Body Part - Back - Techniques

[Jarhead]

Hi.

I envision a sticky for this thread in the future (and the other body part threads I'll start!), if this goes well.

We could utilize this sort of like the "Massage Pearls" thread. Anything you find interesting within the MassagePlanetL forums regarding a specific part body and the work surrounding it, could be parked in this thread. Obviously we may end up with some thoughts duplicated from the Massage Pearls, but who cares!!!! The more, the merrier!

In addition, if you'd just be interested in posting some neat techniques you do for this particular body part, that would be wonderful too!

Consider items like:

• Amount of time you generally spend on this body part.
• Amount of time you can spend on this body part.
• Techniques you may use to stretch out a massage while working this body part (example: you need to pass a few minutes to get back on track -- swedish therapists may really appreciate this info).
• How you incorporate other bodyparts at the same time when you are working this area (example: long strokes in working the hip with one hand and the posterior calf with the other -- in unison).
• Techniques for specific problems or patterns.
• Draping/loose draping/non-draping information - the why & why-nots associated with this area.
• Tell us something that just feels good!
• Types of lotions/oils you would use for the technique and why.
• How to perform deeper work or lighter work in the region.
• Case Study Examples from your practice.
• Bonus thoughts that you may have that would be helpful to new and old therapists alike!

Without further ado .... it's all about the back!!!!

 

[Aundrea]

Here's a nice little tip when working the lower back - and this can be added quite simply to a swedish or even deeper massage.

• While in swedish stroke mode (double handed) sweeping the back from the shoulders to the lower back (granted this pic I found shows a little deeper than swedish work, but you get the general movement idea and when making the "pit stop" noted below, I use about as much pressure as is shown in this picture)...
  
  
  
  
  
• Next, make a "pit stop" with the just the thumbs, at the region of the top of the sacrum, and not "ON" the spinal column. I plant each thumb on either side of the L4/L5 region and engaging the iliac regions. As always, make sure your client does not have any contraindications for this type of work.
  
• Now, the body can be rocked side to side with a good firm touch from the thumb contacts (I have done this to the tune of about 11 "rocks").
  
• When done, the sweeping swedish movement can be followed through back up toward the shoulders.

01/15/09 - edited for more explanation as a photo I found and linked to disappeared from the net

 

[iamcrazyy]

peuppi,

The inclusion of the photos works well to explain things. Thanks!

 

[Tazzer]

After doing a very slow myofascial release down the back to the iliac crests, have a your client slowly inhale deeply three times from the diaphragm while you apply palmar compression bilaterally to the iliac crests.

I love myo work and this is especially helpful in loosening up the layers. Just remember to take your time. You might want to heat pack the lower back while you myo the upper.

 

[ACW]

Myofascial glides using your elbow/forearms up and down the erectors - slowly - the tissue has to warm up to allow movement.

I have also found that there are a couple of Tuina (Chinese Massage) techniques that work really well and are not so taxing. Simple compressions all along the erectors and iliac. Work SLOWLY with this. But you can use lots of pressure - let gravity be your friend in this case! Rolling is another Tuina technique. When done right it feels like a rolling pin is being used to roll out pie dough! You use the edge of your palm and just roll it back and forth as you glide along the muscles. (The action comes from your shoulder, not your wrist). Again, it works real well along the erectors. This can be done with clothes on, or through a towel, same as with the compressions.

But remember always, if its not comfortable for you, then its not comfortable for the client either!

Jon_O, do you do this rolling motion with the heel of your hand/palm or how? (I was visualizing a rolling & kneading motion with the heel of the hand - near pisiform bone. ?) I do a few MFR and Tui Na techniques; always incorporate skin rolling, but can never lift the skin well until AFTER a great deal of work.

Jill,
Your hand is on them like you just did a karate chop and left it in contact. You are using your hypo thenar emminance. When you get good at it your whole hand (ant and post palm) will make contact as you roll your hand back and forth, almost a flopping motion. I have found that the Tuina work is great as a demo at trade shows and such. Using the accupressure points, compressions, rolling and scrubbing techniques can leave a person very well relaxed over just 10 minutes of treatment. And they didn't even have to get undressed!

 

[Voldemar H. Guerta]

pics are great

thanks for the pics I'm a visual learner so it helped a great deal.

 

[Shaji K]

visual learner

me again, just wondering if there is a site outthere that will help with being a visual learner. I like it when BW will put there ideas into pics. thanks : :undecided:

 

[Tint]

petedose,

I believe our Resources Section has some lists of good videos and gives places you can rent from as well.

 

[trustluvlove]

I know that staying in tune with my client is key to knowing what they need.

My instructor had us use our imaginations when we were massaging. Having us "make up stories" about the muscles...asking what does this muscle feel like, what color is it, what is it's texture...stuff like that, and there is no wrong answer, especially if you just let yourself listen to whatever comes to mind first.

