Verified!
-
Posts Tagged ‘Therapy’
Have you ever started a new workout routine and felt sore in the same place all the time? How did this hold you back from advancing and making the most of your weight training? The cause of the chronically sore muscles is a combination of lactic acid build up and muscular imbalance. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy is a great solution.
Whenever I go to the gym to work out I see a lot of people that need a good massage. There are many body types presenting many different conditions. I see the huge guys that need massage because their muscles are so hyper-tonic (chronically contracted), and at the opposite extreme, women over 40 that never worked out habitually throughout life and so their large back muscles and core muscles are weak, which causes low back or thoracic pain. I notice many people working with personal trainers that need Deep Tissue Massage Therapy to help them balance certain muscle groups, which would help them get more out of their training.
Lactic acid build up is the muscle soreness you feel when you start a new weight training routine or do something strenuous you don’t usually do, like kayaking or sprinting. This is the kind of sore feeling that we have all experienced, and it actually makes you feel like you did something. This lactic acid build up is common, harmless, and goes away quickly. It is easily treated with Tiger Balm, ice, and stretching. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy will help the lactic acid soreness go away more quickly too.
In relation to strength training, though, I want to talk about the other part of the soreness combination — muscular imbalance. This is not what makes you feel like you did something, but the feeling that you did something wrong. This is the painful, constrictive feeling you get between your shoulder blades when you do rows, for example. Most people experience this feeling of muscle spasm at some point in their strength training routine, and it holds them back from advancing because it is not common lactic acid soreness, but a serious muscular imbalance that can lead to injury. Balancing muscle groups increases strength and flexibility; for example, the pecs are commonly short and hyper-tonic which protracts the scapulae causing neck and upper back pain.
Deep Tissue Massage helps to balance the musculature so that the body can perform optimally. No one is perfectly symmetrical. We all have our areas in which one muscle group is elongated, and another one is shortened. For example, look in the mirror and see if one shoulder hangs lower than the other or look at yourself sideways and see if your shoulders sit in front of the body’s coronal plane. Imbalances are very common in the lower body too. Lay on your back and see if one foot naturally splays out more than the other. In addition, one leg usually is slightly shorter than the other.
There is nothing wrong with this and it is perfectly normal, but when left alone it is not optimal for the advancement of one’s strength training routine. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy will help balance the muscle groups by releasing chronically tight and constricted muscles and getting to the root of the disequilibrium. Many common factors cause muscular imbalances; for example, repetitive motions at work, incorrect postural habits, scoliosis, old injuries, and emotional holding patterns. A good massage therapist will be able to identify the areas of imbalance, release hypertonic muscles, and balance the whole group (both agonist and antagonist).
A good way to get strong is by lifting weights to work both the agonist and antagonist muscle groups for a given area. Let’s use the pectorals (chest) group and the latissimus dorsi (back) group as our example. While doing pull-downs, some people might feel a spasm as if one side of the lats were shorter than the other, like the left side goes down before the right side and is tighter. This could cause a shortening of the left side of the latissimus dorsi, and might even cause the trunk to twist slightly left, with the right pec and anterior deltoid being shortened. This can cause pain that prevents a person from doing this exercise, even though it is good under normal circumstances.
One effective treatment is to have this client lay on his right side, and for the massage therapist to lengthen the left lat and serratus anterior. The therapist also has to release tight muscle bands in the deltoid and the rotator cuff, as well as under the shoulder blade. Then, with the client supine, the massage therapist works to release tight pectorals and the anterior deltoid of the right side. In this example, the SCM and trapezium would also need attention because the entire shoulder girdle and neck area will be affected and in need of relief.
Deep Tissue Massage Therapy also hydrates the tissues, increases blood flow, and makes the fascia more open and supple, increasing the muscles’ potential for growth. All of this makes people stronger faster, makes you feel more energetic, and look fantastic. It can help you become more flexible and aware of how your body balances. It is important to get a good Deep Tissue Massage on off days so you can feel the benefits and realize that deep tissue massage is vital to your strength training routine, health and wellness.
Unfortunately, it is very difficult to fix muscular imbalances yourself. If you work out regularly and have hit a plateau, are sore too often, or get muscle spasms frequently, please call a licensed massage therapist that specializes in Deep Tissue Massage Therapy to help you.
If you are like many people who have been to a massage therapy spa, you’re probably wondering what it’s like to be a masseuse (massage therapist). Most likely, you’re also receiving treatment from a massage therapist who enrolled in college to be just that – a massage therapist.
That’s too bad for us, right? We don’t have the money, time, or whatever else to dedicate to getting a degree in massage therapy or something similar. Thankfully, there seems to be a new way to fulfill your dream of becoming a massage therapist after all – learning from home!
With this new program to learn massage therapy from home, you can -
- Go to “school” in your pajamas
- Learn how to be a real massage therapist
- Learn marketing techniques that can make you money
- Learn how to open your own parlor
- Discover how to get certified with the knowledge you now possess!
Sounds too good to be true, right? I know it. And that’s precisely why a lot of people don’t go down this route – they feel it’s “scammy” and so they go the more traditional (and expensive) route of going back to college. Or, even worse, they give up on their dreams of becoming a masseuse all together!
So what can you gain from becoming a massage therapist?
- Satisfaction
- A nice salary
- Being your own boss if you open your own parlor
- Happy customers
- An expanding client base
- Experience
- Recommendations
- A track record that could get you into the massage therapy “big league”
- Strength
Seems worth it, doesn’t it? It is. Massage therapy is becoming increasingly popular in America, most likely due to the rise in economic crisis and other political and social factors that make people feel tense and uneasy. We all know that a good massage can get rid of tension!
