Before you read another word, try something for me.
It takes about a minute. You can do it right where you're sitting. Go slow. This is about noticing, not pushing.
The 60-Second Test
1. Turn your head. Slowly turn your head to look over your right shoulder. Can you? Now your left. Which side turns further? What do you feel?
2. Look up, then down. Tip your head back and look at the ceiling. Then drop your chin to your chest. What do you feel?
3. Tilt your head. Bring your right ear toward your right shoulder. Then the left. What do you feel?
4. Twist side to side. Sit tall and slowly turn your upper body to the right, then to the left. What do you feel? Do you twist further one way than the other?
5. Stand up without your hands. Cross your arms and stand up from your chair. No pushing off the armrests. What do you feel?
How did you do?
If you felt something in even one of those, you're not alone. Most people do. And most of them had no idea until they tried.
You Stopped Noticing a Long Time Ago
Here's the thing. You've been feeling this for a while. You just got used to it.
Think about the last time you:
Made a noise getting out of the car
Rolled out of bed in pieces instead of just getting up
Reached for something on the top shelf and felt it in your shoulder
Turned your whole body to back out of the driveway, because your neck wouldn't turn far enough
Bent down to tie your shoes and had to take a breath first
Picked up a grandchild, a suitcase or a bag of groceries and paid for it the next day
None of those feel like a big deal on their own. So you don't do anything about them. You just move a little more carefully, and you keep going.
That's how most people live. Walking around a little sore, a little stiff, all the time, and barely knowing it.
"That's Just Getting Older"
That's what most people tell themselves. And it does get worse with age if you leave it alone.
But a lot of what you felt in that test is muscles that have gotten short and tight, and stayed that way. Your body adjusts. You stop turning your head all the way. You start using your hands to stand up. You make the noise.
It doesn't have to be that way.
What I Do About It
My approach is Lengthen, Release, and Lock It In.
I lengthen the muscles that have gotten short. I release them, so each one can move on its own again instead of being stuck to everything around it. Then I lock it in with a stretch at the end. That stretch teaches the muscle to stay longer and looser, so it doesn't snap right back to tight.
The work is progressive. I go deeper as your muscles let me, and it never has to hurt to work. If you feel anything, it should be "good pain," the feeling that something good is happening. It's unmistakable. You'll know it when you feel it.
People get off my table and tell me they feel longer, or even taller. I hear it all the time.
And It's Easy
I'm a mobile massage therapist, so I come to you. I bring the table and set up the space however you like it, with music if you want it.
You don't drive anywhere. You don't sit in a waiting room. When we're done, you don't get back in the car. Walk to the couch. Go for a walk or a jog. Play some tennis. Whatever you want.
You've Earned This
You take care of everybody else. Your family, your work, your house. You're the last one on the list.
You don't need a reason to take care of your own body. But if you want one, take the test again and see what you find.
And if you just pictured someone you love groaning their way out of the car, an in-home massage makes a pretty good gift. You can get them a gift certificate here.
How to Book
Text me at (914) 523-0116. Tell me your town, what you noticed in the test, a few days that work and a window of time on each. I'll get back to you as soon as I can with the best available option.
After your first session, take the test again. Then compare.
Doug O'Connell, LMT
P.S. Next time you hear yourself make that noise getting out of the car, remember this test. You don't have to keep living like that.