When I massaged her the vision I got was that her upper back felt very woody and her erector spinae was like the trunk of the tree...the tree felt very hard and nonmoving to me. My goal was to loosen up the branches in her upper back and "till the soil" in the low back to get the roots some nourishment. The moves I used were the same as with any other client, but my intention is what made all the difference.

I struggled with using my imagination this way, but have found that it's very helpful and I love "making up stories" about the muscles now.

 

[superman2990]

Stretching Quadratus Lumborum

With the client laying on side with spine at the edge of the table....therapist stands behind client supporting their back with your abdomen....client's bottom leg is bent and top leg is straight....top arm is above head (so top limbs are basically in a straight line - outstretched)...top leg comes off the table behind client and therapist pushes gently down on leg while stabilizing outstretched arm and supporting back. Therapist helps client return leg to table.

Wow writing directions is hard...I hope you can follow that okay. It's a pretty good stretch.

There is a photo of that stretch on this site ...

http://www.stretchyourclients.com/preview.html

 

[NOt Me]

When finishing, starting at the feet I compress the sheets over the entire body - makes a nice final connection, warms the skin again, and also takes up oil - followed by a gentle rock of the body near the waist, and then three gentle swipes down the body.

 

[Nunya B]

[Beginning the massage]I always have my hands gently contacting the client's upper back and sacrum and ask the client to take three deep breaths breathing from their stomach, the first one I have them breath normally, the second while they're holding their breath, I ask them to hold it a second and then let it out through their mouth. The third breath: hold for a count of three. At the end of the session, I have them concentrate on their breathing again.

The first tends to slow their body down and make them more receptive to the massage; while the second tends to gently bring them back from where ever they've been during the massage. I also have my hands placed as above in order to help ground them further.

 

[nicksaysno]

I discuss with my client what they want from the treatment, and what do they want to feel in their body at the end of it. Then once agreed they are left to undress and get on the table, when i get back I place one hand on the clients shoulder or upper back and ask them what it was they wanted to feel in their body, then i repeat it back to them and ask them to confirm if they don't - a simple yes.

Then with my hand on their lower back I ask them to take three nice deep slow breaths, on the second outbreath I gently say "feel your body relaxing".

I have made them mentally aware of what we are going to achieve in the session with a positive outcome - which is very important. I am then very concious not to say anything that may counteract that throughout the treatment. For example, while working their shoulders I wouldn't make a comment like "oooh your shoulders are really tense" because they will then think that they are, and they become tenser.

At the end of the massage I usually perform a series of compressions around the body, back, shoulders, glutes, legs and finally the feet.

Once the client has dressed I ask how the feel and will usually get a positive response which I always follow with "Excellent, well done!". And I think that is really important, to compliment the client on doing a good job of letting go and releasing.

 

[sdprice84]

If the QL or erectors are hypertonic on the left lumbar is it not often the case that there will be hypertonicity in the serratus posterior inferior and superior on the right side? Have you checked the opposite diagonals for aneforum.xxxonist response? Often the QL will be balanced by the abdominal obliques or the erectors by the rectus abdominus and the serati by the coastal internals on the opposite side. In my opinion they are more often than not the primary agonists in antalgic posture; therefore just relaxing the muscles on the back may only refresh them to counter the opposing hypertonicity but not relieve the stress across the joints.

My choice is to work interactively with the client; monitoring insertions and origins where accessible and holding firm pressure on trigger points traveling with the muscle as necessary. I explain as we work through the pattern that "this good muscle has been loyally holding you up in a protective position and now it needs recreation in order to continue to work cooperatively with its associates".( I don't want clients coming back and saying "that bad muscle is acting up again.")

Working with clients this way helps them own responsibility for their own body and familiarizes them with the movements that they will be doing in there.

Many muscles will have a counterstrain where an emergency response to a strain sends out a signal for a protective contraction which never gets canceled. Positional release, where the muscle is held in its shortened position until the emergency response is canceled, will often set the agonist and aneforum.xxxonist into normal tonus.

On a Micro scale the spine has diagonal muscles from spinus to transverse from one segment or several. Also there are ligaments that act like hinges and stay wires to limit and control the direction of motion. If the ligaments are stretched or torn the allow the vertebrae to drift from their normal position causing muscles to produce motion or position that is contrary to the expectation of the cerebellum and setting off a series of compensations that can be very complicated and painful over time.

My choice is to use a process that has been called zero balancing, by supplying a fulcrum that allows the short hypertonic muscle to make the expected motion thus accomplishing its task and returning to normal tonus.

 

[ESS-93]

I took a Lomi Lomi class this past January and fell in love with it. I now incorporate Lomi Lomi into almost every massage. It has made my massage "flow" better and I now incorporate my forearms and elbows more in my massage. When I do a full Lomi Lomi massage, my clients typically tell me it was the most relaxing massage they have ever had. I was taught to keep a rhythmic 1-2-3 motion throughout the massage and that really seems to be soothing to the clients. The only problem is that I don't do a full Lomi Lomi massage often enough for it to be second nature, so the whole time I'm concentrating on counting in my head 1,2,3 1,2,3, ... instead of focusing as much as I would like on the client.