Shoveling snow, typing on your keyboard, picking up your kids - your forearms go through a lot. See how to get a small amount of quick relief between your massage appointments with our 'Mini Massage Lesson'.
*For all of these massage strokes, you are never limited to only the amount of reps, time, or direction demonstrated in the video unless otherwise stated - repeat techniques as many times or as long as you feel like you need. I can only show so much in a 30-second video!
To massage your forearms, you want to work on the part between the two bones in this part of your arm: The radius and the ulna. You don't want to massage on the bone itself - that will hurt, rather the muscles surrounding and in between those bones.
Start with the back of your forearm. Using two fingers of the other hand, rub in between those two bones, kind of like bouncing from one bone to the other. This is a massage stroke we call Cross Fiber Friction. Do this as you travel up the arm towards the elbow.
Still working between the bones, use those same two fingers to do little circles back down the forearm towards the wrist.
Place your whole hand over the forearm, and press as you glide from the wrist to the elbow. This stroke is called effleurage and it is best done always moving towards the heart. and is a great "finishing" stroke. It can be done as deeply or as light as you feel you need.
Flip the forearm over and repeat the same strokes on the other side. Since there is a little more muscle on this side of your forearm, especially up near your elbow, you might want to add some gentle squeezes - just use your hand to cover as much of the forearm as you can and give it a gentle squeeze, moving the squeezes up and down the forearm.
If your forearms routinely get tight, be sure to mention it to your massage therapist at your next appointment. You do have your next massage appointment scheduled, don't you? :)