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==Types of Massage==
==See Also==
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Massage can find [[Trigger Points]], as they can be felt as hard knots and are painful to the touch. Massage can also treat the trigger points, by applying pressure to them until the muscle relaxes. The pressure can be continuous or repeated pulses. There are other treatments for trigger points, such as ultrasound, lasers, injections, etc., none of which I've tried.
Massage can be provided by another person, or you can do self-massage. Self-massage can use your hands, or in limited situations, another body part, such as using a knee on the opposite calf. Using [[Injury prevention using 'The Stick'|The Stick]] or [[Foam Roller]] is often more effective however.
==Fellrnr's Overview of Massage Preferences=Techniques=
These are my preferences on how to massage different parts of the body.
* '''Feet'''. I use a trigger wheel to massage the underside of my feet.
* '''Hip Flexors'''. The hip flexors are always hard to massage as they are very deep. I have learned to lie on my back with my knees up and use my hands to massage my hip flexors. I have to relax the abdominal muscles and follow the hip flexor from the iliac (hip) crest down towards the spine. Raising my knee slightly will use the hip flexors so I can check that I am on the muscle. You really need someone with training to teach this technique to you, as you are getting to muscles near the spine from the front; there's lots of important bits you have to bypass to get there ;}
* '''Back'''. I have a Panasonic massage chair that does a good job on my back. Far from cheap, but it's proved its worth over the years I've had it. If I need more than the chair, I get my wife to use the [[Thumper]] or I use my [[Teeter Inversion Table]]. (I had [[Back Surgery]] so looking after my back is critical to me.)
=Calf Massage=
{| class="wikitable"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:CalfRelax.JPG|none|thumb|300px|As with all muscles, they should be as relaxed as possible when being massaged. For the calf muscle, the heel should be supported and the foot relaxed so that the muscle itself is floppy.]]
|[[File:CalfStick.JPG|none|thumb|300px|The Stick works remarkably well on the calves, and can detect muscular problems early. Roll the stick over the full length of the calf muscle, moving over the full width with successive strokes. Don’t use the stick on the front of the lower leg with the foot in this position as the muscle (Tibialis Anterior) will be under tension.]]
|[[File:CalfKnee.JPG|none|thumb|300px|The calf can be massaged by the opposite knee. This approach can apply quite a lot of pressure for helping with specific problems, but it is tough to cover the sides of the calf muscle.]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:CalfElbow.JPG|none|thumb|300px|This technique only works on the medial side of the calf, but can apply a great deal of pressure with a lot of control.]]
|[[File:CalfThumperSide.JPG|none|thumb|300px|The Thumper can be quite effective, though a little cumbersome. I apply extra pressure with my hand, which is against the manufacturer’s recommendation. Here you can see me use the Thumper on the side of the calf.]]
|[[File:CalfThumperBelow.JPG|none|thumb|300px|Getting to other parts of the calf can be rather awkward.]]
|- valign="top"
|[[File:TibialisAnteriorStick.JPG|none|thumb|300px|To massage the front of the lower leg (Tibialis Anterior) support your foot at the front so that the calf is under tension and the front is relaxed. Use the Stick but be careful to avoid the bone.]]
|[[File:Image To Follow.JPG|none|thumb|300px|The Thumper can be effective at massaging the front of the lower leg though I only use the Thumper here if I have a specific problem that the Stick is not fixing.]]
|}
* [[Trigger Points]]
* [[Injury prevention using 'The Stick'|The Stick]]