Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1488451
VARIATIONS OF USING THE PALM Many therapists already use the palm, but I believe there are variations with its use that are not always fully appreciated. And these variations render the palm, in my opinion, as perhaps the best contact in massage, and the contact that I use the most when working on patients. Why is the palm such a good contact? It is broad and strong, somewhat like the elbow or forearm, but much softer and comfortable for the client because of the cushioning of the myofascial tissue of the thenar and hypothenar eminences. And when we angle the palm by supinating or pronating the forearm, we can diminish the size of the palm contact, making it much more specific without being pokey the way thumb and finger pads can be. Full-Flat Palm When the palm is used in massage, most therapists use the full-f lat palm (Image 2). The full-f lat palm is a wonderful contact because, as stated, it is broad, strong, and stable, and covers a large amount of surface area of the client's body; but it is not hard or pokey. And it can be easily braced/supported. Bracing a contact is extremely valuable toward having good body mechanics that allow for career longevity. By bracing a contact, we support the 48 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k j a n u a r y/ fe b r u a r y 2 0 2 3 1A: Thumb pad. 1B: Finger pads. 1C: Olecranon process of elbow. 1D: Ulna of flat forearm. Full-flat palm contact (with no brace). structure of the joint, which preserves the fascial tissue of the ligamentous/joint capsule complex, preventing overstretching and injury of the joint. We also decrease compression forces through the contact joint because bracing allows for the physical stress of the stroke to be spread across both upper extremities. In other words, the brace-side upper extremity does not just protect the contact, it also contributes to the force of the stroke. Small and large contacts for massage therapy 1A 2 1C 1B 1D