Katherine Smith. Licensed Massage Therapist. I can't tell you how many of my clients tell me that they've never had their abdomen or gluteals worked on. Or their anterior neck region. Or their chest. Or their spine. Or deep into their shins, behind the bone. And it's called a "full-body massage"? I'm sure you've heard that everything is connected in the body; that's why the one-hour full-body massage is such a valuable staple in the massage world.
When your neck is hurting, it's most likely being caused by something in your pelvis, which involves your hips and so on. This connection doesn't exclude the abdomen, glutes, chest, etc. For example, I like to work the iliopsoas deep in the abdomen on all my clients, because it connects the upper body to the lower, and the front of the body to the back.
Have upper back and shoulder problems? Middle back issues? Lower back pain? Definitely psoas. Same with the gluteal muscles yes there are three of them , the tissues around the pubic bone and even the pelvic floor; there is no way to properly address hip and lower back issues without working all the muscles attached to the pelvis however, I always ask permission before working more intimate areas.
So why do so few therapists work these vital areas? I don't know. They may be contraindicated in a few conditions, or too tricky to work, or they may require an explanation to the client.
But to me, the payoff is worth it. My Massage. I guess that's because I address specific muscles and fascia in a very intentional way in order to get the change that I'm looking for. Sometimes I evaluate a person in standing or walking, but I always assess them on the table to know what is tilted, shifted and rotated. This tells me what I need to do with all the tissues that are involved, and in what order.
