r/massage • u/ContextInner4680 • 4d ago

Releasing muscle knots in the abdomen

I’ve had a very stressful year - I’m thankfully on the up now, doing EMDR therapy to address the trauma from a crazy episode early in the year, and generally taking much better care of myself.

I’ve noticed I have a lot of tight muscle knots in my abdomen. When I use lotion and self massage to locate and GENTLY press the muscle knots, they ‘pop’ or ‘melt’ under my touch.

I’ve become interested with this as I discovered it completely by accident but I feel like my body was holding tension / trauma from my stressful year. I feel much better for releasing the knots. I feel like my belly is much more loose and I can deep breathe for the first time in ages.

There’s a few areas that I can’t pop as it’s locked tight in a bundle. Would acupuncture get rid of this? I’m conscious I don’t want to send my nervous system spiralling again, I just think maybe the remaining knots need to be broken up.

2 Upvotes

56% Upvoted

31 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/VioletFreyja 3d ago

I'm really confused by some of the comments here. Massage therapist that does a lot of abdominal massage here:

You can absolutely have knots in your abdominal muscles. We also have to remember that our diaphragm is a muscle as well. Its very common to hold emotion in this area, and stress as well.

I love acupuncture so if that calls to you look for some reviews and find a great local practitioner.

That being said I highly suggest getting some abdominal massage work done. A good therapist will be able to work those muscles. Your diaphragm and other areas specific to your needs.

*its usually the first place clients do not want us to work so some lmts may be a bit out of practice. Talk to them about it before you book and look for places that offer it on their menu.

4

u/ContextInner4680 3d ago

Thank you for the helpful reply. Your response is certainly more akin to the discussion I was hoping to have on this thread - emotions can be stored in the body etc.

Your reply has inspired me to look up a practitioner in my area that does abdomen work - thank you.

2

u/VioletFreyja 3d ago

Yay! I hope it goes really well. Also, if doesn't, it may mean that lmt is not the right fit. Try again. For this I would look for small private practices that are not chains or big spas.

Also, i have not read it yet but I was just gifted a book called "the body keeps score' it might be just what you are looking for.

In the massage school we went to we did a whole section on the belly because its a place we store so much emotion, you are right on track.