Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/867515
A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 79 T here is a prolific idea in the medical community that paralysis, and nerve damage in general, is a hopeless condition that cannot be improved. In my experience, however, this simply isn't true. Through massage and bodywork, clients with paralysis have an opportunity to push their limits and find improvements—sometimes seemingly miraculous, sometimes almost imperceptibly subtle. My students and I have worked with limited-mobility clients all over the world—the causes of their conditions ranging from muscular atrophies and dystrophies, to multiple sclerosis, strokes, peripheral neuropathies, and more. While each client is unique and requires different massage therapy techniques and intensity in their treatment programs, across the board we have seen measurable improvement in function and subjective improvement in quality of life for those who've run out of options. It is my hope that by sharing my own experiences with you that I can inspire you not to give up on clients in a wheelchair—as they probably need you more than anyone. By Meir Schneider, PhD mind-body solutions for moving out of paralysis