Big bellied men

[Pompal 09.]

I had a client come in yesterday to discuss massage. He booked for this afternoon. He carries most of his extra weight in his stomach area. He looks like he has a basket ball under his shirt.

I have never had a client shaped quite this way before. I am thinking I will have to put him in a side lying position. Has anyone ever worked on a man with this shape before? I have my doubts that he will be comfortable face down. I do have a pregnancy donut pillow, but I don't know that it will work with him or even how I would get him to use it without quite a bit of embarrassment on his part. Besides, even my pregnant clients don't use the PP for the entire pregnancy, they don't find it comfortable enough, so by the last trimester, they opt for side lying. Besides, with his shape, I doubt he would be comfortable with it even if he did try it out. It is a rather large basketball he has under his shirt. If you saw him from the back, you would never know he had it there.

 

[Eric C.]

Big bellied men

Wow- I dunno. Haven't experienced this yet. I'll be keeping tabs on this thread to find out what others do, though- thanks for asking the question!

 

[AFKnight]

Big bellied men

I opt for side lying, and incorporate plenty RM arm/shoulder work. There are plenty of ways to describe why you are working them on their side without implying that it's because of the belly.
The intent and focus on them will shine through.

Darren

 

[StrawDog]

Big bellied men

You could ask if he prefers to lie face up on his back, face down, or on his side. Might be no big deal to him either way.

 

[schwendelicious]

Big bellied men

Hee hee.. I just thought of a good one: "I've learned some fantastic new moves for - shall we see how you like them? It goes like this:...." And you position them side-lying or whatever. LOL!

 

[lil g]

Big bellied men

I would just work on him as usual, face-down and face-up, although I do always ask a new client about comfort/discomfort in all 3 positions just in case.
I would raise up the face cradle if needed, and place a rolled-up towel under the front of each shoulder for support. It's very likely that the basketball-tummy will squish out laterally -- it's not like he's going to be balancing on top of it. t002
I work with lots of big people, and traditional positioning is rarely a real problem. Just offer pillows for support as you would for anyone else.

 

[Nala]

Big bellied men

I would just work on him as usual, face-down and face-up, although I do always ask a new client about comfort/discomfort in all 3 positions just in case.
I would raise up the face cradle if needed, and place a rolled-up towel under the front of each shoulder for support. It's very likely that the basketball-tummy will squish out laterally -- it's not like he's going to be balancing on top of it. t002
I work with lots of big people, and traditional positioning is rarely a real problem. Just offer pillows for support as you would for anyone else.

Ditto. That belly is soft and spreadable. Raising the face rest and supporting the shoulders is all I need to do to keep them comfortable in prone.

 

[Anunu]

Big bellied men

I'm with Beccy and Sharon on this one. It's not like he's got a baby in there that might get "squished"...

I would think that he could go face down for at least part of the massage... as long as it's comfortable for him. I would just tell him what you usually do... (if you start face up or face down...) and then as with most massages ask him to let you know if he is uncomfortable, cold, etc. Be ready to "adapt" by having the necessary things to properly bolster him in the room already and in just a minute you can have him resting more comfortably on a side if needed.

When I was in MT school 13 years ago I had a very large woman client. And she requested the Body Cushion that my school had available in storage, said it was the only way she could comfortably get massage. *shrug*

I've had some pretty large clients (male and female) at the spa. Never really had anybody complain that the were not comfortable on the table...

Did have a couple tall guys whose feet hung off the end of the table though... LOL

 

[raf viaxogs]

Big bellied men

My husband has "truck driver physique" and he's my guinea pig for everything.
He has more than 100 extra lbs he's toting and at first I worried about his breathing. I put a regular bed pillow (medium fluff) under his chest and raise the face cradle to suit him and a bolster under his ankles.
He's asleep by the time I get to the first leg.

I has a session with a young man almost 400 lbs. I offered the pillow. no dice. He was blissed-out without it.

hope that helps

 

[darkness234]

Big bellied men

Many times, if the client is not comfortable "just" on their tummy without bolstering, I suggest you use a bolster under the ASIS regions. This is also a good way to help with clients who have severe lower back pain.

I'd most likely go this route before using a "preggo-pillow".

Try it on yourself in order to be comfortable with it, but it's quite a simple trick and easy to perform... Have the client lay prone (face down) and then ask him to lift his hips... next, slide the bolster straight across the table, under his ASIS (Anterior Superior Iliac Spine) regions. You could also use a pillow folded in half length-wise if you don't have a bolster.

Looks something like this:

 

[TomTom]

Big bellied men

Many times, if the client is not comfortable "just" on their tummy without bolstering, I suggest you use a bolster under the ASIS regions. This is also a good way to help with clients who have severe lower back pain.

I'd most likely go this route before using a "preggo-pillow".

Try it on yourself in order to be comfortable with it, but it's quite a simple trick and easy to perform... Have the client lay prone (face down) and then ask him to lift his hips... next, slide the bolster straight across the table, under his ASIS (Anterior Superior Iliac Spine) regions. You could also use a pillow folded in half length-wise if you don't have a bolster.

Looks something like this:

Great suggestion Pueppi!

I do this for some of my female clients who have big bellies and low back issues. It makes them much more comfortable.

Raising the face cradle also makes a huge difference in their comfort level.

Angie

 

[calley]

Big bellied men

Where I was trained - it's standard for every client to have a pillow under their hips and ankles. I've yet to have a client request the one under the hips be removed - and my large chested female clients, and clients with big bellies, love it!

 

[angelinaguerin23]

Big bellied men

I have one client I see regularly, he carries all of his extra weight in his abdomen. He was diagnosed with a prolapsed disc in the lumbar spine. He also has anterior drop in his pelvis and excessive lordosis. The first time I worked on him, I bolstered him at the ASIS and ankles, as I was taught to do for someone with these issues. He found the bolster under the ASIS to relieve discomfort in his low back somewhat, but not enough for him to "put up" with the pelvic bolster (can be a little fussy about getting comfortable). He is extremely uncomfortable with only the bolster under his ankles, as this increased the lordosis. So, I removed the ankle bolster. Now when I have him prone, he is always without bolsters.

My BF is a big guy at 6 ft and 350 lbs. He just could not get comfortable AT ALL on the table in prone or supine, because he felt like he had to hold his arms close to his body, and could not relax since he "felt" he would fall off the table. It was to the point where he actually told me he did not enjoy massage, which was heart breaking to me. I finally, after about 3 months of frustratingly trying to make him comfortable, suggested side-lying and he was instantly comfortable - AHHHHH - probably much better for his apnea issues, and he now requests massage. t007

And - I have a female client who is very slim (not large chested, or belly) who requests the ASIS bolster because it gives her relief from excessive lordosis. (which she feels, but I do not necessarily see.... SO? t102 )

Whatever works for that person. And I make sure to emphasize that at any point if they become uncomfortable to let me know, so I can make changes.

 

[Ladybugs]

Big bellied men

I've had clients [of both genders] with "over large" bellies and they were generally just fine with being prone. Let your client guide you as to what is most comfortable for him and go from there.

 

[Derek M]

Big bellied men

he felt like he had to hold his arms close to his body, and could not relax since he "felt" he would fall off the table.

Three words: side arm extensions!