KUSA - Cold and flu season is upon us. Couple that with the hectic holiday season, and you have a recipe for disaster.
That is why massage therapists are visiting the 9NEWS studio this week to de-stress our team and boost our immunity.
Certified Massage Therapist Mark Mills says staring at computer screens all day can really take a toll on your neck and shoulders.
"You could have a co-worker come over to your desk and gently massage your shoulders, squeezing the muscle and staying away from any bones," Mills said. "If you're struggling with back pain from sitting in your chair too long, ask a co-worker to run their fingers up and down your spine vigorously to relieve tension."
Mills says you have to be comfortable performing these techniques on your co-workers. If you are more comfortable relieving your stress on your own, check out the tips below.
Additional tips:
- Foot massage: Start with a tennis or golf ball on the floor while seated at your favorite living room chair. Roll your foot forward and backward slowly; apply enough pressure to feel a pulling but not enough that you are in too much pain; then roll your foot side to side. Next place your heel on the ball to make circular motions; finally cross your leg over the left ankle and take the ball and roll it up and down the arch of your foot; repeat with the left foot.
- Hand massage: Take a pencil with eraser and start by applying pressure to the base of the thumb; make little circles with the eraser in that area, move around to hit all the pressure points in near the thumb.
- Always make sure that you are higher than the body parts that are to be massaged.
- Massage long strokes, following a body part until you hit bone where the origin of the muscle lies.
- Don't just stop massaging at the neck, rather follow the muscle all the way around the neck and up behind the ear and the back of the head
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