SWEDISH MASSAGE BACK

Transcription

1 SWEDISH MASSAGE BACK

2 2 SWEDISH MASSAGE BACK

3 INTRODUCTION Swedish massage is the fundamental and the most popular massage technique for relaxation. However, it goes beyond mere relaxation. The strokes are directed to help improve circulation and lymphatic flow, relief from pain and help enhance sleeping pattern. The method is basically done by rubbing and kneading the muscles with long, gentle and gliding strokes in accordance with the direction of blood flow to the heart. This guide will walk you through the basic structure on how to do a Swedish Massage on the Back. You will learn the fundamental strokes, body mechanics, draping, grounding, intention and table set up in an easy, step-bystep process. Let s jump right in, shall we? 3

4 STEP 1 THE SACRAL PUSH Give a traction down the spine and push into the sacrum for 30 seconds. *Align with the sacrum, the kind of like a triangle bone of the posterior poleis. *This provides a gentle lengthening feel to the area. *The pressure is about 1-5 pounds. A lot of people really love a lot of pressure in this area, so communicate with your client. *Aim straight and don't push down into the table nor push upwards. *Support your own body. Position yourself so you are completely balanced and won't fall over. You can position yourself in an Archer's Stunts. 4

5 STEP 2 THE DRAPING Expose the back. Place your hand over the sacrum. Take the sheet and fold it back over your hand. *Some female clients get a little concerned about the axilla part being opened so you can take a part of the sheet to drape the exposed axilla area. *Some people will actually take the sheet, roll the client up and tuck it under the ASIS bone. But be mindful not to become invasive. *You could also take their arm and just put it above the sheet and that hold it down too. 5

6 STEP 3 THE EFFLEURAGE Get some lotion out and warm it out in your hands. *Make sure to keep in contact with your client. The continual touch with your client is really important in terms of continuity; they know where you are at all times. Sometimes, if you'd break that contact, it breaks that sense of well-being or comfort. *Never sacrifice your body mechanics. If you need to reposition yourself, go ahead and then reestablish your contact. Do 3 effleurage strokes at the back and 3 nerve strokes. *Don't put pressure on the spinous processes. Be on the Erector Spinae Group and the rounded group of muscles just lateral to either side of the spine. *Continue your thumbs gently up into the neck to the base of the occiput. *If you are not long enough to position your one hand on one side of the spine and the other hand on the side closest to your, do one side at a time. *Keep your hands up, especially on a female clients above the axillar especially where the brassiere. *Keep your hands up, especially on a female clients above the axillar especially where the brassiere. *Pay attention not to drag the sheet down so you don't expose your client. Always monitor the sheet. 6

7 Do 3 half-moon effleurage strokes around the scapula. With the pads of your fingers, trace a halfmoon pattern in the inferior angle of the scapula, in the medial borders. *To continue doing the stroke without hurting your wrist, go around and continue up to the trapezius and back up into the neck. *When you push into the occiput, don't push the head into the face piece. STEP 4 THE PETRISSAGE Petrissage between the scapula and the spine on the vertebral side and along the top and the Trapezius Levator Scapula region. *Keep your fingers spread out to help stabilize yourself. *If your thumbs get really sore, you can use your fingers. *You could use your elbows but it should be the last resort. You have to be very careful and in control with your elbows. *Work on the upper Erector Spinae Group, getting up into Longissimus. Also on the Illicostalis and Spinalis muscles, getting up into the Trapzius Levator Scapula. *Make sure not to choke the neck. 7

8 STEP 5 THE HAND OVER HAND Position yourself accross your client's body. Do hand-over-hand massage *Use the heel of your palm to contact the skin and grasp it with your other hand. *The hand contacting the skin is used basically as a tool and the hand guides and directs it. 8

