Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/87297
Are your fingers and thumbs relaxed? Are your wrists in good alignment? Are you overgripping your fingers and thumbs? 5 Uncover either leg and choose an area to apply deep pressure with your fist (Image 4). If your table is low enough, start by using direct pressure from above, keeping your elbow and shoulder in good alignment and your upper body relaxed. If your table is high, use an oblique angle to apply pressure. Are your fingers and 4 thumbs relaxed? Are your wrists in good alignment? Are you overgripping your fingers and thumbs? When you are finished, cover your partner, and rest. Now, ask your partner to turn onto his or her side, lying with the top leg bent and the bottom leg straight. Choose and uncover an area to explore using your forearm (Image 5). In this position, both legs are great options, as are the sides of the back and the shoulder area. Typically, the forearm is used in the prone and supine positions, but it is a wonderful tool to use in a side-lying position as well. Begin by using the ulnar side of your forearm, then transition to using the anterior side. Switch between both sides, and be sure to practice using the left and right arm. Once more, check your body's comfort. When you are ready, cover your partner, and rest. At this point, you may want to ask your partner to change positions. Choose and uncover a place where you would like to apply deeper pressure and explore using your elbow (Image 6). Palpate the tissue, then 6 apply pressure by standing directly above the area of focus or by working at an oblique angle. Use your other hand to guide your elbow, checking in frequently with your partner regarding comfort. Again, become aware of your own body's comfort. Make sure you are using good alignment, bending from your hip joints, and maintaining a general sense of ease while working. When you are finished, cover your partner, and rest. Barb Frye has been a massage educator and therapist since 1990. She coordinated IBM's body mechanics program and authored Body Mechanics for Manual Therapists: A Functional Approach to Self-Care (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010), now in its third edition. She has a massage and Feldenkrais practice at the Pluspunkt Center for Therapy and Advanced Studies near Zurich, Switzerland. Contact her at barbfrye@hotmail.com. www.abmp.com. See what benefits await you. 47