Towel Draping

[little.miss.shopaholic]

I believe most of us are familiar with sheet draping, and most use it in our practices. However, I was wondering how many of our therapists use towel draping and if you would be kind enough to describe the towel size and your method.

I am fairly confident I could drape easily with a towel, if I wanted to... but, it's never been my preference and I was not taught in this format. So, I would like to hear from some of you.

I tried to search the forums, but came up lacking.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rachel bby:)]

Towel Draping

I use sheets in my practice but have used towels before, in a spa as an employee. They were not the standard bath towel size- something more like beach towels. On most people, it covered a good portion of their back and went down to their lower legs. I liked how simple it was- simply folding it down for the back and very little to move for the leg.

The drawbacks, as I'm sure you can imagine, you can't move the legs very much due to less security and coverage. Also, some clients didn't like feeling so exposed by me having to hold the towel up vertically as a screen instead of having the little tent you can make with a sheet. It's also easier for clients to get cold.

 

[Nicole_x]

Towel Draping

I realized I didn't exactly describe my technique like you asked. For the legs, since there's not much material it just kind of gets tucked under the thigh instead of pulling it under the leg clear to the side of the table.

I also realized you might also be referring to smaller towels which are covering the buttocks only. I've never used this technique.

 

[jyu_bonk]

Towel Draping

Taoist, I am referring to "any" towel draping, as I am just not that familiar with it. I am interested in any info that therapists have dealt with in the past... for general info.


I found this description in another thread with the con to follow:

...we don't use one big drape that covers the whole body, we use two towels, one covering the stomach up and the other covering the groin down. We start the massage in the prone position, so how am I supposed to grab both towels and make sure I don't expose a woman, either her top half or bottom half?! A man is easier to deal with in this regard I think.

This is a draping technique I've never heard of, and it's quite ridiculous that you're made to turn your back when draping is done. That tells me it's not secure.

 

[Mister Kai]

Towel Draping

I have a client with MS, which heat will aggravate symptoms. My room tends to be warm due to the insulation I've set up. In his session, I use an extra large pillowcase and just drape it over his privates and superior thighs. I don't do a lot of stretching and stuff in his session, so everything stays covered. Never had an issue. I use the pillowcase the same way I would use a sheet. It's almost the same just a different size. I can't imagine a large towel would be any different. There's no tucking but the way the material falls over the body, it's not really necessary.

Where ever that quote came from 'massage trainee', using two separate towels in that manner is just too complicated. Make it simple -one large towel or sheet.

 

[Sara W]

Towel Draping

I use a fitted and flat sheet in my practice, but my school taught everything with a giant bath towel as the main drape and a flat sheet under.

I had a full sized flat sheet that I put on the the table, the client laid on top of the flat sheet and the towel was on top of them lengthwise. Before starting the session, we'd pull the sides of the flat sheet up over the client and towel creating a sort of "burrito". To work the back in prone you simply let the top portion of the flat sheet hang off the sides (it was heavy enough to stay in place over the legs) and fold the towel down. To work the posterior legs I believe we would let one side of the sheet hang off on the side you were working, and took both the towel and the sheet over the opposite leg and tucked them under that opposite leg. I know this worked very well but I can't for the life of me recall what kept the sheet and the towel covering the glutes on the side you were working from separating too much and exposing more than intended :?: Maybe it was just that the sheet and towel had enough combined weight and friction to remain in place as well as they did on the legs while working the back...?

Either way, you'd do the same for the legs in supine, and to work the arms you simply let the sheet on that side hang and pull the arm out from under the towel. I loved the fact that I could easily pull the sheet up over the arm or even the upper trap area to remove excess oil, in case the client was too cold, or just while I was doing compressions.

It was also very convenient when it came time to flip them. Let the sheet on the side your are on hang off, pull the opposite side of the sheet up and over the client as far as possible, shimmy the towel toward you and pin it against the table with your thighs, then lift the opposite edge of the towel and sheet together to create a secure tent for the client to turn over in. You are standing on the side so you don't see anything, your legs are pinning one side while your hands hold the other edges together. Worked like a charm every time! It also made diapering pretty easy.

I hope this helps some

 

[Taken nme :)]

Towel Draping

Fascinating. I've never heard of or seen this method but it doesn't seem to high-maintenance or fussy.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Towel Draping

Fascinating. I've never heard of or seen this method but it doesn't seem to high-maintenance or fussy.

It certainly took a while to get confident with it as a student but I seem to have figured out how the materials reacted and moved with each other during sessions just as you do with body parts, and near the end of school I was quite proud of myself. I was even able to diaper in side lying with out the proffered binder clip. :grin:

That being said, a few months after graduating, I tried using the towel/sheet combo during my very first interview and was so nervous and fumbly I swore off towels right then and there deeming sheets a much safer bet. : I don't even know if I would be able to go back now, though I like to think I could.

ETA: Also, in school the towel worked well to get from behind the changing screen to the table; you'd just wrap it around like after a shower, jump on the table prone, and wiggle and tug a bit to get it undone and the person working on you would then come and spin it lengthwise keeping your bum covered the whole time.

 

[Sadg A]

Towel Draping

I use a fitted sheet on my table and cover most clients with a bath sheet. Bath sheets are much bigger than bath towels and thicker than beach towels. You can find them at places like Target, Walmart, or Bed Bath and Beyond. My clients like the added "weight" from the towel. They are nice to have on hand to throw over a sheet too. Bath sheets are warmer than a sheet and easier to wash than a blanket. For very tall clients it can be a little short though. So I keep a few bath towels on hand to cover up the upper body if needed, or just use my heating pad on the upper back (covered by a towel).

 

[piegowdealer]

Towel Draping

I use sheets at my private office. At the office I work at during the day, they supply towels. These towels are large, most can be covered with one towel. I drape the same as when using sheets but it is harder to keep full coverage, depending on the size of the client. My preference will always be sheets.

 

[Nikki33]

Towel Draping

I use towels to drape. We were taught "diaper" draping in school but I don't know of anyone who draped that way once we left and started working for real.

The towels I use are huge! The are 35-49 inches wide and 65-70 inches long. I have a couple that are even wider that I use for prenatal massage.

Because they are so large, I use them just like you would use a sheet. Since the towels are thicker, they provide better coverage and warmth.

Angie

 

[Pandalism]

Towel Draping

I use towels to drape. We were taught "diaper" draping in school but I don't know of anyone who draped that way once we left and started working for real.

The towels I use are huge! The are 35-49 inches wide and 65-70 inches long. I have a couple that are even wider that I use for prenatal massage.

Because they are so large, I use them just like you would use a sheet. Since the towels are thicker, they provide better coverage and warmth.

Angie

moogie,

May I ask where you get such huge towels (and the larger prenatal ones)? :shocked:

 

[Pompal 09.]

Towel Draping

I've gotten the towels at many different places. My favorite places to look are TJMaxx and Ross because I'm also very frugal, but I have also gotten them at JCPennys, Target, Walmart, Big Lots and other stores. The huge prenatal ones I found at Ross. Technically they are double-wide beach towels but they are a solid color and thicker than most beach towels.

I'm very picky about the quality of my towels so I might go into a store (Ross for example) 10 times and not find any towels that are exceptable but then that next trip I hit the jackpot. When I find them stockpile them as I never know if they will be at the stores when I need them.

Angie