Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/812910
C h e c k o u t A B M P 's l a t e s t n e w s a n d b l o g p o s t s . Av a i l a b l e a t w w w. a b m p . c o m . 67 MORE TIPS TO STOP BACK PAIN In addition to the suggestions already provided, there are a few other things we can do as therapists for the benefit of our backs and bodies: • Utilize a stool whenever you can while working with clients. Giving the client a nice facial and scalp massage is a great opportunity for the therapist to change positions and sit for a few minutes. • Make sure your work shoes are specifically meant for a long day of being on your feet. • Pay attention to your surroundings. Your back, neck, and shoulders will tense up if you feel claustrophobic, tired, or overworked. Find moments throughout your day to pause and consciously lower your shoulders, practice some deep breathing, and ground yourself. • Keep moving. Try not to maintain one position for too long. When you create movement in your own body, you transfer the sense of movement through your vibrations to your client's body. That transfer creates movement in their bodies—make sure it's positive movement! • When it's time to do computer work, make sure to take a break every 20 minutes or so. Stand up, grab one ankle from behind you, and pull it up to give the front of your thigh a good stretch as you look up to the ceiling. Push your chest forward, so your neck doesn't shorten or wrench. Open your eyes and move them in a rotating motion. Look at the four corners of the ceiling while stretching your leg backward and your chest forward. Do this for about 10 breaths for each leg. This simple stretch will make a huge difference for your back and sitting will be much more comfortable. LEARNING FROM PAIN It's important for us to understand that life is movement and movement is life. Whatever stops us from moving will stop our clients from moving. If you are working on releasing the tension in a client's back while you are carrying great tension yourself, you are going to have to work that much harder. But self-care changes the story for both client and therapist. If we treat all parts of us, and work on all parts of us, and care for ourselves first, we function at our best and are better equipped to help others do the same. Self-care is simple, free, and of amazing value. I would like to invite all of you to take care of yourselves first, so your life is fuller and happier and you ultimately can be of maximum benefit to your clients. Meir Schneider, PhD, LMT, is founder of the School for Self-Healing in San Francisco. He healed himself of congenital blindness and developed an original holistic approach to health through a unique combination of therapeutic massage, movement, and natural vision-improvement exercises for prevention and rehabilitation of degenerative conditions. A globally respected therapist, educator, and bestselling author, Schneider's latest book, Awakening the Power of Self- Healing, will be published by Self-Healing Press later this year. To learn more, call 415-665-9574, email info@self-healing.org, or visit www.self-healing.org. blood flow. It also helps to prevent cataracts, which are caused by a stiff lens. It takes considerable effort to utilize our close vision, as the eye uses muscles to bend its lens to the proper position. Tension in the eyes has a drastic effect on the rest of our bodies, and the strain there tends to be reflected in our faces, jaws, shoulders, and in virtually all our muscles. Utilizing our near vision extensively, without taking breaks, gradually builds tension and strain in the eyes and body. Over time, that tension limits circulation and can lead to stiff muscles, vision problems, and back and body pain. By relaxing the eyes, and giving them the attention they require to be healthy, we reduce the strain on our bodies. The relaxation in the eyes is reflected in the rest of the body, minimizing our strain and stress. To further relax the eyes, mind, and body, practice palming. Place your hands gently over your eye orbits—the cheekbones and forehead (don't touch the eyeballs or eyelids)—and, with your eyes open, imagine a deep blackness. Try to do this for at least six minutes at a time in intervals throughout the day—it makes a huge difference. Try alternating between looking into the distance and palming for periods of six minutes or more to totally and completely relax your eyes before your next session of bodywork. Practice palming to relax your eyes and facial muscles.