My Massages
About my massages
Pace
An important element of excellent massage therapy is pace. I keep all strokes slow and intentional to allow muscles and fascia to respond. Massage is compression in motion. The compression must be firm enough to stretch the targeted muscles, but not too firm so as to cause unnecessary pain.
Neck
I massage neck, shoulder and head muscles twice during a massage. Long, steady and firm pressure to the neck muscles that connect to the spine, skull, scapulae, and clavicle is key to maintaining or restoring flexibility to the head and neck.
Depth
The depth of the pressure I apply depends on the muscle(s) I’m targeting. For example, the piriformis is reasonably strong and deep to the gluteal muscles. It impinges on the sciatic nerve and causes pain. The pain may be referred to any location along the sciatic nerve from the upper back to the baby toe. Often piriformis impingement results in lower back ache. Deep pressure, usually applied by my elbow, is necessary to massage the piriformis. Muscles closer to the surface, such as most arm and hand muscles, are best massaged with long, moderately deep strokes.
Stretches
Leg stretches are incorporated in three separate parts of my massages. I stretch the quadricep muscles with a simple knee bend when my client is in the prone position (face down). When my client is supine (face up), I combine four simple leg stretches to affect the hamstring muscles, gluteal muscles, and piriformis that support the movement of the hip joint. Finally, I stretch both legs to one side of the table then the other to extend the lower body stretch to the uppermost parts of the gluteal muscles where they attach to the iliac crest of the pelvis. In my experience, much lower back pain that is related to muscles results from tight muscles in the legs and buttocks. The stretches have proven useful to clients with lower back pain.
Why does massage work?
Massage involves compression of muscles and fascia within the body. When pressed firmly, muscle fiber extends. When the motion of the massage moves on, the targeted muscle and the fascia around it readjust to a new position – not as extended as when compressed, but not as tight as before.
The mechanism that causes muscles to flex and relax is microscopic but complex. The sarcomeres within the muscle work telescopically, extending or tightening the muscle tissue. They don’t “knot.” What some call knots are just tight muscles.
The chemistry of a muscle is very significant. Both sodium and potassium are necessary and must be part of our diet. The chemical reaction that causes the muscle to flex or extend also requires oxygen. Muscles need oxygen to function. Oxygen gets into the bloodstream by breathing and drinking water – lots of water. Drink lots of water. And when trying to relax, big, deep breathing really helps.
My Massage Mission
I do not ask for tips. In my opinion, a licensed massage therapist is fully a part of the healthcare profession. We don’t tip nurses or physical therapists. In Ohio, massage therapists are licensed by the State Medical Board.
When clients pay more than I ask, the “tip” goes into a special fund for an annual mission trip to Belize. The trip costs over $2000 for each participant. I fund my participation with massage revenues – the “tips.”
The mission in which I participate is sponsored by The Dwelling Place in Cincinnati. The one-week portion I am part of includes doctors, nurses, therapists, home builders and other volunteers who contribute to a successful mission.
Multi-sensory Massage
Wholistic wellness is what my clients and I are striving to achieve. Ideally, massage therapy engages all of the senses. I play soft music for the ears. The aroma of an essential oil permeates the air to please the nose. Subtle, low lighting allows my clients to rest their eyes or sleep. My touch is firm, slow, appropriate and continuous to engage the muscles and fascia and to rejuvenate the skin. I use a hypoallergenic lotion that is heated. Finally, my clients and I enjoy a cool but not cold bottle of water following the massage – or at any time my client prefers.
Muscle Anatomy
The muscles of our bodies, the fascia that holds things in place, our skin, joints, bones and organs are all affected somewhat during a massage. It is important that the therapist know what she or he is doing to the anatomy and physiology of the body. This is why licensed massage therapists are trained and tested in anatomy and physiology.
I think it is valuable to my clients to know something of their own bodies that are being massaged. I use large posters and anatomical drawings to explain what I’m doing when dealing with pain or injury. If a client is interested, I try to share at least one, short muscle tutorial during a massage. However, this depends entirely on the preferences of my client.
My aching feet
Some foot and ankle muscles are deep. Some are shallow. Many are in the legs. The large gastrocnemius muscles that extend from either side of the lower leg control the movement of the ankles to either side. Lying below these in the middle of the back of the lower leg is the soleus muscle. This muscle enables you to flex and extend your foot at the ankle. Actually, these and other muscles in the legs and feet work together to enable your feet to be incredibly flexible.
The muscles of the toes are on both the tops and bottoms of the feet. They enable you to bend your toes. All of these muscles are supported by muscles that are deep in your lower leg behind the tibia (shin bone). Like the surface muscles, these can be the source of painful leg cramps. The massage therapist must push deep between the surface muscles to reach the muscles below. This is a good example of a place where deep tissue massage is appropriate and necessary.
Brain massage
It is possible to gently massage your brain even though it is surrounded by skull bone. I frequently end my massages with a tug on the ears of my client. What? The fascia that lines our bodies, supports our muscles, and helps hold organs in place takes many forms. It is sheet-like inside the skull and surrounds the brain. It forms a strong but thin lining of the skull and has two tabs that extend into the ears. The fascia around the brain is called the “aponeurosis.” By tugging the ears gently, the fascia is stretched slightly and provides a weak but real brain massage. Who knew?
Massage and CBD
I use CBD in most massages. It is applied as a thin paste. CBD (cannabidiol) is derived from hemp. But with less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannbinol), CBD is legal in most states and not cause a “high.” It is applied as a thin paste to areas where my clients experience muscular pain. There are many claims made about the efficacy of CBD in massage. I support at least one of these. In my experience as a licensed massage therapist, CBD helps to reduce inflammation and thereby helps relieve tension and pain.
Ohio Licensure
While nothing guarantees professional competence, a licensed massage therapist has a vested interest in being good. An LMT has invested time and money to obtain credentials. In Ohio, licensure is through the State Medical Board. The license usually reads “Limited Practice,” which means it is not a license to practice medicine. LMTs are required to pursue continuing education and to apply annually for license renewal. LMTs typically display their licenses in their places of business.
