We have evolved from being four legged to standing up and walking on two legs. This, although with it's benefit, also carries it's consequences. One of which is being prone to suffering from bad posture. This can lead to many uncomfortable or painful symptoms for the individual and put massage Therapists out of business if good supportive posture is not maintained.
To be a great massage therapist it is vital that you do not damage yourself in the process. To avoid this, massage therapists should try to maintain efficient breathing, blood circulation and balanced posture.
There are many things that can lead to having bad posture, one of which is age. As we age and gravity catches up with us, our muscles tend to loose their elasticity and their ability to hold us up as efficiently as they use to like when we were children. This can be due to lack of exercise too as the majority of us now tend to rely more on mechanical transport, work long hours and have less time to get into physical activity. Without regular physical activity to keep our muscles toned and springy, getting older may only add to your problems.
However, getting old doesn't always mean that you can't have good posture, it's vital that you maintain a good balanced diet mixed with regular physical activity. Having a massage can also stimulate the muscles as touch can awaken rarely used muscles exciting them and keeping them happy for much longer! Studies have shown that that can also slow muscle degeneration for the elderly!
Other reasons for which we end up with bad posture are stress and injury. Our bodies tend to automatically go into may forms of defensive modes when we are exposed to stress and injury.
Consequently we seem to do many things such as leaning away from the painful area of our body , retracting our necks, tightening our arms against our chests, wriggling our pelvis around to one side , tilting our pelvis forward, locking leg muscles etc in order to either psychologically put us in defensive mode or to lessen the pain and pressure on an injured part of our body. This, if left too long and not corrected tend to lead to suffering from symptoms of bad posture. This includes but not limited to, back, shoulder and neck pain and many more. Massage can help address and get rid of underlying stresses and help recover from injury when applied correctly.
In conclusion, there are many ways in which we can get ourselves into situations that can comprimise our posture. Our evolution from walking on all fours to walking on two comes with it's own complications. The fact that we as massage therapist are constantly bent over our clients to work on their muscles put us in more of a danger of compromising our posture.
However, it is up to us to make sure that we address these problems as quickly and efficiently as possiable. Massage itself also has the ability to relieve pain, stress and help with recovery from symptoms brought on by having bad posture. Being informed, deciplined and leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle may be the key to avioding suffereing from symptoms of bad posture and being a sucessfull massage therapist.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
What I Would Like to Learn
I would like to gain a further understanding of safely massaging young children who are not quite able to settle down and relax as easily as adults.
Points I would like to clarify are:
1) How to manage their irritability and be able to clam them down enough to begin the process of massage.
2) How to talk to them in a way that they understand and accept
3) How to manage time as they are more likely to become restless a lot quicker than adults
4) How to manage pressure and strokes as they have such small and more fragile bodies
5) How to ensure that they are enjoying the whole process
6) How to educate them on what is happening and how it effects them
Answer/Method
With children, it is best to start the whole process by constantly distracting them from being restless by explaining whats going to happen with a soothing calm voice.
Next and as the child settles on the table, explain each step, part and process and ask them how they feel their body is reacting to each process and give them feed back on why they may be feeling that way.
It's best to keep things simple when explaining what you are doing and not go into too much depth unless asked. Speaking in a slow, low, friendly, non threatening voice can help a lot. Be sure to pace your self and give the child enough time understand and be able to ask questions.
Not all children are restless so ensure you don't over do it with children who are patient as this could be offensive.
Because children have such small bodies, it's essential that you adjust your pressure on each child according to their development. For small children, you do not need to put as much pressure as you would on an adult. Sometimes, just the weight of your hand or your arm itself are enough. It's also a great idea to check on the preferred amount of pressure by asking the child on how comfortable they are with the pressure you are applying and if they would like you to adjust.
It is best to keep the massage session as short/long as comfortable for the child as each one is different and has different preferences.
Be sure to ask for feed back on how they are feeling as this could give them/you the chance to figure out when they have/not had enough as you get closer to the end of the session.
Remember that there is no fool proof way of ensuring that the child cooperates with you or prevent them from becoming restless.
Children will always be children. The advise given above are tips only on how to try to get the best out come. So if you fail in anyway, don't worry. Just keep practicing. It took me two tries to get my 4 Year old to cooperate. I didn't have the above tips to help me the first time round, but after using the these tips, I must agree that the most important thing I found in ensuring a positive outcome is to keep them in the loop on whats going on and to get them to interact with me by explaining and asking them questions on how they feel. Next thing I know, I'm being begged for massages by my 4 year old.
Points I would like to clarify are:
1) How to manage their irritability and be able to clam them down enough to begin the process of massage.
2) How to talk to them in a way that they understand and accept
3) How to manage time as they are more likely to become restless a lot quicker than adults
4) How to manage pressure and strokes as they have such small and more fragile bodies
5) How to ensure that they are enjoying the whole process
6) How to educate them on what is happening and how it effects them
Answer/Method
With children, it is best to start the whole process by constantly distracting them from being restless by explaining whats going to happen with a soothing calm voice.
