Briefly tense and then release muscle groups so you can notice where the body is bracing around pain.
Pain often comes with guarding: a shoulder that will not drop, a jaw that stays set. Progressive muscle relaxation is a simple way to find those places and let them go a little.
This is not energy work and not a body-scan religion. It is ordinary muscle, noticed and released. Stop anywhere the method feels unkind.
How to
Start at the feet. Tighten for five seconds, then let go.
Move up: calves, thighs, hands, shoulders. Skip any area that is injured or flares.
Notice the difference between “braced” and “soft.” That is the lesson.
Do not clamp down on a sore joint. A gentle version is enough.