This document provides instructions for several self-massage techniques to address neck, jaw, and shoulder tension. It describes assessments to identify areas of tension, such as higher hips or rotated pelvis. Instructions are given for specific release techniques including stretches, massage, and range of motion exercises to target tender points and tight muscles in the neck, shoulders, jaw, hips, and pelvis. Diagrams and references are included to illustrate the techniques.

1. Neck and Noggin
References:
Ortho-Bionomy; A path to Self-Care. By Luann Overmyer
Acupressure’s Potent Points. By Michael Reed Gach
Atlas of Skeletal Muscles. By Judith & Robert Stone
Anatomy of Movement. By Blandine Calais-Germain

2. High Hip Assessment
• Find the lateral most top of pelvis. Find the
midline of the side body. Place your thumbs in
at a right angle and notice which hip is higher.
It helps to use your belly button as a guide
and imagine a straight line from one thumb to
the other. Is the line level?

3. Q.L. Release
• -Lay on your side with the high hip up
towards the ceiling; knees are bent.
Place a pillow under your head. Make
sure that your head shoulders and
hips are in line. Don’t let your upper
body curl in.
• - Place a stool or chair behind you.
Gently roll back and place your top
calf on the seat of the chair behind
you. Let your top elbow slide back.
Let your upper buttock fall back
towards the floor but don’t actually
touch the floor.
• - Relax here for 1-2 minutes
breathing deep into your belly.
• (Overmyer, p.46)

4. Hip Rotation

5. Assess Hip Rotation
• Hip Rotation: Place thumbs perpendicular to
the top of the pelvis at the mid-point of the
side body. Then run your forefinger down the
ridge of the pelvis until you reach a small
boney crest or bump called the A.S.I.S.
(anterior superior iliac spine.) Notice if one hip
is rotated forward (anterior rotation) or back
(posterior rotation).

6. Find the hip rotation indicator points and notice
if they are tender. Work with the most tender
hip first.

7. Correction for Posterior Hip Rotation
• Lie on your belly and
bring the knee of the
knee out to the side like
a frog. Make certain it is
a comfortable position.
Lay here relaxed &
breathing into the belly
for 1-2 mins.
• (Overmyer, p.38)

8. Correction for Anterior Hip Rotation
• Come to the corner of the
bed with the rotated side
closest to the bed. Come
forward so the top of
your thigh is on the bed
and keep your shoulders
over your hips. Make sure
this position is
comfortable. Relax here
breathing into your belly
for 30 seconds-1 min.
• (Overmyer p.39)

9. Side Saddle Somatics
• Sit side saddle with knees pointing to the
front (you may place a folded blanket or
pillow under the front thigh and hip). Place
your hands on your hips. Rock your tail bone
to the back wall Inhale. Exhale: tuck your
tailbone under. Repeat 10-12 times moving
with your breath!
• Place your hand on your side thigh. Inhale:
roll your thigh down so that your fingers roll
down toward the ground. Exhale: return to
starting position. Repeat 10-12 times.
• Repeat both exercises on the other side.
• March in place slowly 10 time
• -Maria Kalima
(www.functionalyogatherapy.com)

12. Tennis Ball Shoulder Massage
• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Place a tennis ball on
each side of the spine at the lowest angel of your shoulder blades (where a lady’s
bra strap would be). Make sure your tennis balls do not press directly on the spine
but on the muscles along the side. Take four deep breaths and relax down into the
balls. Raise your hands up to the sky directly above your face. Cross your arms over
your chest touching opposite shoulders. Your elbows are pointing up to the ceiling
but your arms are heavy and relaxed. Take for deep belly breaths here. Bring your
hands to your hips. As you inhale arc your arms up over your face and reach for
the back wall. Let your knuckles rest on the floor above your head (you may need
to bend your elbows to allow this to happen comfortably). AS you exhale swim
your arms out to the side and down to your hips. Swim your arms up over your
face and then down to your hips like this 3 more times, and then reverse it. Once
again reach your arms toward the sky just above your face. Cross the other arm in
front and touch opposite elbows. Take four deep breaths here. Next scoot your
hips toward your heals and roll the tennis balls about 1-2 inches up toward your
head, so they are in a new spot between your shoulder blades. Complete the
above sequence on this new spot. Continue this swimming sequence until you get
to the tops of your shoulders.

