Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1505456
60 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k s e p te m b e r/o c to b e r 2 0 2 3 (A) Forearm contact. (B) Weight is transferred from rear foot to forward foot. Working on stretch. (A) Forearm and hand position on the neck and shoulder girdle respectively. (B) The shoulder girdle is tractioned downward in the frontal plane as the forearm performs the stroke up the neck. A B A B 3 4 In this position, we can now choose which contact we would like to use. We can use thumb pads, finger pads, or the ulnar side of the hand. But my favorite contact is the forearm. Depending on the space allowed for access, we can use either the larger proximal forearm or the smaller distal forearm (Image 3A). And we have the choice of contacting the client with the medial border of the ulna or pronating the forearm a bit to contact them with the f leshier, softer aspect of the musculature of the forearm. We then position our body to be in line with the stroke and we transfer our body weight from rear foot to forward foot as we lean into the client with body weight, generating the stroke from inferior to superior up the neck (Image 3B). When performing this stroke, it is important to always be mindful of contacting the laminar-groove musculature and not the transverse processes or the spinous processes. At the end of the stroke, we have the choice of leaning into the suboccipital musculature, grabbing and tractioning the occiput superiorly, passing over the ridge of the occiput onto the occipitalis musculature, or a combination thereof. A beautiful addition to this technique is to reach around the front of the client's arm to contact the superior surface of their shoulder girdle (Image 4A). Now, leaning back with that side of our body, depress their shoulder girdle. This creates space to work the neck, and it lengthens the musculature being massaged so it is being worked on stretch (Image 4B). When employing this, it is important to depress the shoulder girdle perfectly in the frontal plane. Do not retract (rotate backward) the shoulder girdle because that would torque the spine. A note regarding body mechanics: The two forces of this WATCH: "THREE-QUARTER SIDELYING DEEP TISSUE MASSAGE TO THE NECK" 1. Open your camera 2. Scan the code 3. Tap on notification technique—one pushing up the neck and the other tractioning the shoulder girdle down—are created by a rotation of our pelvis at the hip joints, pushing forward with the neck-contact hand and dropping down with the shoulder girdle-contact hand. We can even increase the stretch upon the client's neck by removing the pillow and allowing their head and neck to laterally f lex toward the table. It is even possible to increase the lateral f lexion of the head and neck by having the client lie with their head off the end of the table. However, this additional stretch can substantially increase the assertiveness of the work and should only be employed on clients who would benefit from the work; no one technique is appropriate for every client.