Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1515580
80 m a s s a g e & b o d y wo r k m a rc h /a p r i l 2 0 24 Listen to the Messenger Use Pain to Self-Assess Your Body Mechanics By Cindy Williams Essential Skills | Back to Basics Tension and pain happen to all practitioners at some point, either because of overgiving, forgetting to keep a broad focus that includes your own body during a session, or both. These sensations and signals are your body talking. It's important not to ignore this communication; instead, listen, investigate, and make shifts with authentic, mindful self-awareness so you make your health and well- being as important to you as your client's. A big part of this awareness process is perpetually returning to the basics of body mechanics. These core skills of effective massage application can never be revisited too many times. After this ref lection, you can self- assess any tension or pain you are experiencing and lovingly offer your body what it needs to stay healthy, strong, and pain-free. So, let's review. We'll start with appreciating pain as a messenger, then review body alignment and movement from the ground up so you can take part in the conversation your body is trying to have with you. PAIN AS A MESSENGER Thank goodness for the messenger of pain. I see pain as a tap on the shoulder, saying, "Hey, you! Look at how you're holding your body." Without that helpful reminder, none of us would likely make it past a few years in this profession. It's a gift. Even after 23 years of being a massage therapist and instructor of body mechanics, I still find myself in sporadic periods of pain. Each time, I know the root cause is inattentiveness. In other words, forgetting to stay present with my body, typically because I'm hyperfocused on the person on my table. Pain then becomes the messenger that something is off-balance and offers the opportunity to ask, "Why does this hurt, and what can I shift to be in alignment and f low?" KEY POINT • Returning to proper body positioning during your client's massage sessions can relieve your pain. LISTEN, INVESTIGATE, SHIFT Listen It's common to ignore pain and hope it goes away. But stonewalling your body's efforts to communicate will only cause it to speak louder until you listen. Take the first warning signs seriously and address the problem immediately. Investigate Even though your body might feel stressed or strained in one specific area, it's wise to do a full body scan to see the big picture and possibly illuminate any other areas that are part of the stress/strain pattern. When you first start as a massage therapist, it can be challenging to expand your focus to your body and investigate the origin of pain— but it is necessary. And, with practice, it becomes more