Pocket Physio

02/06/2026

What If Muscle Tension Isn’t The Problem?

Most people think tension is the problem.

What if tension is actually your body’s solution?

When your brain senses danger, muscles tighten to protect you.

That tightening creates compression.

Compression creates more danger signals.

More danger signals create more tension.

This creates a tension compression loop.

One way physiotherapists interrupt this loop is with vibration.

Vibration helps shift attention away from danger signals and can reduce protective muscle guarding.

Less guarding.
Less compression.
More comfortable movement.

Sometimes the goal isn’t forcing a muscle to relax.

It’s helping the nervous system feel safe enough to let go.

01/06/2026

Most people think jaw and neck tension is a muscle problem.

Often it’s actually a nervous system response.

When your brain feels stressed, overwhelmed, under pressure, or constantly “on”, it can increase muscle tension around the jaw, neck and shoulders as a form of protection.

The problem?

Those muscles never get a chance to fully switch off.

Over time, the constant tension can make the underlying tissues increasingly sensitive, uncomfortable and even painful.

This is why massage, stretching and heat often help temporarily—but the tension keeps returning.

One strategy I teach my patients is a simple 2-minute reset:

• Gentle oscillation vibration on the tense area
• Slow breathing (4 seconds in, 6 seconds out)
• Let your shoulders drop
• Ask yourself: “What is my nervous system protecting me from right now?”
• Respond with the same compassion you’d offer a friend

The goal isn’t just to relax the muscles.

The goal is to teach your nervous system that it is safe to let go.

Where do you carry your stress—jaw, neck or shoulders?

31/05/2026

31/05/2026

Massage guns are fantastic for muscle recovery after exercise.

But they’re not always the best choice for compression-sensitive structures.

What are compression-sensitive structures?

When muscles in your neck, jaw, and shoulders stay tight for long periods of time, the tissues underneath can become irritated and sensitive to pressure.

Adding more compression isn’t always what they need.

That’s where vibration works differently.

It helps reduce muscle guarding and stiffness without adding further compression to already sensitive tissues.

In this video I explain the difference between percussion and oscillation vibration, and why I use them for very different purposes in clinic.

Available at Pocket.Physio

28/05/2026

Is it all in our head? No it’s felt in the body, but processed by your nervous system. Your nervous system plays a massive role in chronic tension and pain and most people don’t understand why. Pocket Physio communicates safety to your system, it can therefore reduce muscle guarding and tension. www.pocket.physio

26/05/2026

Sometimes becomes pain because your nervous system never gets the message it’s safe to switch off.