A popular holiday gift is a session with a massage therapist.

Through carefully applied pressure, these professionals help us release stress and regain ease of movement.

What if we could give a gift of self-care that lasts beyond this one session? This season, treat your loved ones (and yourself!) to classes or personal training sessions that teach easy and effective self-massage techniques.

Gentle foam rolling, MELT Method and self-massage of trigger points are a few great options.

Regular self-massage using firm balls and other tools can reduce pain and improve overall health.

These gadgets are nothing new. In fact, many of us have received little foot rollers or knobby sticks as Christmas gifts.

But how often do we actually use them?

New research shows that many of our health complaints may be due to an unhealthy neurofascial system. Symptoms such as joint pain, anxiety, weight gain, sleep issues and lack of energy can be manifestations of stress or damage to the neurofascial system.

What is the neurofascial system, you ask? It is the nervous system combined with the body’s connective tissue systems.

Connective tissue, the single most abundant material in the body, contains most of our sensory nerve endings and provides stability and connection.

The good news is that targeted self-care massage treatments can help the neurofascial system restore itself to a healthy balance. Individuals who feel healthy already can use these treatments for increased sports performance and injury prevention.

Michelle Holloway, director of Personal Training and Health Promotions at the YMCA of Southwest Michigan, teaches foam rolling and MELT Method techniques in classes and one-on-one settings. Clients who see her for chronic pain have reported pain reduction, and some have even been able to stop taking pain medications.

Many clients are also sleeping better and experience increased mobility.

“They simply have a better quality of life,” Holloway said.

Individuals with sports performance goals can also benefit from these techniques, according to Holloway.

“I see individuals [who] only do foam rolling and gentle stretching twice a week because it makes their golf game better.”

Self-massage of myofascial trigger points (muscle knots) using your thumbs, a tennis ball or muscle roller sticks can feel good, but should be done carefully. Rubbing a painful point should create clear, satisfying relief.

For instruction, ask a licensed massage therapist or a fitness professional with training in this area.

The message is clear: self-care through regular, appropriate massage can help us move with more ease and less pain. And if we feel better, we will be more likely to follow through with our New Year’s exercise resolutions!

For a winning combination, visit a licensed massage therapist and use self-massage techniques between visits. Your neurofascial system will thank you with a body that feels great.

For more information about massage, foam rolling, and MELT Method classes and personal training sessions, contact the YMCA of Southwest Michigan at either of our branches: the Niles-Buchanan YMCA and the Benton-Harbor-St. Joseph YMCA.

Chrissie Kaufmann teaches fitness classes at the YMCA of Southwest Michigan. She practices foam rolling and trigger point massage in between appointments with her massage therapist.