Blog: Anna Dunlop - Looking after the body that keeps the farm running

Movement Matters, Massage Helps

Looking After Your Physical Wellbeing Through Massage

When we think about improving our physical wellbeing, most of us immediately think about exercise, fitness, or getting more steps in. As farmers and crofters, we're constantly active, so it can be easy to assume we're already doing enough. Since completing my Diploma in Swedish Massage with the Western School of Massage, I've come to appreciate that maintaining physical health isn't just about movement,  it's also about giving our bodies the support they need to keep performing well.

Alongside my work with Farmstrong, I have recently started Muscle Movement Therapy, and one of the things I'm passionate about is helping people realise that massage isn't an indulgence reserved for spa days and special occasions. Instead, it can be a practical way to manage the physical demands of rural life.

Working in agriculture often means long days, repetitive tasks, awkward positions, heavy lifting, and very little time for rest. But what if that niggle in your shoulder that's been bothering you since calving doesn't have to be your new normal?

Massage Supports Movement

Our bodies are designed to move, and as the saying goes, if you don't use it, you lose it. The challenge for many farmers and crofters isn't a lack of activity; it's that the activities we do are often repetitive and physically demanding.

Whether it's looking over your shoulder while ploughing, lifting feed bags, spending hours on machinery, handling livestock, or sitting at a desk catching up on paperwork, these tasks can gradually lead to stiffness, reduced mobility, and discomfort. 

Swedish massage works on the soft tissues of the body, helping to ease muscular tightness, improve circulation, and encourage a greater range of movement. Often, people don't realise how much strain they've been carrying until that tension has been eased. It can also help identify small changes in our bodies before they develop into more significant problems.

Managing Everyday Aches and Pains

For many people in rural communities, aches and pains are viewed as part of the job. We accept sore backs, tight shoulders, stiff necks, and tired legs as an unavoidable consequence of working the land.

While not every ache can be avoided, persistent discomfort is often a sign that the body needs attention. Massage can help reduce muscle tension and spasms, improve muscle tone, and make day-to-day activities more comfortable.

The goal isn't to "fix" everything in a single treatment. Instead, it's about helping people stay comfortable, move more freely, and continue doing the things that matter both on and off the farm.

Recovery Matters Too

Farming places demands on both body and mind; calving, lambing, harvesting, feeding livestock, and dealing with Scotland's unpredictable weather mean there is always another job waiting.

Massage provides an opportunity to pause, allowing the body to relax, breathing to slow, and muscles to soften, often creating a welcome sense of calm. This can be particularly valuable during busy periods or after physically demanding work when finding time to switch off feels almost impossible.

Taking an hour out isn't time lost, it's supporting your ability to work, move, and live well.

Part of a Bigger Wellbeing Picture

As I continue my training in Sport and Remedial Massage, I'm becoming increasingly aware that massage works best as part of a wider approach to wellbeing.

Movement, quality sleep, hydration, nutrition, and managing stress all play an important role. Massage isn't a magic cure, but it can be an effective addition to a healthy lifestyle.

If you're considering treatment, it's important to choose a qualified and insured therapist who will discuss your health history, current conditions, and any concerns you may have. If you have a recent injury, ongoing pain, or a medical condition, seek advice from your GP before booking a treatment.

Self-Care With Lasting Benefits

One of the biggest barriers to wellbeing in agriculture is often the belief that we should simply get on with it. We spend so much time looking after livestock, land, businesses, and family that our own needs can end up at the bottom of the list.

I'd like to challenge that way of thinking.

Sometimes looking after yourself doesn't require a major lifestyle change. It can be as simple as setting aside time to give your body the attention it deserves.

Massage can help you move more comfortably, unwind from daily demands, and become more aware of how your body is coping.

Let's continue to challenge the idea that self-care is a luxury. Looking after yourself isn't selfish. It's one of the most practical investments you can make in your health, your work, and your future.