Self-Massage Routine for the Shoulders, Head and Neck

Place both hands at the back of your head near your hair line. Cradle the base of your skull with your fingertips. Use your fingers to massage and rub the small band of muscles at the very base of your skull. Start with light pressure, then go deeper, moving your fingers in small circles or drawing lines from the spine outward toward the ears. (If you do this while laying down, you can use the weight of your head to get deeper pressure.)

With one of your hands, grab the back and side of your neck on the same side. Knead your neck with your head relaxed forward, and then with your head relaxed backward. Knead, squeeze and rub from the base of the skull down to the junction of the shoulders and neck. Start gently, then work deeper to your comfort level. Repeat on the other side with your other hand.

Take your right hand and grab your left trapezius muscle (the large muscle at the corner where your neck joins your shoulder) and squeeze. Knead the muscle from the middle of your shoulder all the way up to the side of the neck. Start with gentle pressure and work deeper as needed. Repeat on the other side.

Take both hands and place them on your shoulders. Place three or four fingertips on the top of the shoulder blades close to the neck. Use your fingers to massage, pull and knead the muscles near the base of your neck on your back. Roll your fingers over the top edge of the scapula, pulling and stretching the muscle over the top edge.

Scalp Massage - Take the tips of your fingers of both hands and place them on your scalp. Massage your scalp from the bottom of your hairline near the base of your skull to the top of your forehead. Rub small circles with your fingers, moving your scalp, not just your hair. Grab your hair near to the roots and tug gently.

Massage your Temples - Put your first two fingers of each hand on your temples. Rub small circles over your temples

Pummel your Shoulder - Take your fist and gently pound the trapezius muscle at the junction of the neck and shoulder. Do this on both sides.