Working with a stroke patient w/Paralysis

[Skylar]

I may have jumped a little over my head with this one. I have a client who wants body and energy work. Thing is, several years ago he suffered a stroke and is partially paralysed on the left, his left arm does not move, he also has some paralysis in his left leg too. He's still fairly young, in his early 60s too. Recently he hurt his ankle, and is in a walking boot now too (on the left). He only occasionally uses a wheel chair.

He's have spectacular spasms in his QL, erectors are tight as boards, as he is just about everywhere I have touched. He'd like to work with me long term, first I need to work on the spasms etc, then I would like to address other areas.

My main problem is positioning to massage him. On and off the table are not quite the problem, but laying prone is pratically out of the question. Side lying is difficult on the left obviously, right is not so much a problem.

What's the best approach, he can't get in and out of a massage chair either.

Any ideas, hints, tips, would be much appreciated.

 

[Mon]

Most of the massage really can be done with the client supine. QL stretches can be done with leg pulls, strain/counterstrain, etc., and you can reach underneatth and use his own body weight to massage every area. It takes some getting used to, but works once you've tried it a few times.

With some of my elderly clients who cannot lie prone, I will also have them sit on the table at the end of the massage and knead their shoulders, apply lotion, etc. to the whole back while they reorient themselves to being upright. This gives them time to get rid of the dizziness, and gives them a bit of that feel-good back massage.

 

[Rach]

Thank you Sharon. I was figuring this is what I was going to have to do - this is just not stuff they teach you in school!

Fingers crossed!

If anyone has any techniques that work really well, it would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Wyomingite]

Try "improvising" different places to apply craniosacral still point work....

I have placed my hands on both sides of a shoulder joint and just held them still and have found that, lo and behold!, the musculature responds nicely and relaxes just like it would w/ cranial still point...

Same sort of thing works well w/ knees and hips as well, independent of the client being supine, or in a seated position.

Have an older client for whom the debilitating effects of Parkinson's syndrome are now becoming an issue.... those still point improvisations work well with him.

Also, try Reiki, Healing Touch, and other energetic forms to assist him in having "fresh" ki within himself to assist in his sessions from the inside out....

Best of luck!
J