Ticklish feet

[eeyore6802]

Hi everyone!  Haven't been on for a while, but my sister was visiting and made a post under my logon, so I deleted it - something about room decor, but you could tell it wasn't from me!  Sisters, gotta love 'em!   Anyway, since I've been visiting my MT every week for a couple years now, I've noticed that my feet have become extremely ticklish.  I used to have sciatic problems with pain down my leg and tingling feet, but that's mostly gone these day's, thanks to my MT!    But they didn't use to be ticklish.  From what I can tell my MTs technique hasn't changed, my feet have just slowly gotten ticklish.  The massage feels good, it's just that it is so intense that I tense up and I try not to start laughing cause I'm not sure I'll stop.   ;D  My therapist has tried to vary speed, pressure, etc lately after I talked to her about it, but I'm still extremely ticklish - it's to the point where she now just starts off the session with my feet to get it out of the way so I can relax for the rest of the hour.  She then ends the session with some simple ankle and toe joint movement, which is still ticklish.  She said it's fine to laugh and it doesn't bother her, but I really feel silly when I do - it makes me self-conscious for some reason.  How do you all react if a client starts laughing?  Any thoughts on how to un-tickle your feet?  (Now that sounds silly, hahaha)

 

[Fishie<3]

Ticklish feet

Hey NewLife05,

This was a pretty interesting thread:

http://www.bodyworkonline.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=23575


So now that your sciatic problems are under control, maybe your body is presenting another issue.  I have learned that pain migrates as it gets closer to the source.   And there are some trains of thought that say being ticklish is a form of guarding.  Perhaps there's something to you not feeling comfortable laughing.  Maybe subconsiously you don't want to deal with whatever is being triggered.  Maybe you're laughing will turn into crying?

Okay I'm just throwing that out there as a body-mind potential reason.

-OR-

Maybe you have better sensation in your feet now that the sciatic problems are cleared up.

*shrug*

There's a couple of ideas for you to ponder.

 

[funnyarmor]

Actually my MT asked me about pretty much the same thing you did.  Been thinking about it for a while now, but can't consciously come up with anything deep down that's bothering me.  As far as not feeling comfortable laughing, I suspect that comes from getting in trouble so much when I was kid for laughing out loud too much in school (and usually being the only one).  But then I don't have any problems laughing after the session and we're just chatting.  I do know that it's not just during the sessions that my feet tickle - just putting on socks can make me chuckle.  Hmmm...things to ponder...

 

[WouhFluomma]

I have had several clients that have this same problem.  When it happens I just place my hands on the top and bottom of their feet and hold for a few minutes (2-4).  When I go back to massage work.. they are ok.  At least most of the time.  I beleive it settles the abundant energy in their feet therefore relaxing them enough to work.  Try it - maybe it will work for you.

 

[icarus62]

Ticklish feet

I was taught by another therapist to start working on the heel. Using petrissage. That creates a calming effect and can relax the nerves in the rest of the feet. That should make things easier. Also the more massages you get on your feet, your feet will eventually get used to it and you won't be so ticklish anymore. After the sciatica pain subsided, your nerves are feeling a different sensation. They say ticklishness is another form of pain. Maybe so but it will go away eventually as your nerves get used to the new stimulation.

 

[Sushi McPenguin]

Ticklish Feet

Newbie--that's interesting that you did not used to be ticklish but now are. I have an extremely ticklish regular that has evolved into my absolute favorite client (We're probably not supposed to tell you we have "favorites" but I certainly do!)

I'm a reflexologist (an accupressure-type massage that focuses specifically on the feet). She comes in every three weeks or so and laughs the entire time. She goes nuts at her kidney reflexes (right in the middle of the arch) and goes just about hysterical at her toes (eyes and ears particularly) She's been coming in almost a year, and I have to say that in the beginning I was a bit startled, but when we both learned to accept that it was going to tickle, we broke new ground. She doesn't tense up--she just laughs her head off! This causes me to laugh of course, and well, we're both laughing for half and hour. Its the best medicine, right? ;-]

My advice to you is simple: just let it tickle. There is absolutely nothing at all wrong or abnormal about being ticklish. Just go ahead and laugh. My client has changed from a somewhat not-sure-of-herself young woman in the middle of a career change to a bold, confident (albeit ticklish!) top-saleswoman in her company in less than a year. And she told me that she atributes much of her work success to our reflexology sessions. She feels energized, confident and wonderful after giggling and laughing for a good half hour, and I'd like to think the actual reflexology part of it has something to do with it too!

Again, I advise you to just go ahead and let yourself laugh. And be sure to report back here!

Good luck!

(I had an earlier thread I started here that talked much more in depth on this but I think it was erased along with the rest of the board a couple of months ago)