The hands are the most important tool. They are sensitive and versatile and can transmit all kinds of information about the condition of the tissue. Different parts of the hand will be used depending on what stroke technique is used such as the heel of the hand, the fingers, the thumbs, the fists or assisted hands.
You should always begin a massage with a superficial effleurage stroke which is applied to the back; some therapists begin a massage by applying a warm towel to the soles of the feet. Once the tissue has been warmed up through effleurage strokes and any adhesions have been identified, deeper strokes such as friction or vibration can then be applied.
Direction
The choices of direction are longitudinal, transverse and circular. Each
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Speed at the beginning of any massage you do you will begin with a superficial effleurage stroke which is to warm up the muscles and can be done at a moderate speed. when you move from this to a deeper stroke to identify adhesions you will need to make this a slower speed so that there is no friction to the skin, dragging of the tissues under the skin. Follow the rule “the deeper you go, the slower you go”.
If the massage stroke is too fast for the depth of the stroke, this may cause a “jerking” motion across the skin which can be very uncomfortable for the client and interrupt the integrity and continuity of the massage. The speed of each stroke should be modified to allow you to smoothly flow from one stroke to another, such as from a friction stroke to an effleurage stroke.
Pressure
Pressure should apply light and superficial at the start of session to warm up the tissue and prepare it for deeper work as well as to assess the condition of the tissue and determine which areas need attention.
During and at the end the end the application of the deeper strokes, light effleurage should be applied to indicate that the massage is coming to an end; for example, light strokes can be applied up the
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When applying any massage stroke you should maintain continuity with the client (always keep one had in contact with their body); do not wait for one hand to reach the top of the back before applying the stroke with the next hand, but instead begin the stroke with the second hand when the first hand is about 50% of the way up the back.
Duration
The duration of each massage stroke will be unique to your client; for example, a superficial effleurage stroke to warm up the muscles may take longer for a client who has a higher body fat percentage than a lean client.
Techniques such as hacking should only be applied for a few seconds so that the skin is not irritated, no damage is done to the soft tissue beneath the skin such as haematomas and so that the stroke does not cause pain to the client.
Friction strokes are applied in order to break down adhesions; obviously the time for this stroke will vary for each client depending on the size, density and location of the adhesion. It is important to remember that it is very unlikely that you will be able to totally eradicate an adhesion in one massage treatment; it usually happens over the course of several regular massage
c) Symptoms The main symptoms of stroke can be remembered with the word FAST: Face-Arms-Speech-Time. Face – the face may have dropped on one side, the person may not be able to smile or their mouth or eye may have dropped. Arms – the person with suspected stroke may not be able to lift both arms and keep them there because of arm weakness or numbness in one arm.
Kolcaba, K., Dowd, T., Steiner, R., & Mitzel, A. (2004). Efficacy of hand massage for enhancing the comfort of hospice patients. Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing, 6(2), 91-102. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=12&sid=2de162ef-afff-4a48-8415-83dcedf9530a%40sessionmgr110&hid=104
Touch is as essential to a healthy and happy life as eating right, getting proper sleep, and exercising. With the world growing more technological, the need for healthy human contact is more important than ever. Massage and body therapies are an age old healing refuge for us in this fast-paced, stressed-out world. The practice of massage therapy is rapidly growing in the United States. It has so much to offer and is becoming more widely accepted by doctors and the general public. Massage is touching another person by such movements as rubbing, kneading, pressing, rolling, slapping, and tapping. This type of therapy provides circulation of the blood and lymph, relaxation of muscles, relief from pain, restoration of metabolic balance, and many other benefits both physical and mental. There is much historical evidence to indicate that massage is one of the earliest remedies for pain relief and for the restoration of a healthy body. It is said to be the most natural and instinctive means of relieving pain and discomfort. Massage has proven to be an effective method for treating many conditions for thousands of years and it will continue to be used for thousands of years to come. Massage therapy is a great treatment for the body and soul.
The application of massage to promote comfort and healing is not a new concept. According to Moyer, Rounds, and Hannum (2004) the practice of MT is traceable back to Ancient Greek and Chinese cultures, as well as Hindu, Japanese and Roman cultures. As early as 400 BC, Hippocrates used rubbing to treat patience with stiffness and even earlier still; the use of MT is recorded in the Chinese tradition as early as the second century (Field, 1998). Although considered a part of...
The World Health Organisation (2013) explains that an Ischaemic stroke occurs as a result of a blood vessel becoming blocked by a clot, reducing the supply of oxygen to the brain and, therefore, damaging tissue. The rationale for selecting Mary for this discussion is; the author wishes to expand her evidenced based knowledge of stroke since it is the principal cause of disability and the third leading cause of mortality within the Scottish population (Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), 2008) and, therefore, a national priority. In response to this priority, the Scottish Government (2009) produced their ‘Better Heart Disease and Stroke Care Action Plan’. Additionally, they have introduced a HEAT target to ensure 90% of stroke patients get transferred to a specialised stroke unit on the day of admission to hospital (Scottish Government, 2012).
