Your 2025 Body Audit (Neck, Back, Knees—How Are Yours?)
A new year has a way of inspiring reflection—on goals, habits, routines, and intentions. But one thing that often gets overlooked in January is the body you’re carrying into the year ahead.
Before you set fitness goals, commit to better posture, or promise yourself fewer aches and pains, it’s worth doing a body audit. Think of it as a check-in—not to judge or criticize, but to notice patterns, imbalances, and signals your body has been sending you.
Let’s start with three areas we see most often in the treatment room: the neck, the back, and the knees.
The Neck: Your Stress Barometer
Your neck and shoulders are often the first place stress shows up—and the last place it leaves.
Ask yourself:
Do you wake up with stiffness or limited range of motion?
Do you catch yourself shrugging your shoulders toward your ears during the day?
Are headaches, jaw tension, or upper back tightness part of your “normal”?
Hours spent looking down at phones, working on laptops, and holding tension during stressful moments all add up. Over time, that tension can restrict movement, affect posture, and even contribute to pain elsewhere in the body.
2025 Neck Check-In:
If neck tightness has become something you just “live with,” it may be time to address not only the muscles, but the habits and patterns behind it.
The Back: Your Foundation for Everything
Your back does a lot of heavy lifting—literally and figuratively. It supports your posture, protects your nervous system, and transfers force between your upper and lower body.
Consider:
Does your low back feel achy after sitting or standing for long periods?
Do you feel tightness between your shoulder blades?
Do certain movements feel guarded or restricted?
Back pain often isn’t about one single muscle—it’s about how your body moves as a whole. Core engagement, hip mobility, breathing patterns, and stress levels all influence how your back feels day to day.
2025 Back Check-In:
If you’re avoiding activities you enjoy because your back “acts up,” that’s a sign your body is asking for support—not silence.
The Knees: Quietly Carrying the Load
Knees tend to complain later, after months (or years) of compensating for what’s happening above or below them. Tight hips, weak glutes, limited ankle mobility, and old injuries all change how force moves through the knee joint.
Ask yourself:
Do your knees feel stiff when you first stand up?
Do stairs feel harder than they used to?
Do you notice discomfort during workouts—or afterward?
Knee pain isn’t just about the knee. It’s often a message about alignment, strength, and movement patterns.
2025 Knee Check-In:
If your knees feel unpredictable or vulnerable, early intervention can help prevent small issues from becoming long-term problems.
The Bigger Picture: Patterns, Not Perfection
A body audit isn’t about finding everything that’s “wrong.” It’s about awareness.
Pain, stiffness, and tension are communication tools—not character flaws or signs of failure. When we listen early, the body often responds more quickly and more positively.
Massage therapy can help:
Reduce chronic muscle tension
Improve mobility and circulation
Support recovery from workouts or injuries
Increase body awareness and relaxation
Address compensations before they turn into pain patterns
But most importantly, it creates space to slow down and reconnect with how your body actually feels.
Start the Year With Support
If your 2025 body audit brought up questions, discomfort, or a sense that something needs attention, you don’t have to figure it out alone.
We’re here to help you create a plan that fits your body and your goals.
Book a phone consultation to talk through what you’re experiencing and determine the best next steps. Or schedule a massage therapy session with Julia to begin addressing tension, pain, and movement restrictions right away.
Your body is with you for everything this year will bring. Let’s make sure it’s supported, cared for, and heard—starting now.