Very Large Client - advice please

[alcor69_69]

I have a client coming in next week for a leg and foot massage.

I believe she wants to sit up, not lie down for this. I am used to my clients lying down.

Although my table has a lifting backrest it is not really for 'heavy' use as the supports seem a bit spindly to me. It strains with my hubby leaning against it and he is only 13 stone.

I am worried she will collapse the backrest! She is rather large, around 20 stone.

What would be your advice.

I have no time (or money) to buy a heavy duty bed between now and then!

 

[Pompal 09.]

DO NOT USE YOUR COUCH! There may be a sticky label somewhere on it that states the load it can bear. A therapy centre where I used to work had a couch that collapsed with a client 'on board' - she was around 19 stone and really, at the assessment stage, should have been advised that she could not be treated at the centre (they changed their criteria that day). Not only was she heavy, but she also had all sorts of problems, mainly physical, that the therapists were not sufficiently qualified to treat.

Could you treat her whilst she is sitting on a chair, with a footstool supporting her legs?

 

[ishmel]

My couch is rated for 35 stone, but I don't believe a word of it.

I have had an 18 stone chap on there, lying down and it was fine but it does not have the large metal bar that engages like heavy duty couches. It has small metal side mechanisms and they have always looked none too robust to me so I don't use them.
My couch is a mobile (ha ha it weighs a tonne) wooden one with thick legs. I couldn't have static because I need to put it away to get the crash mat out instead for disabled children who have safety issues with the couch. Limited space is problematic.

I will have to get her to lie down with pillows under her head or something. Otherwise she will have to be massaged in the waiting area on a chair!

I will still have to purchase some kind of heavy stool or pedicure support.
How I will massage the back of her portly thighs without her lying down boggles the mind.

 

[blueflamex171]

Cushions on the floor is one answer, Katerina, if your own body is up to that.

Remember that you need to look after your own well being, so it might be that another answer would be to refer this client on to someone with the heavy duty couch she would require.

The population as a whole *is* becoming heavier ... however, the fact that this woman is seeking to improve her health through massage is a good sign.

But Jabba's right - don't use the couch as they can collapse.

Fx

 

[James E]

If she has already requested sitting up, it sounds like she wants a pedicure type massage, where the 'leg massage' only goes up as far as the knees, she is unlikely to expect the back of her thighs to be worked on. She possibly has body issues and doesn't want to have to get undressed for a massage and thinks asking for foot and leg will avoid the undressing situation, you just have to hope she turns up wearing either a skirt on or wide enough trousers so that you can roll them up to the knees. Have a long sarong type thing for her to wrap herself in if she has to take off trousers, she won't want to sit there in her underpants.

She possibly doesn't feel comfortable is a glitzy spa environment but likes the massage bit of a pedicure.

If you are prepared to sit on the floor with her in a chair, you should be OK. If you sit on a stool (unless it is a very low stool) she will probably be uncomfortable due to her foot being so high and she may not be flexible enough for it to be comfortable.

There are lots of pedicure massage videos on youtube, the cndvideo ones are good, check out their Marine SpaPedicure Part 2 and Earth SpaPedicure Part 2 videos for a bit of an idea. (and the first parts might give you a few more ideas, but that's more nail stuff). There's also Pedicure by OPI - Pressure Point Massage 1 & 2 on YouTube too. (CND and OPI are both big nail/mani/pedi companies) That type of thing may be what she is hoping for.

 

[Jonathan B]

'Caring' therapist, eh?

 

[Alex Beth]

As Cola said, she may well be uncomfortable undressing. She may be worried about getting up on the couch (and thus actually be saying she wants a chair rather than a couch massage), she may be physically uncomfortable lying flat. You may not mean it the way it comes over, but it sounded a little bit to me as if this lady was actually someone you would rather not treat. I may be well off beam with that, and apologies if I am, but talking about doing her treatment in the waiting area, and talking about her portly thighs, all implies to me a discomfort about touching this woman's body. If that's the case, I would suggest you don't treat her - she will sense any 'fattist' vibes coming from you, and I think that would do a lot more harm than good. While I am nothing like this woman's weight, I am bigger than the body perfect images I see in spa pictures, and I would be so upset if I thought that the therapist who I was trusting to massage me was reluctant to lay her hands on my body. Absolutely you need to provide a safe environment for both you and her, and if you can't do that, then you can't treat her. Likewise you shouldn't treat her if you have limited skill in adjusting to your clients needs - you mention you are used to your clients lying down (which is your issue, not hers). But also it's inappropriate to offer her a second class service because of her weight.

 

[The Bear]

The couch itself can most likely take the weight but the problem is with heavier people they are less agile and often move more abruptly.

quoted weights of tables are for distributed weight and a lot of them will take around 30 stone on the table but its how the heavier client gets on and off and turns etc while on there that is important.

for example, say she wanted to fix herself while on the couch and shimmy into the back rest to get more snug then she would be putting all her force through he lower back/bum area and this the couch is taking a lot of force in one area which is not distributed weight. the base boards on a lot of couches are only 5mm thick and will break this way.

I would advice not to use the couch with this lady, although its harder work on your body I might use a thai massage mattress for this situation, they are comfy for the client but its harder work on you as you are working more or less on the ground.

 

[eYo]

hi,
if your client has already requested she sits up, then like the others said i would maybe have a foot stool and have her sitting in a chair and adapt your technique, maybe you could practise this sitting postition on a friend to see how your body copes with it, as the way i see it this is a large woman wanting to be pampered or even better have her circulation improved, and i would embrace it with open arms as its a challenge that needs to be overcomed as not everyone is light and skinny. And part of being a therapist is being able to adjust to different techniques or postions. Maybe you can explain how you would like her to sit and how you will perform the treatment make her feel as comfortable as possible so that her size becomes less of an issue and her treatment becomes the main concern.

