How to Give a Neck Stretch During a Head Massage

When you stretch the neck, you stretch the spine, which has many health benefits. It helps alleviate back pain by improving posture. It helps create mental well-being by stimulating the nervous system. And it helps improve your agility by increasing mobility. A neck stretch is a great technique to incorporate into a head massage.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Make sure your partner is lying down comfortably--legs outstretched, arms lying loosely at her sides and eyes closed.
2. Pour some massage oil into your hand, careful not to drop any on your partner’s skin. Rub your hands together to warm the oil.
3. Kneel or stand at your partner’s head area. Slide your hands underneath your partner’s head, down the length of her neck and under her upper back. Your fingers should be pointing toward her feet and the heels of your hands should be just below the neck area.
4. Let your hands rest in this position for a moment and make sure your partner’s neck is relaxed.
5. Slide your hands Firmly but gently back up the length of the neck and out through the head. Though your hands are moving toward you, gently “pulling” the neck, make sure your pressure is applied upward onto your partner’s neck area. When you reach the base of your partner’s head, this pressure should gently lift his head up. Gently guide your partner’s head back down.
6. Repeat Steps 3 through 5 several times to give a neck stretch during a head massage.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your partner does not assist in lifting her head. Her neck should be completely relaxed.
• Though you want your hands to be molded to the back of your partner’s neck, be careful not to wrap them around the neck, especially anywhere near the throat area.
• Be careful not to strain your wrists in the process.
• Make your own relaxing massage oil to give a neck stretch during a head massage by combining a carrier oil--like grape-seed, sunflower or safflower–-with a few drops of lavender essential oil.