Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72343
CHANGE YOUR TOOLS Mindfully choose the right tools from the start. However, if you use a certain part of your hand, and it starts to feel uncomfortable, change to a different tool. For example, discomfort commonly arises when the fingers and thumbs are used for applying deep pressure. If this happens, immediately change to your knuckles, fists, forearms, elbows, or a handheld tool. If you lack experience in using other types of tools, you might be tempted to work with pain, rather than changing to another option. Don't let yourself fall into this pattern. Anytime you feel uncomfortable, find a way to change your working tool. MODIFY YOUR TECHNIQUE Manual therapy is an organic and dynamic process in which you and your client work closely together to create the best possible outcome. Thinking about your session this way can help you realize there are many different ways to work with a client. If a certain technique causes your hands discomfort or pain, chances are it's not the best choice for your client either. Be mindful of the wide range of possible solutions. With so many modalities to choose from, there is a good chance you will find at least a few that are comfortable for you and that benefit your client as well. USE YOUR BODY TO HELP YOUR HANDS We help facilitate the healing process of our clients with our hands. It is important to remember that the most effective tool is your entire body moving in synchrony. The next time you begin a session, become aware of how your lower body (pelvis, legs, and feet) moves to support your work and how your upper body (back, head, arms, and hands) moves to facilitate it. Practicing this kind of global body awareness allows you to spread your attention fully throughout your body and specifically to your hands. In this moment, your entire body moves in synchrony, becoming your greatest tool. and therapist since 1990. She coordinated IBM's body mechanics program and authored Body Mechanics for Manual Therapists: A Functional Approach to Self-Care (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2010), now in its third edition. She has a massage and Feldenkrais practice at the Pluspunkt Center for Therapy and Advanced Studies near Zurich, Switzerland. Contact her at barbfrye@hotmail.com. Barb Frye has been a massage educator tune in to your practice at ABMPtv 107