Are You a Massage Geek?

Do you have a grandmother or grandfather that are in pain or general discomfort from lack of mobility? Do you often think that massage would feel great for them but are intimidated by the contraindications that may occur? Here we will discuss some of the things that you should be concerned about and the things that you should know in order to have a successful massage relationship with the elderly.

The comfort that massage can bring to someone that is bedridden is proven and wonderful! Just being touched in a safe environment when touch is something that has become few and far between, say at the doctor’s office, can be a major luxury. The effects that are especially relevant to the special needs of those who have been physically inactive or bedridden are general relaxation, improved circulation of blood and lymph, reduced muscular tension, and one of the most important I think is skin stimulation. These are pretty general effects of massage that everyone acquires, what I would like to make clear is that these effects are directly linked to helping alleviate problems with insomnia, digestion, constipation, difficulty in breathing, and skin degeneration, which will help to prevent bed sores.

If the recipient has a communicable disease, proper precautions and hygiene should be observed. Although potentially awkward, either latex or another type of glove should be worn if necessary for protection. Always use your intuition and sensitivity in determining how to approach each person. Hand and arm massage is a useful approach for getting to know a new patient or client and for nursing home and hospice volunteers to give.

Working with the elderly and or the terminally ill can be physically & emotionally challenging. It is important to practice conscious self-care to help maintain your own wellbeing.  The actual techniques used with geriatric clients tend to be simple and light and easy on your hands.

There is a wide range of opportunity available for massage therapists in this particular industry, just make sure to take care of yourself and always keep a safe environment for you and your recipient.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Next in line are the Skeletal System and Muscular System. I think the Muscular System will be a Part all on it’s own, cause lets face it, it could take awhile! So here I’ll discuss the benefits to the bones, oh how we would just be a pile of mush without them! Not that bones are all that make up the skeletal system, lets not forget about all the associated cartilage, ligaments, and other stabilizing connective tissue structures. In addition to general tissue health promoted by good circulation, massage and related joint movements help maintain good joint function and range of motion. Movement of the joints stimulates production of synovial fluid that keeps joints moving smoothly. I love using joint movement in my sessions and my clients love it too!

Optimal range of motion is achieved when the bones are in proper alignment and the tissues surrounding the joints are healthy, pliable, and relaxed. Joint flexibility is enhanced with massage and stretching movements, exercise, and proper nutrition. Exercising your muscles also helps to exercise your joints, it makes everything stronger, the ligaments, tendons, everything. I’ll discuss this more in the muscular system post so…

Our skeletal system takes a big beating during activities and a lack of activity isn’t good either so make sure to tell your clients about all of the good things they are doing for their bones, joints, and associated cartilage by getting a great massage.

Popularity: 55% [?]

Oh yes, my friends… The routine massage, and how it effects us. Not just good for the body, good for the WHOLE body. The benefits we forget about sometimes because they’re so specific. A LOT of people still think of massage as pampering, I won’t name any names but… westerners… We all know that there are at least 10 different body systems. Well, I’m going to touch today on how massage benefits each system. Please add any in the comments box if you would like!

I always go through my Systems from the outside in so let’s start with the benefits for the skin or Integumentary System. This system is the primary point of contact between the giver (you) and the receiver (client) during massage. Of course this system isn’t just skin, it is also hair, nails, sebaceous and sweat glands. We have sensory receptors in the skin that detect touch, pressure, pain, and temperature and relay that info to the nervous system. Once of the major effects of pressure to the skin is stimulation of the sensory receptors found here. This stimulation has beneficial effects such as relaxation, pain reduction, and body awareness. Good body awareness enhances a person’s sense of integrity and wholeness, and is important for good mental and emotional health.

Okay, let’s dig a little deeper and talk about the glands in the skin. In order for them to work properly, skin pores must be free from blockage. As we all know, they very easily get clogged up with dirt, makeup, dried oils and seat, or the accumulation of dead skin cells. Massage helps to exfoliate the skin by the friction and rubbing, this also raises the temperature which gets the oil glands to secrete. Just like going into a steam room or hot tub. And of course, the oil/lotion adds moisture.

Massage is also great in facilitating the formation of healthy scar tissue on the skin surface following lacerations, surgery incisions, or burns. Applying cross-fiber and with-fiber friction techniques to scars during the remodeling or scar maturation phase helps form strong mobile scars, break adhesions to underlying tissues, and reduce scar thickness.

Considering this is the first primary point of contact in massage and your clients are already receiving such benefit why isn’t everyone aware? Do your part in spreading massage therapy awareness, leave a comment, tell a friend, write a press release!

