Ever wonder why your muscles ache sometimes?  I mean we all know we tend to feel a bit sore if we do some unfamiliar physical exercise like digging in the garden or maybe running for the bus.  But what about when your neck muscles hurt because you’ve been sitting at the computer for too long?

The answer to “why do my muscles ache?” is usually because they are tense.  Now, muscles are supposed to be tense, at least some of the time, that’s how they work.  They contract, become tense and then they relax.  But sometimes muscles stay tense.  Sometimes they just don’t relax and that’s when our body’s pain receptors kick in. 

I’m not quite sure where this idea got started that bodywork has to hurt to be doing you some good. It is surprisingly common and not just among clients; lots of bodyworkers appear to believe it too in my experience.  I’ve heard many tales of people being bruised by overly vigorous techniques and I’ve been on the receiving end of one or two massage sessions which were scarily painful.