Laylaxx

 

[LambChops]

I am a mature lady who is a size 16 plus myself, so I have no problems with heavier clients.
As for the portly thighs bit, mine are not much different than hers! I was just trying to inject humour into the situation as levity seems somewhat lacking in everyday life these days. People take everything too seriously.

I am more concerned for her safety than anything.

I am a very caring therapist and go out of my way to help people.
I run a charity providing free therapy for Autistic children and work by donation only for members of the public. All the money goes to the kids and I do not pay myself any wage.

I am affronted by the comments and quite sad that people should think I was horrid.

 

[permanentmonday249]

Hi Katerina

As a "skinny" who has had the p*** taken out of for all my life, I do empathise with "fatties" who get grief for their size. I don't see "portly" as a negative term, and I think a few Hp members took your post too seriously. There is need for a sense of humour transplant for many Hp members! Lots of Lol )

As a massage therapist who is mainly mat-based, providing massage at floor level is quite easy if your knees and lower back can handle it. In fact you can provide nice flowing deep tissue oil massage on the floor better than on a couch.

Best wishes

RP

 

[Kiz]

It's a common response unfortunately when someone challenges something to say they have no sense of humour. And actually, I was careful to say that was the impression I received, and apologised in advance if I had taken the wrong meaning. There is a lot of talk of this forum about 'professionalism', and it's often used in contexts that I don't consider particularly important. However, I think one thing that *is* important is that we are careful about how we talk about our clients - this forum has a vast membership, we don't know who is reading, and how comfortable would we feel if this lady was reading this about her size (which incidently is a LOT more that 16+ if she really is 20 stone), and comments about her legs, or treating her in the waiting area? I would be mortified to think so if she were someone I was treating. I have read some pretty nasty and untrue comments about me on this forum, (not by anyone on this thread, I hasten to add) which while they didn't name me, were very clearly directed at me. I wouldn't wish that on anyone else. And if that means I've had a sense of humour bypass, then so be it, I'm afraid.

 

[gabrielle]

Lets forget her size/weight for a minute....

I would say that if I was a seeker of massage and had asked for a sitting treatment for my feet and legs, I would expect to get one....and probably expect to sit on a chair.

Not to be asked

* to lie on the floor,
* lie on a couch,
* be treated in a "public" waiting room

 

[Hockouche]

Absolutely!

 

[Serena Wilkinson]

There are times when I have to climb upon my massage table, or at least rest my knee on it just to get closer to the little person lying in the middle of it - but then there are times when I thank God for my 30" table lol

I once had a big guy sit in my Lafuma reflexology chair. He must have been a good 25 st. The chair was creaking and squeaking and I feared it would be the last person it ever supported. It came through the ordeal, fortunately.

It would seem natural to seat a client in a chair, if they had requested a massage sitting up. I did once have someone sit on a 'normal' chair...and it collapsed! He was over 30st mind. Sometimes you've just gotta say no, for the sake of the chair


J

 

[realist101]

Im 19 stone and 5ft 6 so very overweight. I often fear that I will break chairs so sometimes wont sit on one I feel is not sturdy enough and make an excuse to stand up. We have a massage couch which we use in our body piercing studio (soon to become complementary therapy studio as well). Its a pretty cheap affair and I sit on it with no problem - but I would not allow a customer to do this unless I was sure it was ok. With the couches - isnt the weight given for the table a working weight - so also has to include the force given by the therapist. So the weight it can take would also depend on the treatment given.

Incidentally the overweight do not all lack agility - it depends on your fitness which can apply to slimmer people too. Personally I ski and snowboard - have just returned from skiing in Austra in fact and Im not a spring chicken either at 51.

An awful lot of overweight people are very sensitive to the stereotypical image given to them by the media and it is easy to offend without realising it. This thread has not offended me and Im sure its intention was not to offend, but it is important to be aware that some people are very distressed about their weight and society's views and assumptions.

I know this is an older thread and I hope it is ok to reply to it.

 

[Lamber-vox]

ive had a few lets say larger clients on my couch and have had no problem, my couch is an over sized one which can be laid flat on the floor, so i always give my clients the option on having the couch set up normally or laid flat on the floor.

ask the client on the day what she is expecting from you regarding type of massage, you should have a chair ready if she only wants her feet and lower legs massaging.

unfortunately the world is becoming a larger place so i would look at getting yourself a better couch, like i said mine is larger than the average, has a think bed and can hold a lot of weight, plus has the added bonus on being able to be laid flat on the floor, which is good if you provide other types of therapies, my couch was only around £150 and ive had it about 5 years and still looks brand new, im mobile so it gets folded a lot.

talk to your client and go from there

 

[araflaxiz]

I would let her sit on a chair and use a foot stool. I wouldn't want to risk using the couch - I'd be worrying all the way through the massage in case it collapsed.

I provide a foot and lower leg massage to people and have both used a couch and one of those reclining reflexology chairs for it but I'm not sure if the reflexology chair would be any better or not (probably not!).

I have several clients who are on the larger side and they find it difficult laying on their back flat not just from a comfort point of view but because they find it difficult to breath when flat or because they have high blood pressure.

I agree with fleurs' comments about receiving a chair massage - if i had asked to sit up I would expect to sit up and not be on the floor!

You don't need to massage the backs of her legs but if you do want to, you can bend her leg at the knees and you can perch on the edge of the couch and massage the underside of her legs - this is something I was taught for pregnant women who cannot lay on their front - might be an option for you if you really want to massage the backs of her legs.