At Dockside, February is all about exploring relationships: your relationship with yourself, others, and of course, cannabis! Giving yourself a hand massage is the purest form of self-care. You’re literally caring for yourself when you stretch and massage your worn-out mitts. Wether you’re typing on a computer or rolling joints, you’re using your hands throughout the day and it’s easy to take them for granted. Try giving yourself a leg up (er, hand up!) on your self-care routine with some easy hand stretches and tension relieving massages. Some benefits include increased range of motion and decreased soreness and fatigue.
Follow along and show your paws some love.
What you’ll need:
- Fairwinds Flow Cream (or lotion of your choice)
- Small ball (myofascial release ball, lacrosse ball, tennis ball, dryer ball, anything round, all options work!)
- A flat surface
We used Fairwinds Flow Cream for these exercises. Flow Cream provides deep, long-lasting relief. The dermis is composed of many layers of different types of cells and almost all of them contain CB1 and CB2 receptors. These are the keyholes that cannabinoids fit into, to unlock their powers. They are able to penetrate your skin and bind to those receptors just below the surface without slipping into the bloodstream. This is why there is no “high” associated with topicals.
To get started, you’ll apply a dime size amount of Flow Cream or lotion of your choice to your hands.
For a warm up; try this quick hand stretch. Clench your fist and then open your palm as wide as you can. And repeat! Work on quick open & close pulses for 30 seconds.
Next, grab your ball and move to a flat surface. Place the ball between your thumb and pointer finger and allow it to stretch this area of your hand. There’s no need to move, just lean into this stretch with deep intentional breathes. If you encounter any pain, ease up on the pressure or stop completely.
For your final move, place the ball at the base of the palm and again, practice deep breathing, applying small amounts of pressure. When you’re ready, rotate the ball in circular motions, pausing at any points that need more attention.
Now repeat with your other hand! And remember to listen to your body, it will tell if you if it likes a movement or not. The combination of Flow Cream and massage should result in some seriously happy hands!
*Disclaimer: while Dockside Cannabis has well-educated staff members and we are proud to employ several state-certified MMCs (medical marijuana consultants), we are not medical professionals. All suggestions are recommended based on anecdotal evidence only, and are not to be considered as prescriptive advice.