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Massages and Muscle Guns: Yay or Nay?
I was asking a bit about nerve pain this week, and was wondering how many of you have ever had a massage before? And did it help?
One of my friends had a transplant years ago, and he used some of his fundraising money at the time to get massages because he was that miserable in terms of muscle skeletal pain, cramping and tightness. It really helped him, and so I’m strongly considering it.
I sometimes worry massages or massage guns will “make it worse”, since I often have more issues when I stretch deeply or use foam rollers than when I don’t. I don’t know why (since stretching is sort of the hallmark of dancing), but I think it’s because my body has formed so many coping mechanisms to keep it functioning, that when I loosen one too much, it all falls out of place.
What has been your experience with stretching, muscle work or muscle guns? What has worked best for you?
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2 Replies
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I’ve only ever had two professional massages. One was gifted to me during a hospital stay. A friend sent a massage therapist to my room with a portable table, oils, and the whole shebang. It was GLORIOUS. My second was last year, for my birthday. I really loved it both times!
I carry a lot of tension in my back, neck, and legs. They are almost always tight and sore even when I’m regularly stretching and using self-massage tools. On the rare occasion that something loosens up, I feel so much better! I’ll link to one of my favorite, easy, cheap tools I use. We also have something similar to a massage gun, but I find it hard to use on my own, so I usually grab this one:
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Absolutely Yay! I have been getting massage for years.
I have found that easing the tension and muscle tightness around the chest cavity makes therapy easier and loosens secretions. I am especially partial to traditional Thai massage; after experiencing my first one in Thailand in 2015. We had a very nice, traditionally run, local place that we would go to once a month pre-Covid. Before that it was sports massages periodically. I also think chiropractic work is essential to CF body management; for the same, and additional postural benefits.
Add to that a Hypervolt; which I use nightly. This is a great tool to help post-workout to loosen everything and flush out lactic acid. Sometimes, I will use it pre-workout also; to prep for running or lifting. I struggle with tight calfs. This is a great tool in my arsenal.
All in all, I think keeping the CF body as limber, pain and inflammation free as possible is beneficial to lung health; not to mention the psychological benefits.
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