Newport Beach Spa Explains What Shoulder Pain Is

Most people come to a Newport Beach spa asking why they have so much tension in their shoulders. It is the most common complaint at day spa in Newport Beach. For most people, the long working hours, stressful commute journeys, and busy life schedules bring about stress and tension to your muscles.

Tolerating tension has become a new norm in society although it is proven that holding on to tension can be very unhealthy and have adverse effects on the body. Here is an in-depth look at shoulder tension and the effects it can have on your body!

What Is Tension in The Shoulders? 

Tension is created deep inside the body. Our muscles are made up of fibers and these fibers slide and glide on top of each other to create physical movements. For instance, the fibers in our shoulder muscles are constantly used in various activities such as when we raise our arms, carry a handbag, turn our head, or when we run and walk. The fibers in our shoulder muscles are activated all the time during the day and night since we do so many repetitive movements in that part of our body. 

The amount of repetition and weight loading movements can influence the potential of the muscle fibers to easily cramp up and become sore. If you add stress hormones into the mix that are usually produced because of worrying or feeling mental pressure, these fibers can become permanently high strung, which only progresses the issue. 

Over time, these muscle fibers stop answering the brain’s signal to “relax” and “turn off”. So, these muscle fibers constantly stay contracted or active. This is usually the cause of the small knots or trigger points that clients that come to a Newport Beach spa complain about. When you have these knots, they disrupt the sliding movements of muscle fibers from a smooth gliding motion into a spasmodic or an uneven jump in motion.  

When you have restricted movements due to these tensions, it creates friction and micro-tears in the muscle fibers. This causes inflammation and even a risk of injury if it is left untreated. A majority of customers that come for a massage in Newport Beach are seeking pain relief from shoulder tension that has reached a level of discomfort and soreness. Ouch! Getting a massage is an effective way to reverse the tension damage and bring some length and smoothness back into the muscle fibers. 

What Are The Symptoms Of Shoulder Tension? 

Clients from this Newport Beach spa usually report these visible symptoms of extreme shoulder tension: 

Hunched back - Our body works like a machine, so if one group of muscles in the shoulder area begins to not function as efficiently, getting tired, or knotted, other muscle groups in the same area help with the movements to ensure that its functions are performed. Most of the time, it is our chest muscles and the front part of our shoulders that aid in completing the shoulder’s functions, which, if the tension is serious enough, can give an individual a hunched and slouched appearance. Also, this is responsible for the imbalance that happens in the upper body that is usually referred to as an upper cross syndrome. 

Limited Neck Movement - Every muscle surrounding your shoulders have a direct or indirect role on the head and neck motions. When there is tension in the shoulders, it lowers a person's ability to turn or tilt their heads. Turning your neck to look behind you is a simple way to tell if your neck movement is restricted.

Elevated Shoulders - When there is excessive and extended tension, the muscles begin to shorten. So, the gap between the neck and shoulder can get very small. This can occur on both sides, or just on one. Most of the time, the dominant arm or shoulder usually sits higher than the other side, since the dominant side has to work harder and is chosen to perform more tasks. 

It is important to know that you should never just treat the shoulders when you have shoulder tension. An experienced and well-trained massage therapist will make sure to integrate the neck, arms, head, chest and entire back to remedy tense shoulders. To cure your achy shoulders, get in touch with A Little Touch of Heaven (ALTH) spa at 949-673-5966 or book with us online to relax, refresh and unwind with us!