13. Tennis Ball Massage on the Rotator
Cuff
• Lie on your back and place a tennis ball in the
middle of each shoulder blade (try to get on the
meaty muscle rather that the more boney bits).
Raise your hands to the sky just above your face
and do 4 slow wrist circles in each direction. Let
your fingers move as if you were playing a harp.
Next bend your elbows and do 4 really big wrist
circles in each direction. Bring your arms out
wide to the side with your palms up and bend
your elbows (like a cactus). Rest here for 5 deep
breaths. Then remove the balls from under your
shoulders.

15. Roast Turkey Release for 12th Rib and
Diaphragm
• Lie on your back with your
knees bent and your feet on
the floor. Place a pillow
under your hips but keep it
bellow your waistline. Bring
your knees toward your
armpits. Keep your elbows
on the floor and rest your
knees on your hands. Keep
your arms and legs relaxed
as you breathe deep in this
position for 1-2 minutes.
(Overmyer, pp.117-118)

16. Gach p.178

17. Gach, p.179

18. Gach,p.180

19. 1st Rib Release
• Sit in a chair with one knee bent (or
stand facing a shelf that is shoulder
height). Bend your elbow and rest it
on your knee (or shelf). Using only
10-20% of your strength, initiate a
push from your elbow into your knee.
Press for 10 seconds while visualizing
the elbow pushing down through the
hard surface. After 10 seconds
release the pressure and allow your
arm to drop by your side. Then slowly
raise your elbow directly out to your
side (perpendicular to your torso)
and press your elbow into the wall to
compress the shoulder joint. Hold
this position for 10-30 seconds and
then release. (Overmyer, pp142-143)

20. Alternative 1st Rib Release
• Place a soft pillow or thick blanket
over the back of a chair. Sit sideways
on the chair and hang the affected
arm over the back of the chair so
your arm pit rests on the pillow.
Reach the affected hand down
toward the floor using the rib
muscles to assist. The pillow will
provide resistance. Continue reaching
down for 10 seconds and then
release. Stand up and allow the arm
to passively drop toward the ground.
Next bend your elbow and raise your
arm out to the side, level with your
shoulder, and gently lean in to the
wall. Relax the muscles in your neck
and shoulder, and hold this
compression for 10-30 seconds.
(Overmyer, p.144)

21. Rib Release at the Sternum
• Feel for tender points
where your ribs meet your
breastbone (sternum). Hold
the point with the hand on
the opposite side. Slowly
drop your chin toward the
point and cross the same
side arm in front of you to
create a hollow or cave
around the tender point.
Find the position that
causes the point to soften
and become less tender and
hold here for at least 10-20
seconds. (Overmyer, p.145)

23. Isometric Neck Release
• Sit with proper posture (if you are in a chair make sure
your feet touch the ground). Keeping your shoulders
still, turn your head as far to the right as you
comfortably can. When you find that edge then back
off about ¼ of an inch. Place your palm on your right
cheek to add resistance as you turn your face to the
right. So you are gently pressing your palm into your
cheek as you attempt to turn your nose to the right.
Keep your shoulders relaxed. Hold this for 10 seconds
then release and slowly look to the Right. Return to
center and repeat this on the left side.
• Notice which direction had the least range of motion
and repeat the exercise on that side.

24. Neck Squeezes
• Lift your shoulders up toward your ears and
look up, bringing the base of the skull to meet
the top of your shoulders. Gently squeeze
your neck, shoulders face and jaw. Exhale and
relax your shoulders down. Slowly drop your
chin to your chest and let your jaw hang slack.
Repeat this exercise twice.

25. Range of Motion Neck Releases
• Although you may do these exercises sitting
or standing, I recommend doing them lying
down so that the neck muscles are not
holding the weight of your head. If you have
multiple tender points in the neck then work
with each point individually. Begin with
tender points in the middle of the neck then
the lower points near your shoulder and
finish with the upper points near your head.
• Rotating the Neck: Lie on your back and
sense the contact your head makes with the
ground. Initiate the rotation from the back of
your head and Slowly rotate your head to the
right and then back to center. Then Slowly
rotate to the left and back to center. Notice
which direction is easiest and most
comfortable. Rotate to the position of
greatest ease and hold here for 10-30
seconds. Return to the center and then
recheck for increased movement in the
opposite direction. (Overmyer, p206)

26. Ear to Shoulder
• Slowly drop your ear toward
your shoulder and then
come back to the center.
Then drop the other ear to
your shoulder and return to
the center. Notice which
side moved easiest and felt
most comfortable and
return to the position of
ease for 10-30 seconds.
Slowly bring your head to
the center and recheck your
range of motion on the
opposite side.
(Overmyer, pp.206-207)