Popularity: 62% [?]

A woman’s body undergoes many changes and adaptations for the growing fetus. A few good tricks and techniques for helping mom stay comfortable can be quite simple. Here are a few treatments for morning sickness and lower back pain.

Morning Sickness: The Bladder Channel affords a very balanced treatment in pregnancy: it helps the Kidneys which are the main source of nourishment for baby and also influences all the other Organs. Concentrate on the middle region near the points for Liver, Gall Bladder, Spleen, and Stomach. Then give particular attention to the Pericardium Channel. Point P 6 is good for all sickness. On the Stomach Channel, work on St 36 and St 44. Ending, give steady pressure to Liv 3

Lower Back: Because of the strain on the mom’s spine and a downward pressure on the pelvis, I have found the Bladder Channel one of the best to work with for relief. Begin by palming on the back and continue all the way down the legs then move to thumbing and repeat. Lean into it and don’t be afraid to use some pressure. Of course always make sure your client is safe and comfortable. These area is also good for varicose veins.

The only cautions I am going to mention are concerning strong pressure on the Ball Bladder Channel at the top of the shoulders, and points LI 4 and Sp 6. Also, avoid all the Yin Channels on the inside of the lower legs, if you are worried about the possibility of a miscarriage in the early months. Other than this shiatsu is safe during pregnancy.

Popularity: 71% [?]

As you know, working the buttock muscles with your thumbs is oh so tiring. Use of elbows in this region is definitely best. Considering the gluteal muscles are the largest in the body they hold a lot of tension and can be the source of much referred pain all throughout the body, emotions also get stored here.

The area of the buttocks, hips and pelvis is often affected by stress, poor posture, and a sedentary lifestyle, yet many of us do not recognize the degree to which we accumulate tension here. Tension can produce a misalignment of hips and spine and vise versa.

Basic emotions, such as anger and hatred, affect this area and find expression in kicking and stamping. Our natural sexuality is expressed in pelvic mobility and a natural swinging of the hips. But we restrain all these for much of the time. There are often insufficient healthy avenues for the expression of such natural feelings, I like to let clients know of a few like engaging in sports, music, and dancing activities with your friends. These are all helpful.

The sacral squeeze is very nice for opening up the hips. This is done by placing your client face down and leaning gently for support, step over their thighs. Interlace your fingers and lean into each side of the sacrum, squeezing with the heels of both hands. Reinforce the action by bringing your body forward; you may find it more comfortable to support one elbow with your leg. Your client will actually feel it opening up while you are applying the pressure. This is easiest on the floor.

Popularity: 82% [?]

Spinal cord injuries can cause a bruise, hemorrhage or laceration in the spinal cord. There is often concern about using bodywork under these sorts of circumstances. These damages can result in short- and long-term motor and sensory disability. You certainly want to be clear with the client and with their physician about any contraindications.

The level of symptoms will differ depending on the level of the trauma.

• Above C3. A serious spinal cord injury above C3 means that the client will have a respirator to survive and that the diaphragm has lost its ability to function.
• Above C5. An injury above C5 can result in the lower and upper extremities being paralyzed.
• Below T1. Below T1 the lower extremities may be paralyzed but movement in the upper extremity is retained.

Sensory changes and dramatically increased deep tendon reflex responses also occur as a result of spinal cord injury. Bowel and bladder control may be lost, with an increased susceptibility to bladder stones. Increased blood pressure, heightened perspiration levels and headache. If you are dealing with someone confined to a wheelchair or bed for that matter, decubitus ulcers, thrombosis, osteoporosis from lack of weight-bearing exercise, and swelling of the lower extremities from inactivity are also things to be watchful of. Spinal cord injuries usually cause spastic paralysis, in which the involved muscles have highly exaggerated tone. The flexor muscles tend to be more hypertonic that the extensor muscles, so the client with a spinal cord injury may appear to be in a permanently flexed position throughout the body.

You must always remember when treating a client with a spinal cord injury that the presence of sensory deficits requires caution since a client might not be able to feel when they are experiencing pain. Associated problems such as increased blood pressure, thrombosis, osteoporosis and spastic paralysis should inspire great caution in the therapist because these conditions can contraindicate massage. Decubitus ulcers should not be massaged. Your client will receive spasm relief, edema reduction, range of motion improvement, restoring of motor function, stress reduction, and of course circulation increase.

Popularity: 100% [?]

Each Meridian has been assigned the name of an organ. This can get confusing because, for example, the lung meridian lies along the arm, and the liver meridian lies along the leg. The name assigned to a meridian refers not to the meridian’s external location on the body but to the functional influence of the meridian within the body.

