Guest Contributor:
Art Riggs
http://www.deeptissuemassagemanual.com/
How long does it take a client to determine the quality of work when she receives a massage
from a therapist she’s never visited before?
Most people say that within the first minute or two they can predict how the entire massage will feel.
No matter what particular area of expertise or how many sophisticated workshops we have taken, probably no other aspect of our work defines us as therapists and communicates to our clients who we are as the subjective feel of our touch.
The more deeply we work and the more sophisticated our therapeutic goals, the more important a refined touch
becomes.
Most of us have experienced work from therapists well-schooled in advanced therapies who are not proficient
at transmitting that knowledge through their hands to accomplish their goals.
In exploring which modalities to choose; it is important to remember how each of them can effect the body.
Deep Tissue is a specific modality that offers great rewards and benefits.
It is used in a wide variety of treatments. It is known by other terms such as Deep Tissue Work, Medical Massage, Deep Pressure Massage, Neuromuscular Therapy and Trigger Point Work.
Knowing your client and their ability to benefit from this modality is key. We must approach each client individually.
First it is important to review or be well-versed in musculoskeletal anatomy, understanding your origins, point of insertion, actions, fiber directions.
Knowing your anatomy will insure that you are giving your client the most beneficial massage available.
I want to explore the top 3 areas that we need to concentrate on for this modality and how each area has specific and general applications.
#1 fascia. The most abundant tissue type in the body is connective tissue; one type of this tissue is Fascia.
Fascias contain a ground substance that possesses two physical states.
Sol State: thin fluid condition that is more pliant and less restrictive during movement.
Gel State: thicker fluid condition that is tougher and more inflexible, restricts movement.
The Fascia state can be altered to some degree because it possesses a property called thixotropism, the ability to change from one state to another.
During a deep tissue massage you can witness how your client responds by being aware of the condition of their fascia layer. Your hands will be your guides as you feel tension release from their connective tissue and melt away.
#2 Muscle: we have touched on this above. Always remember that knowing musculoskeletal anatomy is key for this modality.
#3 Spasms and Trigger Points: A muscle may experience a spasm as a result of injury from a strain or contusion. This is a general or localized contraction. It is a condition of hypersensitivity. With increased neurological activity summation can occur.
These are also known as tender points. Working in an area of a spasm, if not contraindicated, requires the therapist to maintain contact with the client and remain aware of their pain tolerance. This modality can be aggressive and therapeutic but only if the client has the ability to relax and receive under vigorous massage.
In this post we have covered a very generalized area of Deep Tissue Massage.
We will cover in more depth the areas of this modality that will show why and when we would use these skills and how we as therapist can benefit from them ourselves.
Contributing source :
Massage and Bodywork Magazine
” Choose each day to be blissful and complete, a whole person well cared for by you” Punkie Spelts
