Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1481961
Consider this metaphor. Imagine sitting in a well-lit room. Maybe it's too bright and stimulating for your comfort, so you want to turn down the light. In the absence of a dimmer switch, you have two options: Get a ladder and unscrew all the light bulbs in the room, or f lip the light switches to turn off the lights. Sometimes I observe a massage therapist expending a great deal of energy massaging the shoulders to help a client relax. Perhaps the therapist is working very hard, kneading all the adjacent muscles associated with a given painful area. But I have experienced that some well-placed pressure in exactly the right place brings relaxation extremely fast. What makes the difference? An understanding of the significance of the motor points of the neuromuscular system and their corollary—tonic acupressure points—can greatly increase a bodyworker's efficiency in helping a client relax and deepen into a sense of calmness and well-being. Conversely, if that metaphorical room is too dark, and lacks light and energy, what can be done to make a difference? How can a therapist f lip the switch to stimulate the neuromuscular system when that is needed? "That's it! You just found the spot where I hold all my tension," is a statement I've heard many times over the years of my massage practice. Often, while receiving on-site bodywork or during a full-body session, clients are impressed that I've found and alleviated their particular area of pain or discomfort. "It's those magic hands of yours!" they say. I simply smile. What may feel like magic to the client is actually the process of addressing the motor points—the most electrically charged areas of the muscles, located where the motor nerve enters and enervates the muscle. Let's look at these motor points, and how they relate to the tonic points of acupressure for delivering our most effective and efficient bodywork. L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 65 KEY POINTS • Understanding the motor points of the neuromuscular system and their corollary—tonic acupressure points—increases efficiency in helping clients relax and deepen into a sense of calmness and well-being. • A motor point is a specific location where the motor nerve enters the muscle and where visible contraction can be elicited with minimal stimulation. Understanding Muscle Motor Points and Their Relationship to Tonic Acupressure Points By Mary Kathleen Rose