Massage & Bodywork

May | June 2014

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Stretch Out! Daily Self-Care Exercises By Barb Frye education An important part of body awareness is recognizing and maintaining your flexibility. Because your work as a manual therapist is physical by nature, it is vital to dedicate a portion of time each day to a simple but effective stretching routine. Stretching throughout your working day helps keep you flexible and relaxed. Even if you stretch only a few minutes each day, a little bit is better than nothing at all. Choose a few stretches and make them a daily part of your self-care routine—before, during, or after your workday. The following stretches cover the entire body; however, keep in mind that these are only a few of the many stretches possible. Be creative and add your own ideas to the mix. You can also share them with your clients. IMPORTANT! Take each exercise to the point where you feel a mild and gentle stretch. Breathe and relax as you hold the stretch for approximately 20 seconds. Do not bounce while holding a stretch, and never stretch to the point of pain or discomfort. You should simply feel a gentle sensation of the tissue lengthening. (Arrows indicate direction of stretch.) BODY AWARENESS Wrist and hand rotation. 3 2 4 6 5 46 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k m a y / j u n e 2 0 1 4 WRIST, HAND, AND FINGER STRETCHES Finger traction. Wrist flexion. Wrist extension. Wrist and hand extension. 1

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