lymphatic massage, and acupressure creates a synergistic effect.
Initially, this patient had no range of motion at all. After visiting us every three days during the first couple of weeks, her range of motion gradually improved. They her visit has been gradually decreased to once a week, and now she comes for maintenance once a month.
In an environment with heavy computer use, poor posture can easily occur, putting a strain on the muscles. According to this patient, her computer at work is positioned diagonally, causing her to constantly turn her neck in that direction. When considering her body facing forward as 0 degrees, the computer was about 20 degrees to the left - only a slight misalignment, but these small strains accumulate daily, leading to shoulder and neck stiffness. As a result of ignoring small signs, she ended up with extreme symptoms, unable to move her neck at all.
Adjusting Computer Position
Place the computer directly in front of your seated position. If space doesn’t allow it, adjust your entire body, not just your head, to face the computer
Adjust the computer screen to eye level. Use boxes or books to set the screen so you don’t have to look down or up
For those suffering from shoulder and neck stiffness, regular massage is very effective for relieving muscle tension, improving blood flow, and reducing stress. Mental stress contributes to muscle tension, but through massage, one can relax and refresh both body and mind, helping to alleviate stress.
By incorporating posture improvement and daily life adjustments along with regular massage, long-term improvement can be anticipated.
Daisuke Tazawa
BODYWORKS AZABU
*Permission has been granted by the patient to post the image and details of this treatment