Massage of the head and neck-collar area: step-by-step technology

Sergey Kapralov, Ph.D. f. V. p., academician of the World Medical Academy, head of the department of classical and ethnic massage, bath and spa rehabilitation technologies of the Association of Specialists in Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy of Ukraine, organizer and chief judge of international and Ukrainian championships - 2008–2014 (Ukraine, Kyiv)
Valery Kirilyuk, head of the “Baths of the World in Spa and Rehabilitation” department at the Kapralov Center LLC and in the Kapralov S. Yu. section at the Association of Specialists in Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy of Ukraine, winner of the I Championship of the Eastern Region and the II Championship of Ukraine in classical and spa massage (Ukraine, Kiev)

One of the effective and natural ways to avoid these problems and get rid of them is to massage the neck-collar area and head.

As a result of disorders in the cervical-collar area, diseases such as torticollis, osteochondrosis, scapular adhesions, scoliosis arise, problems with posture, various manifestations of spondylosis and intervertebral hernias begin. In addition, there are sharp and aching pains in the head, high or low blood pressure, inadequate reactions of the body to changes in weather, changes in temperature and atmospheric pressure. As a result, fatigue, weakness, drowsiness, nervousness, mood swings, and sleep disturbances are increasingly felt. This massage eliminates the above disorders and is effective for high or low blood pressure and numbness of the upper extremities. In addition, the presented mix massage, based on elements of various techniques, allows you to relieve puffiness and swelling, eliminate adhesions in the area of the shoulders and shoulder blades, and increase the flexibility and range of motion of the neck, shoulders, arms and back.

For the procedure to be effective, massage of the cervical-collar area must include a massage of the head and shoulder area - this is an excellent stimulation of blood circulation in all organs that are located at the level of the cervical vertebrae.

Massage of the neck, shoulders and scalp helps improve the passage of nerve impulses in this area, thus relieving tension and improving the functioning of the circulatory and nervous systems, which is especially important for those who complain of numbness in the hands.

When the muscles of the head, neck and trapezium are in hypertonicity (a state of muscle tension), innervation and blood circulation in the neck and head worsen, which can lead to osteochondrosis of the cervical vertebrae, oxygen starvation of the brain (impaired venous outflow of the head), headaches, and blurred vision. and poor health.

The main results of massage of the cervical-collar area and head:

• improving blood flow to the head and problem areas, relieving spasm and muscle tension by tightening and stretching the muscles;
• relieving tension from the upper shoulder girdle;
• reduction of headaches and spinal pain;
• normalization of pressure;
• relieving fatigue;
• improvement of the general physical and psychological condition of the body;
• improvement of sports results.

Contraindications for this massage:

• increased body temperature;
• acute inflammatory processes;
• skin diseases;
• damage to the integrity of the skin;
• severe fatigue and agitation;
• hypertensive crisis;
• thyroid diseases;
• acute stroke, traumatic brain injury, myocardial infarction, etc.

Before carrying out this massage, it is necessary to ventilate the room in which the procedure will take place well, make sure that it has a comfortable temperature - 22-26 degrees, dim the lights, turn on calm, relaxing music, light an aroma lamp or aroma candle.

Progress of the procedure

1. I. p.: the client is lying on his back, the massage therapist is at the head of the client. We place the index and middle fingers of both hands between the client’s ears, and with the remaining fingers we cover the base of the skull as widely as possible. The thumbs lie along the hair growth. We perform 3 circular rotations towards ourselves, shifting the skin helmet, and 3 circular rotations away from ourselves.

2. We cover the skull with both hands, without placing our fingers on the client’s temples. The fingers are only on the skull. We move the skin helmet to the left and right sides 3 times.

3. We position the hands so that the client’s ears are located between the little and ring fingers, the rest - the middle and index fingers - are placed on the temples, the thumbs - on the forehead. We perform 3 circular movements forward and 3 circular movements backward, while moving the tendon helmet as much as possible.

4. Place your palms one above the other on the client’s forehead. We perform 3 circular movements left and right, shifting the skin of the forehead.

5. We place the index, middle and ring fingers on the client’s temples. The thumbs are connected at the top. We perform 3 circular movements towards ourselves and away from ourselves, easily shifting the skin in the temporal region.

6. Place the pads of your thumbs at the base of your nose. The remaining fingers are closed at the top (house). Perform circular movements with your thumbs back and forth 3 times.

7. We place the middle fingers along the contour of the client’s eyeballs so that the ends of the fingers rest against the bridge of the nose. We perform wave-like movements with the middle fingers towards the bridge of the nose 3 times.

8. Place the base of the palm and the tubercle of the thumb on the client’s cheeks, fingers pointing down towards the base of the skull. We perform circular movements with our palms facing up and away from ourselves down 3 times.

9. Place the palms of both hands on the back of the client’s head. We perform circular movements of the head in the horizontal plane 3 times to the left and to the right, performing soft tissue traction of the cervical spine.

10. Place both palms on the sternum and perform circular movements clockwise and counterclockwise 3 times.

11. We place the palms of both hands on the client’s shoulder joints, with the II–V fingers in the armpits, and the thumbs in the collarbone area. We perform alternating rocking movements in one direction and the other with simultaneous lymphatic drainage in the armpit area.

