How To Give A Massage

Skip navigation!

Begin Slideshow

Remember back when you were a kid, and your mom would rub your back when you weren't feeling great? Nowadays, a massage pretty much only happens on a designated "Treat Yo Self" day, likely at a spa where they pamper you with essential oils, hot stones, relaxing music, and maybe a facial. But with less-than-rock-bottom prices, it's safe to say that a spa massage probably isn't happening on a daily basis.

That doesn't mean massages are off-limits, though. There are a few massages you can do on yourself to get rid of neck and shoulder pain, but if you really need some extra pressure, grab a friend or S.O. Okay, it probably won't be as incredible as a professional massage — and if you suffer from chronic pain that lasts more than 12 weeks, you should see a pro. But if it's just a few tight muscles after a workout, or a stiff neck after working on a computer all day, a simple shoulder rub from a pal could work wonders.

"Massage is a highly specialized profession, but it’s really instinctive," Elizabeth Bragg, LMT at Shift Integrative Medicine says. In other words, it's totally possible to DIY.

Here, Bragg and acupuncturist Zach Haigney, L.Ac. provide some tips on giving a basic back rub. Our advice? Share this story with roommates, friends, and partners, and swap massages after a long day at work.

More from Body

Athena Club Is Your One-Stop-Shop For All Things Wellness

All linked products are independently selected by our editors. If you purchase any of these products, we may earn a commission. Whether it was pads, multiv

by Karina Hoshikawa

How To Tell If You Have A Yeast Infection & Get Rid Of It

Yeast infections are the most common type of vaginal infection and up to three out of four people with vaginas will get a yeast infection at some point in

Help R29 & Period Law End The Tampon Tax

We’re getting personal about our periods. The path to menstrual equity starts with talking about it. There’s a lot of feelings around get

by Refinery29 Staff

It’s 2024 — Why Isn’t Every Workplace A Period-Positive One?

We’re getting personal about our periods. The path to menstrual equity starts with talking about it. Debbie Herrera has been working on the influence

by Elizabeth Gulino

5 Women On The Effect Of Having A Good First Period

by Elizabeth Gulino

My Heavy Periods Make Me Feel Like A Social Burden

My Period: We’re getting personal about our periods. The path to menstrual equity starts with talking about it. My heavy, abnormal periods make life

The News About Tampons Is Scary, Let Us Break It Down

Arsenic, lead and other metals have been found in tampons by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. In the study, 30 tampons from 14 brands

by Tanyel Mustafa

R29 Intelligence

Women Athletes Should Never Have To Apologize For Being Competitive

When Alexa Coubal was in eighth grade, a volleyball teammate told her to quit, because she was “too competitive.” Her immediate reaction: “Why are we

by Andrea Cheng

For Black Fat Women, Is The Body Positivity Movement Dead?

Get your obituaries in order folks, because the body positivity movement as we knew it, is dead and gone. Sure, that declaration may be a bit extreme, but

by Stephanie Yeboah

My Miscarriage Was “Common” — For Black Women That Is...

Content warning: This article contains graphic details of miscarriage, pregnancy loss, and the Black Maternal Health crisis. When I was 11, I was convinced

by Kathleen Newman-B...

I Feel Romantic Love Even If My Body Won’t Produce The Hormones

As 21-year-old Toria Christie scrolled through TikTok, she started to cry. “I was so sad when I first saw [those videos],” she tells me. “Like, so sa

What’s The Best Way To Relieve Period Cramps?

For some people, just imagining the pinching, aching, piercing abdominal pangs that come with their period is enough to make them want to assume the fetal