Clients come to me with all kinds of questions and concerns and want to know what to expect from massage. You can expect professionalism and a wide body of knowledge. Your massage therapist should make you feel completely comfortable. Some concerns I hear are -- aversion to touch, timidity, body issues, and even fear of pain. One time a gentleman who was coming for injury treatment said he didn’t like being touched by anyone but his wife. I assured him this wouldn’t be enjoyable and certainly nothing to feel guilty about. He laughed, endured an effective deep tissue treatment and left pain free. A departure from how he came in. Deep tissue focused on injury correction can be uncomfortable, and even mildly painful at the time. I often joke with my clients about being allowed to tap out, or telling them that we do this because it feels so good… when we stop. Clients often remark, “Nobody has ever done that to me before.” Keeping communication open throughout treatment is important, as is not surpassing their pain tolerance to where you are causing bruises and making them hold their breath. Focusing on the breathing helps the body to relax and let go of the tension and eventually the dysfunction. There are whole modalities around breathing techniques, and even tricking the nervous system by having the client position their tongue on the roof of their own closed mouth while you work on them. I confess to not recalling the name of that particular modality, but will always remember meeting the author of the book that talks about it.When I was learning how to do deep tissue treatment oriented massage I was told to imagine tearing the muscle from the bones. It sounds brutal because it is. As a result, many learn that the goal is pain, but they miss the point. What I eventually learned was that you go to the point of just barely tolerating, when the client can still breathe and isn’t resisting. This is a different level for each person that you work on. Some have a high pain tolerance and you can make huge, lasting strides in a short amount of time. For some you must go slower. I once had an elderly lady tell me she would rather live with frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis) than endure the discomfort of the treatment. As far as I know, she probably still cannot reach anything on the top shelf of her refrigerator. Whereas another gentleman was pleasantly surprised that we had him touching the ceiling with both arms after one session. He had thought it was something he had to live with and had never looked for a solution to correct it prior to seeing me. Deep tissue techniques range from pokey trigger point therapy to muscle stripping and myofascial release. It can include contrast, hot/cold therapy, resistance techniques, and even stretching. Clients report feeling uncomfortable for a couple of days, like they’ve worked out really hard. They also report having more movement, mobility, range of motion, and even decreased pain. Of course, these are the desired outcomes. Many things can be treated with deep tissue techniques, including plantar fasciitis, thoracic outlet syndrome, carpal tunnel, whiplash, golfer’s elbow, and tennis elbow (medial and lateral epicondylitis), cervical and lumbar disc strain, Dupuytren's contracture, runner’s knee, tendonitis, muscle strain/sprain, and headaches. It’s always helpful when you can get treatment and leave with a plan for rehabilitation like stretches and strengthening exercises. I have a tendency to encourage an immediate visit to the chiropractor of your choice. Your adjustment will be more effective and longer lasting. I also recommend various size balls and rollers to continue to loosen things up at home. Lacrosse balls and foam rollers are very handy and effective for loosening muscles and connective tissue. Epsom salt soaks with 2 full cups of epsom salts and the warmest water you can stand for a full 20 minutes are just the ticket. The magnesium pulls the lactic acid out of the tissues and feeds the cells, helping the body to naturally detox itself. Icing and drinking frequent sips of water after a massage session also improves results. The lymph system needs to be hydrated to move metabolic waste through the body, and the ice calms the inflammation caused by the treatment itself. The more you act with your massage therapist as though your treatment is a team effort, the better your results will be.Read more local news on the home page of The Fallon Post, click HERE to return to the home page.Support your local, online news source by making a contribution
Share
Rate
Comment
Comments
There are currently no comments. Be the first to add your comment.
Comment
Comments