27. Back & Sides of the Neck Release
• Place your finger on any tender points you
find on the back of your neck. Slowly look up
bringing your chin to the ceiling and monitor
for the position that causes those points to
soften and feel less tender. Relax in this
position of ease for about one minute. You
may place a pillow or rolled up towel under
your neck to support this position.
• Lightly place your finger on the tender spot
on the side of your neck to monitor the
point. Slowly rotate and side bend your neck
toward the tender point until it
softens, pulsates and becomes less tender.
Hold this position for 10-30 seconds or
longer if you need to. (Overmyer, p.210)
• (Overmyer, pp. 209-210)

28. Lower neck Release
• Check for tender points at
the base of your neck
where it meets your
shoulder. Lightly place a
monitoring finger on the
tender point and then look
away from the point. Slowly
rotate your head back to
the center stopping for 10-
20 seconds anywhere on
the path that you feel a
softening or pulsating in
that tender point.
(Overmyer, p.211)

29. Front of the Neck Release
• This one is good to release
tender points and general
tension in the front of the
neck. Use a finger to
monitor the tight spot.
Allow your chin to slowly
drop toward your chest add
a slight rotation and side
bend to create a softening
in the tight spot. Stay here
for 10-30 seconds. If you are
lying on your back then use
a pillow to support your
head. (Overmyer, p.211)

30. Bridge of Nose Release for the Head
• Lightly rest your fingers on
either side of the cartilage of
your nose. Very Slowly move
the nose to one side and then
the other and notice which
position moves easiest and is
most comfortable. Hold this
position of ease for 10-30
seconds and release.
• Next slowly push the bridge of
the nose up toward your
forehead and then down
toward your chin. Hold in the
position of greatest ease for
10-30 seconds.
(Overmyer, p.218)

31. Ear Massage
• Massage your ears with your
fingertips and thumb. Begin at
the top of your ear and using
slow circular strokes work your
way down to the ear lobe.
• When you’ve given both ears a
relaxing massage grasp the lobes
and gently pull your ears out
away from your face. Feel the
stretch behind the ears where
they meet your scalp. Notice
which ear is tighter. Play with
gently pulling your ears in various
subtle directions to create
different sensations deep inside
your head and neck. (Overmyer,
pp.222-223)

33. Gach,p.144

34. Gach, p.145

35. Gach, p.146

36. Pelvic Release for the Jaw
• Lie on your back with your knees bent and
your feet on the floor. Open your mouth
Very Slowly and notice any areas that feel
tight or seem to pull to one side. Then
close your mouth Very Slowly and notice
any areas of tension. Slowly open your
mouth again and stop at the first area of
deviation or tension. Hold your mouth
open at this place and let you knees fall
down to the side (it doesn’t matter which
side). Rest in this position for 3-5 seconds
only. Then as you let your legs extend fully
to the floor, slowly close your mouth.
Open and close your mouth to recheck for
less tension and smoothness of motion.
Only do this exercise 2 times for each self
care session so that you do not fatigue the
reflex. (Overmyer, p.224)

37. Isometric Jaw release
• Sit in a chair with proper alignment and your feet on the
floor. Place both fists under your jaw. Gently, with only 15%
of your effort, try to open your jaw against the resistance of
your hands and hold for 10 seconds. Then release and let
your mouth fall softly open.
• Next, open your mouth until you feel the tension in your
jaw and place your fingers in your mouth on your bottom
teeth. Very gently, with only 10% of your effort, attempt to
close your mouth against the resistance of your hand. Hold
this for 10 seconds and then release. Use your hand to
passively close your mouth.
• Massage your jaw and cheeks with an open palm using
circular strokes in both directions.

38. Tender Cheeks Massage
• Lightly pinch your cheek between your thumb
and forefinger. Use the full pads of your
fingers not the finger nails. Pull down in
diagonal strokes from your cheek bone to the
corner of your mouth and massage the entire
cheek this way. Repeat on the other side.

40. Trigger Point to release the Masseter
• There is usually a tight and or tender knot in
the middle of your cheek. Place your fingers
on your cheeks and open your mouth. That
band of muscle that pops out is your masseter.
Feel along this muscle for a little knot and
press your fingers or thumb into with as much
force as feels comfortable. Hold this knot for
30-60 seconds unless it releases sooner.
Gently massage your cheeks after you release
this trigger point.

42. Release point inside the Mouth
• Run your forefinger along your upper teeth
until you reach the back of the last molar then
press up. There is an indentation like a little
cave up there behind your teeth. Press into
this spot with as much pressure as you can
take. This spot is often very tender but hold
here for 30-60 seconds and then slowly
release. Repeat on the other side of your
mouth.