Self-Care Neck Massage Research and Techniques

By Niki Munk PhD, LMT, February 1, 2026

Self-care is essential for massage therapists—not just to maintain personal well-being, but to sustain the physical demands of clinical practice. The repetitive use of upper body muscles, prolonged postures, and the emotional labor of caregiving can contribute to neck tension and discomfort over time.

At the same time, massage therapists are uniquely positioned to empower clients with self-care strategies that reinforce treatment outcomes between sessions.

Neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal complaints worldwide,¹ affecting millions of people and ranking among the leading causes of disability.² For massage therapists, the issue is particularly relevant—not only because clients frequently seek massage to address neck pain, but also because therapists may themselves experience neck pain and discomfort.

Massage therapy research continues to offer practical insights that can be applied both in the treatment room and in therapists’ own routines. Specifically, massage interventions used in research and reflective of massage therapy practice can be meaningful tools for self-care and for empowering clients to take an active role in their wellness between sessions, especially when those massage interventions are designed for accessibility and ease of use.

One such intervention was developed³ and tested⁴ in the recently completed and published randomized control trial “Trial Outcomes for Massage: Care Ally–Assisted vs. Therapist Treated (TOMCATT).”

Both massage approach interventions used in the TOMCATT study were developed and implemented into the research protocol by experienced massage therapists and reflect real-world massage therapy practices and approaches to chronic neck pain.

For self-care considerations, the self-massage components included in the TOMCATT care-ally assisted massage intervention offers a simple approach to support neck self-care for massage therapists and their clients.

Self-Care Research: TOMCATT Study and CA-M Approach Summary

The TOMCATT study was a large randomized controlled trial conducted with U.S. veterans experiencing chronic neck pain. Initially designed as a three-arm study, TOMCATT compared therapist-treated massage (TT-M) and care ally–assisted massage (CA-M) to a waitlist control (WL-C).

The CA-M arm involved training veteran and care-ally dyads to perform a standardized 30-minute massage routine three times per week over 12 weeks. This training for participants to learn the 30-minute massage routine included an in-person workshop, instructional DVD and printed treatment manual.

Although the CA-M arm faced engagement challenges and was eventually removed from the main trial, a secondary analysis comparing CA-M to WL-C (N=203) revealed significant improvements in neck pain-related disability and pain severity for those who engaged in the intervention.⁴

The TOMCATT study CA-M routine included approximately 10 minutes of self-massage and self-care techniques that were taught during the training workshop and reinforced through multimedia materials.

These self-applied components were designed to be simple and accessible, making them ideal for massage therapists to incorporate into their own self-care routines and to teach clients for use between professional sessions as applicable.

Self-Massage Components of the TOMCATT CA-M Protocol³

The total 30-minute CA-M routine consisted of 13 progressive components, structured to reflect a logical seated massage progression. Several of the routine components were specifically designed for self-application.

All CA-M routine components were taught with attention to safety, technique and adaptability, allowing participants to tailor the routine to their own comfort and needs. Techniques such as effleurage (gliding strokes), petrissage (kneading), and compression were emphasized, with clear guidance on depth of touch and tissue engagement.

The easiest, and in this researcher’s opinion, most effective self-care component from the TOMCATT CA-M intervention is the front of the neck stretches included in the stretching component of the routine.

To self-apply this stretch:

1. Secure the tissue just underneath your clavicle with wide, reinforced hands, the palm of your bottom hand on the skin of your chest.
   
   
2. Firmly press in and down, pulling the skin somewhat tight.
   
   
3. Hold your skin here, and with lips and teeth together, bring your chin straight up.
   
   
4. Stretch to your comfort and hold for a slow 10 count.
   
   
5. Repeat twice more, bringing your chin up and first to one side and then the other.

The up and side stretches can be further enhanced by pressing your hands in the opposite diagonal direction.

Teaching Clients to Use These Techniques

The CA-M self-massage components are not only useful for therapists but also easily teachable to clients. Consider incorporating brief demonstrations into your sessions or providing handouts with illustrations and instructions.

Encourage clients to use these techniques between visits to maintain progress, reduce discomfort and feel more empowered in their own care.

For example, you might teach a client:

• A simple lymph drainage sequence.
  
  
• The neck stretch described in this article.
  
  
• Self-administered trigger-point techniques for as needed neck comfort support.

Encouraging your clients to incorporate these self-care massage approaches can reinforce the therapeutic effects of your work and foster a collaborative approach to wellness.

The TOMCATT study’s CA-M intervention highlights the potential of structured, accessible massage routines to reduce neck pain and disability—even when applied by non-professionals. For massage therapists, the self-care components of this protocol offer a research-informed framework for maintaining neck comfort and mobility.

These techniques, such as lymphatic drainage, range-of-motion movements and targeted neck stretches, can easily be integrated into daily routines to support physical resilience and reduce strain.

Equally important is the opportunity to teach these techniques to clients. By incorporating massage-based self-care into massage treatment plans, therapists can empower clients to take an active role in their healing, reinforce the effects of in-session work and foster a collaborative approach to wellness. The TOMCATT study demonstrates that even brief, well-structured self-care routines can yield meaningful improvements in pain and function.

As massage therapists, embracing and modeling self-care not only enhances our own practice—it strengthens the therapeutic relationship and helps clients build sustainable habits for long-term health. The TOMCATT protocol offers a valuable tool for doing just that.

References

1. Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, Amiri P, et al. “Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors.” BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23(1):26.

2. Safiri S, Kolahi AA, Hoy D, et al. “Global, regional, and national burden of neck pain in the general population, 1990-2017: systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.” BMJ. 2020;368:m791.

3. Munk N, Daggy JK, Evans E, Kline M, Slaven JE, Laws B, McCalley S, Foote T, Matthias MS, Bair, MJ. “Therapist Delivered vs. Care Ally-Assisted Massage for Veterans with Chronic Neck Pain: TOMCATT Study Methods and Modified Design of a Randomized Control Trial.” JMIR Res Protoc. 2022 Sep 27;11(9).

4. Munk N, Daggy JK, Evans E, Kline M, Slaven JE, Laws B, McCalley S, Foote T, Matthias MS, Bair, MJ. (2024). “Care Ally-Assisted Massage for Veterans with Chronic Neck Pain: TOMCATT Results.” Contemp Clin Trials. 2024 Jul:142:107561.