Self tissue massage

Lately I've been discussing the benefits of tissue massage by use of the foam roller, but let's not rule out the benefits derived from hands on massaging of the tissues. The fingers of the hands contain thousands of nerve endings which can become very skilled at noticing regions of fibrous adhesions and trigger points within the tissues while probing the skins surface. The strength of the hands can then be brought into play with the use of many learned techniques such as shiatsu, Swedish massage, trigger point therapy, and/or myofascial release, to break up these regions of tightness and pain and restore blood flow to the region. This can be administered either by a qualified massage therapist or self applied for the required results. 

Anything is better then nothing and if you keep the self treatment gentle, and don't apply exorbitant amounts of pressure in a small region; good results should be achieved.