When you're feeling a lot of extra tension and soreness and you can't bear the thought of yet another gym workout or pilates session, it's absolutely time for a massage. Loosening sore muscles via stretching, light physical activity, or massage can help the blood flow back into the muscles and relieve some of that awkward stiffness. Massage is by far the gentlest of these options. There are lotions and oils that help stimulate muscles as you rub the moisturizers into the skin, which can have a very relaxing effect on your tired muscles.
Massage Tips
In order for your self-massage to be the most effective, you should heat up the sore area with a warming pad or by soaking in a hot bath first. You can actually add some muscle soothing essential oils or bath salts to the water to accelerate the effects. Once you feel like some of the tension has been released by the treatment of the warmth, then you dry the area and use a massage lotion or oil to start rubbing it into the sore area. Make sure to get a sense of where the epicenter of the tension is coming from so you can disperse the tightness effectively. Then start gently kneading the area from the inside outwards, and from outwards into the epicenter. Push as hard as you can handle, but don't bruise the already tender area. This is a delicate balance, but you'll test out what's best for your body.