Meridians have a life cycle that begins with the lung and large intestine. Paired, these meridians govern the intake of qi and elimination. Inhaling the qi from the outside world and bringing it into the body is represented by the respiratory system. Exhaling the extraneous qi is represented by the elimination system. Let me put it to you this way, with breath your existence is established.

Qi from the outside world is separated from human qi by the existence of a border, represented by the skin. The skin acts in two ways, it absorbs qi from the outside, and it excretes waste material from the inside of the body via the pores. If both activities are in balance, you will remain an entity. Once it is balanced, two requirements are necessary for survival;

• Nourishment; food, water, sun, exercise. The stomach and spleen meridians initiate these functions via the actual stomach, esophagus, and duodenum as well as digestive enzymes that are necessary to break down food.
• Emotional Stimuli to Satisfy the Spirit: In very short. you need meaning for all of your human actions. Of all the meridians, the heart and small intestine meridians act as the interpreter and assimilator of stimuli that affect the emotions and feelings

If there is an imbalance among the meridians and it is rectified, there will be positive repercussions on all of the different planes.

Popularity: 85% [?]

I have found three major types of shiatsu being practiced, each having the goal of balancing energy flow: shiatsu, acupressure, and zen shiatsu.

I spoke earlier in my amma post of shiatsu massage and how it views the body purely from an anatomic perspective. Along with using massage techniques, hard pressure is applied to the body at certain points to give relief from specific symptoms. From what I’ve read the most widely known form of shiatsu massage is the Namikoshi method.

There isn’t much of a difference between acupressure and shiatsu massage. However, acupressure incorporates the same theory of meridians used by acupuncture.

Zen Shiatsu uses a broader set of meridians than does acupuncture. The level of pressure applied to the tsubos and meridians is significantly lighter than that in other types of shiatsu. Unlike shiatsu massage and acupressure, zen shiatsu incorporates the theory of kyo-jitsu. If the energy level is low or deficient, it is known as kyo, and if there is an excess or the energy is high, it is known as jitsu.

Popularity: 76% [?]

India has the second fastest growing economy in the world. It has it’s claim to fame being the birth place of certain technologies, to lots of bodywork modalities, and also to meditation. Om Mani Padme Hum is one of the mantra that originated in India and from the Sanskrit language. It is widely used in Tibetan Buddhist practice today and expressing this mantra evokes the qualities of the Buddha of Compassion. Compassion towards our clients and towards all of existence will help your practice grow and it will help your clients to return for more healing. Here is a breakdown of the words:

Om is the sound vibration that is all existence.

Mani is the jewel, a diamond that uses the clarity of wisdom to cut through ignorance.

Padme is the lotus, a symbol of beauty, purity, and compassion, that rises and blooms out of the muddy depths of the clouded waters of ignorance.

Hum is the open heart that unifies all with kindness and love.

I have found this lovely mantra roughly translated as:

“May the jewel of the lotus flower send out a light of love and compassion to unite all existence as one.”

You can sing this mantra aloud or in your head just before or even during a massage session. It opens up the heart centre and helps to focus your attention on working from your heart more than from your head.

Popularity: 92% [?]

Preparing your mind for your sessions is something we all do differently. Some bodyworkers don’t do it at all. I am confident in saying that these bodywork sessions tend to be the ones that aren’t delivering the most healing attributes. There are many forms of meditation and I encourage each one of you to find the one that suits you best, because the one that fulfills me may not even touch your being.

I am putting each form of meditation that I go over here into a different post so… There may be quite a few “parts” to this segment. I am starting with Metta Meditation.

Metta comes from the Indian Pali language meaning “loving kindness.” When we choose to do this meditation of loving kindness it is important that we begin with ourselves. For only by fully accepting who we are, without any judgement, can we begin to extend this feeling out towards others. You can use this simple mantra as a starting point.

May all beings be happy

May all beings be at peace

May all beings be well

Find a quiet, comfortable place to sit and allow yourself 5-15 minutes. Begin by focusing on yourself; on what you like and what you don’t like or find difficult about yourself. You can repeat the mantra aboube with yourself in mind, focusing on the sensations around your heart centre. Imagine yourself in the role of your closest friend. If they were standing in front of you now, what would they wish for you? What would they say to you in order that you might feel more loving towards yourself? Receive this gift from you friend with an open heart. Once familiar with this practice, we can develop goodwill not just to relatives, friends and colleagues, but to everything around us and eventually the whole of creation.

Popularity: 100% [?]