Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1276187
Using hydrotherapy for stress relief Here are simple hydrotherapy treatments for common physical manifestations of stress: • Insomnia—warm bath before bed • Low energy—whole-body contrast shower • Headaches—hot shower with cold on head • Tight neck and shoulders—neck-limbering exercises in hot shower • Aches and pains—stretching while in warm bath, followed by ice pack, castor oil pack, or heat-trapping compress on painful area HYDROTHERAPY SELF-TREATMENTS Hydrotherapy treatments your clients can perform at home will help increase the benefi ts of your massage, help them achieve faster and better results, and help them take charge of their own health. Following are a few self- treatments your clients can try at home. Epsom Salts Footbath Epsom salts footbaths are recommended for bruises, sprains in the subacute stage, soreness after exercise, soreness after massage, chronically cold feet, edema of pregnancy, or arthritis pain. To perform this self-treatment, your client will need a water thermometer, a chair, a plastic tub, 2 cups of Epsom salts for an adult (or 1 cup for a child), a bath towel, and a bath mat. Procedure: • Place a bath mat on the fl oor in front of the chair. • Begin fi lling the plastic tub three- quarters full with warm (not hot) water, about 98–102°F. • Pour the Epsom salts directly under the spigot while the tub is fi lling to make sure they dissolve completely. • Optional: Add essential oils to the footbath after fi lling the tub. • Place the tub on the towel, and then sit on the chair and put your feet in the water. • Soak feet for 15–20 minutes, and then wash the saltwater off with clean water. • Dry your feet, apply a moisturizing lotion, and then put on socks. Neck-Limbering Exercises for the Shower A hot shower that includes neck-limbering exercises is great for clients with chronically tight muscles, stress, injury, soreness after exercise, muscle spasms, or arthritis pain. This exercise may be performed as many as three times a day but should be avoided if the client has any of the following conditions: cardiovascular problems, 76 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k s e p t e m b e r / o c t o b e r 2 0 2 0