Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68016
HYDROTHERAPY IN YOUR PRACTICE Few massage therapists are aware that many hydrotherapy treatments can be performed in the office or work space without investing in large and expensive equipment. Simple treatments that involve ice massage, hot packs, friction treatments, contrast applications, and compresses are inexpensive, effective, require little time, and are often loved by clients. Many hydrotherapy treatments can make a massage therapist's work easier. For example, ice applications reduce inflammation and help treat trigger points; heating treatments enhance the flexibility of scar tissue; friction treatments stimulate the skin, increase localized blood flow, and reduce muscle tension; warm baths relieve stress and warm the entire body before a session; and paraffin dips warm and soothe arthritic joints. Hydrotherapy self-care can also be introduced by massage therapists as a "take home" after the session to encourage client follow-up, thus enhance the effects of the bodywork. VARIED RESOURCES My first exposure to hydrotherapy in a therapeutic setting was during treatment for a serious musculoskeletal injury in my early 20s. I was treated by a wonderful physical therapist who combined a relaxing soak in a warm whirlpool bath with massage and therapeutic exercises. Later, once I became a practitioner, I gave massages at a health club that had a sauna and swimming pool, and I saw how both could prolong the relaxing effects of massage. I was also able to observe a physical therapist who used hot packs to relieve his clients' aches and pains. From my experiences, I developed a special interest in combining massage with water therapies. Following are a few clients in my general massage practice with whom I used hydrotherapy in just the last year: • A developmentally disabled teenager who loves different sensations on her skin. • A man with scalp pain after a traumatic head injury. • A wheelchair-bound teenage girl with chronic tightness in her iliopsoas muscles. • A woman whose emotional stress was so extreme that she was unable to remain still for her massage session. • A woman with a severe contusion of the femur and tibia from an enormous rock striking her leg. • A woman who was unable to lie prone due to severe sinus congestion from allergies. • A young man with scar tissue from an old injury that was so tight it could barely be massaged. • An 11-year-old boy who was receiving his first massage as a birthday present. In each case, the hydrotherapy treatment I combined with my hands-on techniques made a significant contribution to the success of the session. BENEFITS OF HYDROTHERAPY IN YOUR PRACTICE Like massage, hydrotherapy can relieve discomfort and pain, stimulate the flow of blood and lymph, and make connective tissue easier to stretch. If clients are too hot or too cold, hydrotherapy treatments can make them more comfortable before or during a massage session. Hydrotherapy treatments can also stimulate the skin in different ways—from the body-hugging sensation of being surrounded by water, the thermal sensations of warm or cool, or the scratchy feeling of friction treatment. Hydrotherapy can reduce stress on the massage therapist's hands, as well. Many localized hydrotherapy treatments can replace the massage strokes needed to relax superficial muscles and increase local circulation, hence the client's tissues may be prepared for deeper work with less practitioner effort. And finally, hydrotherapy is an excellent adjunct to rehabilitative bodywork. Cold treatments such as local baths, ice packs, and ice massage stimulate circulation and reduce inflammation, spasm, and pain. Heat treatments soften scar tissue and make muscle tissues easier to stretch. CONTRAINDICATIONS Before giving your clients any hydrotherapy treatments, take a careful health history to alert you to any contraindications. Then, ask clients how they feel about any specific treatment you may have selected. A client who is claustrophobic will not enjoy a body wrap, and someone with a serious aversion to cold will not benefit from ice massage.