Neck pain massage and lower back pain massage are two of the most common reasons people book sports work on the mid-Peninsula. The pattern is familiar: hours at a laptop, a commute that never quite resets, then a workout piled on top. Paul Andersen, NMT treats the neck, shoulders, and low back as one system — upper traps and levator, deep neck flexors that have checked out, lumbar erectors, and the hips that decide what the back has to do.
Desk posture meets training load
A generic back rub feels pleasant and fades by Thursday. This session is more specific. Paul looks at how your head sits over your ribs, how your low back extends when you stand, and which side you always load. Pressure is deep enough to change tissue and light enough that you can keep breathing. You remain clothed, with no oils or draping.
Red flags still belong to a physician: trauma, unexplained weight loss, fever, progressive weakness, or pain that wakes you every night. For the everyday, stubborn kind that tracks with screens and training, this is the work Paul has done for nearly twenty years in Los Altos.
What clients usually want help with
Tech neck
The forward-head, tight-trap pattern from laptops and phones.
Low-back tightness
The band of tension that shows up after sitting, then again after a lift or a run.
Headache referral
Neck and shoulder trigger points that show up as a headache behind the eyes or at the base of the skull.
One stiff side
The shoulder or hip that never quite matches the other after an old injury.
Explore related services
Neuromuscular Therapy
Trigger-point and NMT work that targets the source of referred pain.
Myofascial Release
Slow, sustained pressure that releases tight fascia and restores glide.
Sciatica Massage
NMT and deep-tissue work for hip and low-back patterns that refer down the leg.
Deep Tissue Massage
Strong, precise work for chronic tension and the demands of serious training.
Frequently asked questions
Do you treat both neck pain and lower back pain?
Yes. Many clients book because one is loud and the other is quietly involved. Paul will spend the session where the tissue and your history say the time should go.
Is the pressure painfully deep?
It is specific, not reckless. You should be able to breathe and talk. If a spot needs more time at a lower intensity, that is what you get.
I sit all day. Is this still sports massage?
Yes. Desk posture is a repetitive-load problem, the same way a sport is. The techniques are the clinical sports and neuromuscular work Paul uses with athletes.
Do I need to undress?
No. Wear a flexible shirt and pants you can move in. No oils or draping.