legs and stress

[LookForward]

I must say...when I go in for my massage, I always tend to think of the best place to focus as being my back, shoulders, and neck because that seems to be the place where I hold my stress. Yet, I am always amazed to this day how much I hold in my legs. When my therapist begins to massage my legs, I realize how much tensions begins to flow out of me. I would never think that if I hadn't experienced massage, but since I have, I still find it to be quite facinating how much stress we hold there.

What do you all think? Do you find this as well?

 

[Pompal 09.]

YES! Though my back, neck and shoulders are always in need of attention, I cannot believe how tender and tight my legs are, especially the calf and peroneals. My massage therapist always spends extra time there, and I really appreciate her forcing me to just "take it." LOL!

I've been trying to make an extra effort with my clients on their legs/lower legs lately, and I'm pleasantly surprised at how much better they feel after the session. I know they felt good with the old method because they would tell me, but now they come out and say it with extra enthusiasm. :

 

[misslabeled]

Complete agreement. I always stress to my clients that request "only work the back/neck/shoulders" how important the legs are. If anything (and I request this in my own sessions alot...) work the back body entirely. I do alot of myotherapy, so I reach under & around alot - it's amazing how much of the entire body you can work or stretch even if client is prone the whole visit!

JIll/sagetherapist

 

[Fasty]

I totally agree as well. If you think about the anatomy and fascial connections it totally makes sense.

If you have low back problems, there is a high chance that your legs are going to be effected as well. Or maybe your low back pain is actually coming from your legs. For example maybe you have knee/ ankle/ feet issues that have compromised your gait, and traveled through your hip, and glutes and ended up into your back.

I feel the same way about the arms. If someone comes to me complaining of upper back/ neck pain there is no way I am going to leave out working on their arms.

 

[cathima]

From standing on my feet most of the day to work, my legs get tired and then some... they just HAVE to be massaged either by my sweetie when I can talk him into or one of my colleagues that I trade with. Just cannot get a massage without having my legs worked on. Period. No leg work definitely makes the low back a wreck for me..... besides which legs and feet feel soooooooooo goooooood when they are worked really well.....

 

[Cihle]

Without a doubt my legs need more work than any other area. Since I run and hike, my calves need lots of work.

 

[Karo]

I play a lot of softball in the outfield

so frequently, I have to sprint after hits with little time to react. This can cause hamstring and quad problems, as I really tend to hold a lot of tension in those areas. I often go to the chiro/massage therapist the day before softball games and have her work on my hamstrings..and my batting average is MUCH higher when I got a leg massage before the game as opposed to when I did not!

 

[sexybare2]

Take this for what you will, I don't know how true this is, or how to tell for that matter, but my yoga instuctor says that you hold fear in your legs...In the thighs if I remember correctly. I thought that was interesting. t102 That release of tension could be great for a LOT of people!

(Has anyone else heard of that?)

 

[CRACKberry!<3]

Legs all the way!

Besides being a Massage Therapist, I'm currently a Pro Soccer Referee. ((Retired Pro Player)) I work an average of 325 soccer games per year, and up to 370 games two years ago. Whether running in the 105* heat or in the 32* snow ... in shorts. Which means I run up to 720 miles per year, in addition to gym workouts, and working strong deep tissue on some very very large muscular clients.

For me the lower back, buns, hamstrings, calves, and feet are the most important part on me for both of my jobs.

 

[pretty woman]

Take this for what you will, I don't know how true this is, or how to tell for that matter, but my yoga instuctor says that you hold fear in your legs...In the thighs if I remember correctly. I thought that was interesting. t102 That release of tension could be great for a LOT of people!

(Has anyone else heard of that?)

There was a great two part article in Massage Magazine about Psoas and it's "emotional" side.
Worth the read!

Robyn

 

[Chase]

My legs (calves/hamstrings especially) are always VERY tight, and when I used to get massages a long time ago, it was almost to the point of me asking the therapist to avoid them altogether because touch there was so uncomfortable. Looking back, I wouldn't be surprised if there was an emotional basis to that as well.

A more direct connection w/emotions that I've experienced lately is in my neck. I took in a fledgling sparrow this weekend who had seemingly been abandoned by his parents (they hadn't been seen in almost two days, and he still didnt have all of his flight feathers). He seemed to be doing well, but passed away while I was napping on Tuesday. I tried not to get too attached given all of the unknowns and variables when taking care of little-little animals, but it really did get to me, and even though I was in safe surroundings for an emotional release, I held back. I woke up on Wednesday with an incredibly sore neck near the back where I had been choking back tears. :? I've tried to work out the tension on my own, but I'll have to go in for a session, as my neck still isn't releasing a lot of it. While I poked around in my neck earlier, the chokey feeling came right back..

aaaanyways. No thread hijacking! I wouldn't be surprised, given the fight/flight/freeze response system, that our legs harbor a lot of fear. Any of those responses, emotional or physical, would alert and put a strain on them leg muscles...