Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/867515
A B M P m e m b e r s e a r n F R E E C E a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / c e b y r e a d i n g M a s s a g e & B o d y w o r k m a g a z i n e 75 Here's how that looks. I'm standing at the side of the table doing a double-knuckles stroke in the upper thoracic erectors, medial of the scapula. As I continue my stroke, somewhere around T6, I start to lose my leaning leverage and I need to reposition myself. First, I pause. Then, as I shuffle my feet, my knuckles never leave the client and I continue to lean without changing my pressure. Once I'm in position, I continue my stroke. By the way, it doesn't matter if you're facing the direction of the stroke or not— you can still segment a long stroke. In Image 2, I'm facing the direction of the stroke with both legs locked, and in Image 3, I am not facing the massage stroke and my back leg is locked. The last piece to making smooth, short-stroke transitions is to keep the same relaxing stroke speed with each short stroke. WHEN TO WORK DEEP Sometimes new clients looking for pain relief ask for deep pressure. My general rule is that I won't work really deep on a new client unless I'm convinced: • The client has had deep massages before and has gotten pain relief from this type of massage. • There's not a false association. If the client answers yes to having gotten relief from deep massage before, I'll investigate throughout the massage to see if the client may have falsely associated pain relief with deep pressure. An example of this could be a client requesting more pressure while I'm massaging them, but is visibly distressed with the current pressure I'm using. • The client doesn't have an unusually high pain tolerance. Combine an unusually high pain tolerance with a false association (no pain, no gain) and you have a recipe for increased pain long after the massage. (That person will not be back. Trust me on that one.) • There are no bone/tissue contraindications (e.g., fractures, herniated discs, bruises, inflammation) in the area(s) where I'm using deep pressure. • There are no general contraindications (e.g., vascular disease, client on blood thinners, bruises easily). • Deep pressure is actually working to reduce pain while I'm doing the massage. Throughout the massage, I'm checking in with the client to see if I'm evoking a pain-relief response or a distressed response. If I'm unsure, I err on the side of over-communication rather than under-communication. 2 3