Next and as the child settles on the table, explain each step, part and process and ask them how they feel their body is reacting to each process and give them feed back on why they may be feeling that way.
It's best to keep things simple when explaining what you are doing and not go into too much depth unless asked. Speaking in a slow, low, friendly, non threatening voice can help a lot. Be sure to pace your self and give the child enough time understand and be able to ask questions.
Not all children are restless so ensure you don't over do it with children who are patient as this could be offensive.
Because children have such small bodies, it's essential that you adjust your pressure on each child according to their development. For small children, you do not need to put as much pressure as you would on an adult. Sometimes, just the weight of your hand or your arm itself are enough. It's also a great idea to check on the preferred amount of pressure by asking the child on how comfortable they are with the pressure you are applying and if they would like you to adjust.
It is best to keep the massage session as short/long as comfortable for the child as each one is different and has different preferences.
Be sure to ask for feed back on how they are feeling as this could give them/you the chance to figure out when they have/not had enough as you get closer to the end of the session.
Remember that there is no fool proof way of ensuring that the child cooperates with you or prevent them from becoming restless.
Children will always be children. The advise given above are tips only on how to try to get the best out come. So if you fail in anyway, don't worry. Just keep practicing. It took me two tries to get my 4 Year old to cooperate. I didn't have the above tips to help me the first time round, but after using the these tips, I must agree that the most important thing I found in ensuring a positive outcome is to keep them in the loop on whats going on and to get them to interact with me by explaining and asking them questions on how they feel. Next thing I know, I'm being begged for massages by my 4 year old.
What I've Learned From The First Massage Block
Right! Now that I've finally figured out how to connect most of these applications and get to this part, (after having to change passwords at least 3 times lol!)lets make best use of it before I loose it all again!
Hmmm.. What did I learn on my first block of Massage?
It's complicated actually!
I have found that there's more to Massage than having your client on a massage table while you smooth out their sore spots.
Although I was already aware and was taught the process and applications of Effleurage, Petrissage, Tapotement and pressure point therapy, I was thoroughly impressed by the most simplest things we learned.
Of course there was the draping and bolstering which was new to me.
However the most interesting thing that had a major impact on me and got me really thinking deep about how I perform massage therapy was the connection of bio rhythms such as the breathing between client and the practitioner.
This initial phase of placing our hands on the client (usually on the lower back and shoulder creating a triangle while client is face down)and still fully covered was most enlightening. The process of waiting, listening and feeling the clients breathing becoming calmer and smoother and gentle signaling that the client is now relaxed and ready for us to begin.
I found this process very beautiful as I began to feel and appreciate the energy radiated by each person under my hands and the importance of having the client relaxed before we begin.
I suddenly became more aware of the how delicate and fragile the person under my hands may be.
It also for the first time made me realise that this person is trusting me to not harm them. This meant that I was suddenly automatically scared of making any mistake that could harm them.
All my life as the person who everyone requested a massage from, I never realised how deep and intense massage can be on the practitioner such as myself. I was so confident and thought I knew everything there as to know about massage to be a a good safe practitioner.
Now however, after learning all the above techniques, procedures and precautions, I'm more scared and have began to continuously check myself to make sure I'm doing everything right.
In addition, I have also been able to understand how I can put these new techniques to good use ensuring that every client who will come in contact with me in the future will from now on not only have the best massage ever, but also be safe and thoroughly looked after.
I hope to see happier clients from now on! =)
Hmmm.. What did I learn on my first block of Massage?
It's complicated actually!
I have found that there's more to Massage than having your client on a massage table while you smooth out their sore spots.
Although I was already aware and was taught the process and applications of Effleurage, Petrissage, Tapotement and pressure point therapy, I was thoroughly impressed by the most simplest things we learned.
Of course there was the draping and bolstering which was new to me.
However the most interesting thing that had a major impact on me and got me really thinking deep about how I perform massage therapy was the connection of bio rhythms such as the breathing between client and the practitioner.
This initial phase of placing our hands on the client (usually on the lower back and shoulder creating a triangle while client is face down)and still fully covered was most enlightening. The process of waiting, listening and feeling the clients breathing becoming calmer and smoother and gentle signaling that the client is now relaxed and ready for us to begin.
I found this process very beautiful as I began to feel and appreciate the energy radiated by each person under my hands and the importance of having the client relaxed before we begin.
I suddenly became more aware of the how delicate and fragile the person under my hands may be.
It also for the first time made me realise that this person is trusting me to not harm them. This meant that I was suddenly automatically scared of making any mistake that could harm them.
All my life as the person who everyone requested a massage from, I never realised how deep and intense massage can be on the practitioner such as myself. I was so confident and thought I knew everything there as to know about massage to be a a good safe practitioner.
Now however, after learning all the above techniques, procedures and precautions, I'm more scared and have began to continuously check myself to make sure I'm doing everything right.
In addition, I have also been able to understand how I can put these new techniques to good use ensuring that every client who will come in contact with me in the future will from now on not only have the best massage ever, but also be safe and thoroughly looked after.
I hope to see happier clients from now on! =)
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