Regardless of why it is that you choose to be a masseuse, you’ll find a good home in a parlor where people are relying on you to make their day. It’s a very interactive job, and it can really make you feel good to talk to a stranger and, by the end of the appointment, feel like they’re a friend. Then again, there are some parlors where you don’t talk at all – the choice is yours!
Now that you know you really do want to be a massage therapist, check out the resource box for more information on how to do it from home!
Massage therapists often work with clients who have physical and mental disabilities, and they should be prepared to identify potential contraindications in order to best provide massage therapy to this population. Often, special needs clients may not disclose medical ailments or their need for accommodation until they arrive for the appointment, so it is up to massage therapists to be well educated about situations when it is, and when it is not appropriate to provide massage therapy services.
Special Needs
The term “special needs” is broad, and encompasses a large spectrum of minor to severe needs ranging from mobility assistance, to cognitive impairments, to clients with medical ailments. When special needs clients make an appointment for a massage therapy, they often (but sometimes do not) disclose that they have a physiological or mental impairment that may require special assistance. For massage therapists, it is best to be aware and prepared to work with clients who require additional attention and techniques to provide a quality massage while not compromising the client’s health or safety.
Educating Yourself
How would you work with special needs clients who require a wheelchair for mobility? How will you approach treatment with a client who has had a full skin graft on his or her back? How do you provide massage therapy to a client with a history of seizures? For many massage therapists, the answers to these questions are often guesses at best, and educating yourself about possible special-needs situations can help you become knowledge and prepare for any unforeseen needs and potential contraindications.
For example, special needs clients with mobility issues may not be able to assume a supine or prone position on a conventional massage table to receive massage therapy. While a massage chair is a possible alternative, some clients may not want to / be able to move from their wheelchair and must be treated in a seated position. By being prepared with supportive pillows and bolsters, massage therapists can massage a client while they are in a comfortable position in their own chair. Be sure to educate your client about what you are doing during the massage therapy session, and why you are doing it. When working with special needs clients, ensuring their emotional and physical comfort should be one of your highest priorities.
Another example is working with clients with visual or hearing impairments. How will you communicate with your client if it is difficult for them to see or hear you? For clients who are hearing impaired, massage therapists should always know to establish a set of mutually agreed upon hand signals, or have a piece of paper and pen prepared to write down questions or statements. Just because special needs clients may not be able to hear you is no reason to not attempt to communicate things during the massage therapy session like “are you too hot or too cold?” “Is the pressure ok?” “Are you ready to roll over?” As with hearing impairments, massage therapists should also be prepared to modify their method of communication with special needs clients who have visual impairments. Before you begin the massage, describe the room, assist the client to the table, and explain where everything is. Do not move anything once you have described the layout, as this can be disorienting to your client. During a massage therapy session, clearly describe everything you are about to do, and give the client a moment to give his or her consent.
One more example is working with special needs clients who have medical conditions that may be ambiguous to the massage therapist. In school, massage therapists are educated about working with clients with autoimmune disorders, and communicative diseases. But what about clients with full-back skin grafts? What about a client who discloses that she occasionally has seizures? What about working with a terminally ill client? These special needs clients are examples of conditions that massage therapists will likely encounter during their practice, and each therapist should anticipate these concerns and prepare accordingly to provide quality massage therapy.
Preparing Your Practice for Special Needs Clients
For a standard massage therapy session, many massage therapists have a room set up with at least a table, a bolster, extra sheets, candles, and a headrest. But fewer massage therapists have a closet full of bolsters of various shapes (triangular, thin, thick, circular, flat), a massage chair to accommodate clients who cannot lie supine or prone, lights that can dim or brighten depending on a client’s visual needs, or an erasable board to communicate with clients with hearing impairments.
Physically preparing accessories and the layout of your room for a massage therapy session can increase the positive experience had by special needs clients exponentially. Additionally, massage therapists should consider how clients will even get to your massage room. Are the hallways in your practice large enough to accommodate clients of all sizes, and clients in wheelchairs? Is your practice ADA compliant with stairs and a ramp to the front door and a method of moving from one floor to another such as an elevator?
Finally, are you advertising that your massage therapy practice is welcoming of special needs clients? By writing a sentence on your website such as “I am pleased to work with all clients, and request that you inform me of any special needs prior to making your appointment. I appreciate this extra time you give me to arrange your massage room, make a spot for any assistance animals, and prepare to provide you with a quality massage”, massage therapists can let everyone know that they provide massage for special needs clients.
Continuing Education
As previously stated, “special needs” is a broad term and encompasses many medical, emotional, and physiological needs. There is a wealth of printed material about providing massage therapy to special needs clients, and these should be read by massage therapists to best prepare to accommodate all clients. Additionally, always understand that the client you are working with knows their condition better than anyone (including you). Ask them about prior massage treatments, and what did and did not work for them in the past. Always be mindful that they are above all people and clients with special needs – not a problem or a challenge to overcome.
More massage schools are offering continuing education courses about accommodating special needs clients, and massage therapists often have the chance to learn about ADA compliance, medical contraindications, complementary therapies, medical massage, and much more. It is always a good idea to educate yourself to stay informed about best practices to serve all clients. Subscribe (if you do not already) to a trade journal or newsletter about special needs massage. Therapists should read articles on reputable message boards about accommodating special needs clients, and always be prepared to identify potential complications in order to give the best massage therapy possible.
Follow Us!