These groups include effleurage, petrissage, tapotement, vibration and friction. Each of these movements can be used in many different ways to create specific effects and benefits for the individual client. Effleurage consists mainly of light, long, sweeping movements allowing the hands to softly run over the surface of the skin. This movement is used for application of massage medium such as oil and also the general warming of an area by creating an erythema (redness) on the clients skin.... ...
“Time is brain” is the repeated catch phrase when addressing the treatment and management of stroke (Saver, 2006). Access to prompt and appropriate medical care during the first few hours of stroke onset is critical to patient survival and outcomes. Recent changes in the guidelines for acute stroke care released by the American Heart Association (AHA) and the American Stroke Association (ASA) have improved patient access to treatment. Stroke treatment now follows the model of myocardial infarction treatment. Hospitals are categorized into four levels based on stroke treatment capability. The most specialized treatment is available in comprehensive stroke centers followed by primary stroke centers, acute stroke-ready hospitals, and community hospitals. The use of telemedicine now enables even community hospitals, with limited specialized capabilities, to care for stroke patients. Telemedicine puts emergency hospital personnel in contact with neurologists providing expertise in the evaluation of a stroke patient and determination of their eligibility for treatment with thrombolytic medication (Jefferey, 2013).
time. The result of this method dried the skin of the body into a leathery
There is a total of five steps in the Therapeutic Touch technique. The first step is called centering, which is meditation this is used to make sure that the patient is calm. The second step is assessment, which is where the practitioner moves their hands 2-4 inches over the patient to detect where the patient has an imbalance of energy. Third step is unruffling it’s also called intervention, which is when the practitioner is trying clear the energy flow so it can be symmetric. The forth step is balancing or rebalancing energy, this is when energy is being redirected to where it needs to be. The final step is called evaluation/closure, which is when the practitioner decides when they’re finished, but they usually repeat this process 2-3 times. Usually this process does not involve any type of contact unless the practitioner uses the old form of Therapeutic
What is massage therapy? There are two separate ways to approach massage therapy, from an eastern medicine perspective it is based more on energy within the body and holistic healing, whereas in western medicine it is more from a muscular physiology point of view. Massage therapy according Moyer, Rounds, and Hannum (2004) is “the manual manipulation of soft tissue intended to promote health and well being”. According to most people this type of therapy does the body good either way you look at it. Always hearing people complain about their head hurting and saying they need a good massage, does this actually work. Seeing people rubbing their temples and the backs of their necks when they have a headache makes us assume that’s what works, otherwise why would they continues doing it. Well let’s find out what experiments say.
There are many different things that a massage therapist must do. First off they have to find somewhere to work and get clients, but that’s the obvious. There are also things they have to do after this, other than just massage. In an interview with Stephanie Melroy, who owns and runs The Massage Studio in Holdrege, she said to me, “A lot of high school girls are really interested in massage therapy but most of them don’t realize all the work and education that it requires. The classes that you take aren’t the easiest either. You have to take a lot of anatomy and physiology, know every bone, muscle, and nerve and they work.” You’ll to prepare the client before the massage, which might include: applying heat, alcohol, lubricants, salt, or other rubbing compounds. Of course the massage therapist will massage the client using kneading, rubbing, and/or stroking movements. You also need to know different types of diseases and skin irritations because if they have a certain kind of disease you can’t treat them. But there are also many types of massage or therapy that they might do. This includes Hydrotherapy, Swedish massage, Sports massage, Shiatsu, Trager, Hellerwork, Polarity, Reflexology, Acupressure, Rolfing, and many more. Other than a manual massage they might also use mechanical or electrical machines as well.
Massage Therapy The practice of massage therapy is rapidly growing in the United States. It has numerous benefits to offer and is becoming more widely accepted as a medical practice by doctors and the general public. Massage is defined as: …the systematic manual or mechanical manipulations of the soft tissues of the body by such movements as rubbing, kneading, pressing, rolling, slapping, and tapping, for therapeutic purposes such as promoting circulation of the blood and lymph, relaxation of muscles, relief from pain, restoration of metabolic balance, and other benefits both physical and mental (Beck 3). There is much historical evidence to indicate that massage is one of the earliest remedies for pain relief and for the restoration of a healthy body.
3. Pre-turn your cycle setting to the right setting. (Permanent press, delicates, or normal are the most common settings.)
The other step is to massage your feet to relieve the tension and pressure on your muscles.
move from hub to edge and back up to 50 times per second. It is hard