A great “tool” to have on hand is a foam roller. This small, fairly inexpensive, piece of equipment is awesome for massages and working out kinks in your muscles and joints. Most foam rollers break down very easily with your body weight and quickly become ineffective. I prefer the Trigger Point rollers, because they are made with a padded, corrugated plastic that is virtually indestructible. To use the Trigger Point roller, lay it on the floor and place your tight muscle over top. Use your body weight to “kneed” out the tightness. A muscle truly in need of attention is often times very tender. Only place as much weight and pressure as is comfortable. More is not better. If this is still painful, try icing the muscle for a couple minutes first. Roll and stretch each muscle for one to two minutes maximum, several times a day. For another great massage, lay on your back on top of the roller, with the roller running the length of your spine. This opens up your chest and shoulders and massages the muscles along your spine. It’s great for your posture.