12. Apply the oil to your hands and spread it over the client’s body using the “stroking” technique: neck (front, side, back surface), shoulder joint, shoulder to elbow joint, décolleté area.

13. We place one hand on the back of the client’s neck, fixing the head. We place the other hand on the elbow joint, with the palm pressed tightly, we perform longitudinal traction on the superficial and deep muscles of the collar zone and neck (from the elbow joint to the occipital bone) 3–5 times. Then, changing hands, we perform the same technique on the other side.

14. We place the pads of the II–V fingers of both hands on the back surface of the client’s neck and perform a transverse spiral displacement of the superficial muscles of the neck. The technique is performed alternately, with a small radius, to achieve gradual relaxation of muscles and ligaments.

15. Turn the client’s head to the left side, fixing it with his left hand. We place the phalanges of the right hand on the sternocleidomastoid muscle and stretch it. The technique is performed using the middle phalanges of the fingers, without excessive pressure on the thyroid gland area. The same thing - in the other direction.

16. Place the fingers paravertebrally at the level of the 3rd thoracic vertebra. We perform the technique with both hands, with the pads of the 2nd–4th fingers, stretching the muscles and ligaments of the cervical spine towards the head. Repeat 3-5 times. The same thing - in the other direction.

17. Place one hand so that it rests on the base of the occipital bone, and support the chin with the other. The technique is carried out with both hands, slowly and carefully. Rejecting his body all the way, he performs traction on the client’s cervical spine. The main effort is on the hand that is located below, the upper hand mainly performs a supporting function. Repeat 5-7 times. The same thing - in the other direction.

18. We stand on the side of the client. Taking him by the hand farthest from us and pulling it towards us, we turn the client on his side. In the collar area we perform stroking, squeezing, and kneading techniques. The same thing - in the other direction.

19. The client lies on his back. We stand parallel to the massage table facing the client. Taking the client’s hand, we place his hand on our near shoulder, and with the other hand we grab the shoulder joint. From this position, rising on your toes, we perform circular movements in the shoulder joint. The hand moves like a piston: up and down in a vertical plane. We repeat on the other side.

20. We fix the client’s hand between our shoulder and the body. With one hand we hold the client’s shoulder, with the other we fix his shoulder joint. With one leg forward, we perform circular movements in the horizontal plane, moving forward and backward in a circle, maximizing the abduction of the upper limbs. Repeat on the other side.

21. Using the far hand, we fix the client’s hand at the wrist joint. We place the second near hand on the side of the chest, along the mid-axillary line. By rotating your arm forward and towards you in a circle, we stretch the client’s pectoralis major and minor muscles. The same thing - in the other direction.

22. The client's hand is located under the back of his head. We place the fingers of both hands in the client’s subscapular area and, lifting it, perform gentle traction. The same thing - in the other direction.

23. From points 18 to 22, we do the same on the other side.

24. I. p.: the massage therapist stands at the head of the client. Both hands of the client are located under the occipital region of the head. We stand at the head of the client, place the fingers of our hands paravertebrally at the level of the 4th–5th thoracic vertebra and perform traction on the upper part of the thoracic region.

25. Place one hand under the client’s occipital region, slightly lifting his head. We place the other hand on the shoulder joint. Lightly resting your stomach on the parietal region, we fix the client’s head. When performing lateroflexion of the neck, we turn the client’s head using our torso. In this case, the client’s nose should not leave the midline. Repeat on the other side.

26. Place the fingers perpendicularly along the spinous processes on the client’s cervical spine, with one leg slightly in front of the other. Raising your arms up and tilting your torso, applying light traction, we perform U-shaped movements. Movements are performed using the body, not the arms. This can be done first on the lower, upper and middle sections of the neck, and then combined into one general U-shaped movement.

27. We repeat the previous technique, but perform this movement alternately with both hands, like “a cyclist pedals.”

28. With our left hand we lean on the client’s right shoulder, while placing his head on our forearm. With the right hand, located in the temporal region of the client’s head, we turn the head to the left. We perform traction on the lateral muscles of the neck for 30 seconds. The same thing - in the other direction.

29. Place the left hand under the back of the client’s neck with the back side facing the table. We fix the forehead with our right hand. After fixation, we perform a slight rotation of the hand until the neck muscles are tense, stop and hold this position for up to 30 seconds.

30. Change hands, do the same as in step 28, only fix the chin with your upper hand.

31. Place the fingers of both hands bent at the phalanges under the atlanto-occipital joint and mobilize it. Exposure time – 30 seconds.

At the end of the procedure, we cover the client’s eyes and ears with a towel and invite him to rest a little, feel the aftertaste of the massage and enjoy the bliss of harmony and satisfaction. At this time, we prepare herbal tea and treat it to the client when he gets up. While the client is enjoying the drink, we give him special recommendations on spa rehabilitation and proper lifestyle, developed by S. Yu. Kapralov.

This spa rehabilitation technique is basic. Depending on the indications and contraindications, it is additionally added to massage the scalp, ears, face, elements of working with towels, designer needle applicators, special Kapralov massagers and acupressure.

First published: KOSMETIK international journal No. 3 (57) / 2014

Photo: Irina Galdetskaya, photo taken at the Kapralov Center