The situation
James (name changed), 34, works as a software developer from a home office in Kilimani. He spends nine to ten hours a day at a laptop, often on the sofa. When he first visited he described a constant ache in his lower back by mid-afternoon and tension headaches three or four times a week. He rated his back pain at 7 out of 10 on most days.
What we did
We started with a 90-minute deep tissue session to find where the tension actually sat. The muscles beside his lower spine and hips were very tight, and his upper trapezius and the base of his skull were holding a lot of tension, which often contributes to headaches.
We agreed on a simple plan:
| Week | Treatment | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deep tissue, 90 min | Full assessment, lower back, hips, neck |
| 2 | Deep tissue, 60 min | Lower back and glutes |
| 3 | Back, neck and shoulder, 45 min | Neck and base of skull |
| 4 | Deep tissue, 60 min | Lower back, upper back |
| 6 | Deep tissue, 60 min | Review and maintenance |
Alongside the massage, his therapist suggested a few changes: moving from the sofa to a table, raising the laptop onto a stand with a separate keyboard, and a two-minute stretch break every hour.
The results
By week six James rated his back pain at 2 out of 10 on a typical day, and headaches had dropped to roughly one every two weeks. He now books a 60-minute deep tissue session once a month to stay on top of it.
"I'd honestly accepted back pain as part of the job. I didn't expect it to change this much."
What made the difference
- A plan with regular sessions instead of one massage when the pain peaked
- Focusing on the hips and glutes, not just where the pain was felt
- Small workspace changes between sessions
Individual results vary. Massage supports wellbeing but is not a medical treatment. See a doctor for persistent or severe pain.