9 *It looks like you are grabbing in there tight but actually it's very loose. Try to relax your fingers. *It is kinda like the old cabbage patch dance where you kind of rotate your hips around and do the cabbage patch. *Compress into the heel of your right hand and kind of rotate the tissue. *Do not bend over and just let your hands do the motion. It'll be painful on your back. *Spread your legs, roll down your shoulders, relax and let your legs do the motion. *Do not push on the spinous processes. Just roll on the group of muscles away from the spine. *Work your way up and do side-stepping to get further up. *Do not collapse your shoulders rounding forward. It is going to be really hard on your rotator cuff. *Let your rhomboid muscles retract your scapula and keep it anchored on to the thoracic region of the body. It will be a lot more safer and prevents any damage to your rotator cuff and SITS muscles. *Work up the Erector Spinae and back down. 9

10 STEP 6 THE SIDE PULLS Put some lotion on your forearms. Do the side pulls. *You can do the hand-over-hand and the side pulls on one side before walking to the other side so you'll be more efficient with your time. *Do not come across the spinous processes. *Do not stick your fingers down the axilla region so won't become invasive. *Do it really slowly. Rack back on your right leg for your right hand, pull that right hand back, rack back on your left leg with your left arm, then pull your left hand back right back on top of your right. *Let your legs do the work for you. 10

11 *Keep your head in a neutral position. *Work up and back down and do the same thing on the other side. STEP 7 THE SKIN SLIDE Do the skin slide. Put your thumb on one side of the spine, index finger on the other side and put your hand over the top of your other hand for added pressure. Go right up into the neck, gently grasp it and gently vibrate down. *Create a little space in your palm for the spinous processes. 11

12 *Do not try to push down, use your other hand as more of a control guide. Get up right between the scaps and go over to one shoulder. Gentle squeeze into the trapezius and vibrate down. Go right up to the other side of the neck, gently sqeeze it and vibrate back down. *Do it 9 times - 3 in each spot; to the neck, then left shoulder then to the right shoulder. STEP 8 THE BELT-LINE PETRISSAGE Position yourself at the side of the ileum that you are working on. *Don't go across the other side. When you're on the right side, your pressure can go right into the bone and into the tissue. 12

13 Roll your thumbs and work along the iliac crest. Step on the other side of the head and do the same thing. STEP 9 THE HEART STROKE Go down the middle of the spine and when you get to the ileum, flare your hands out following the ileum. Move your hands back together again to the middle of the spine and go up to where the ribs start. 13

14 Spread your hands towards the scapula and follow the contours of the body and then come up into the neck. *Don't slide your fingers under the sheet. Stay where you can see your fingers. *Follow the contours, how it curves out. *Stay behind and line up your joints. STEP 10 THE SWIM STROKE Put some lotion on your forearms. 14

15 Do the swim stroke. *Swim stroke is basically a double side pull. Position yourself on the shoulder part of your client's body. Cross your fingers in an oppotiste direction, pushing the tissue away from the spine. Come back towards the spine and when your hands get to the spine, reverse that your hands are now separated, pushing away from the spine. 15

16 *Work your way up the back. *If you have shorter arms and a female, avoid resting your breasts on your client's back. *If you're not long enough, do one side at a time in a slanting movement. *Be extra careful on the side of the axilla, even on male clients. You don't wanna have your client engage and protect, because they're feeling unsafer and unsure about what you're gonna do and it's ticklish. *Never push on the spine. Move your way back down. STEP 11 THE FINALE HEART STROKE Do 3 heart strokes. *Refer to Step 9. STEP 12 THE FINALE EFFLEURAGE Do 3 effleurage strokes. *If you are not long enough, do one side at a time. Do 3 nerve strokes. 16

17 STEP 13 THE RE-DRAPING Grab the sheet on the side and cover your client back. *Do not grab at the middle part to avoid becoming invasive. 17

18 The Swedish Massage video is to show a basic structure on how to do a full body Swedish Massage along with tips on draping, body mechanics, table set up, grounding and intention. WATCH THE FULL VIDEO

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