Could less be more?

[joliedupre]

I'd like to ask if therapists out there have ever thought that maybe less is more?

As a relatively newly qualified therapist I sometimes feel 'obliged' to do quite a few different strokes on a body part. Almost like if I only did two or three then my client would feel short-changed. As a student we were taught a routine and although I no longer stick to any kind of routine, it feels like somehow it's become engrained in me to do a number of strokes on each body part.

There is also a school of thought which says that these days massage therapists tend to "over treat" clients. ie. massage for too long - say 90 minutes - and employ too many strokes. Leaving the client feeling exhausted and their muscles "over massaged".

In your experience, would you say some clients like less strokes done for longer. I know it's difficult to generalise, as each client is different but do you think that therapists in general could do less of a variety of strokes and achieve the same result? For instance instead of doing 3 kinds of petrissage, just do one for longer.

Do any of you invite your clients to ask for more of a stroke if they're enjoying it? In my experience I've often wished I could aska therapist to stay "doing that" for longer but feel that I can't tell the therapist what to do ie. they know best.

Re-reading this post I see it's rather rambling ... maybe less would've been more

 

[maybe its Emilyy:)]

yogajoga i'm a therapist from a hobbyist perspective so my views and approach may be unrepresentative of therapists at large - at the start of each session, where the client comes principally for a 'chill out' I do ask about what they liked/disliked and try to address their wishes - for example some people really do not wish their stomach touched and others ask for 'a little more treatment of feet/face' and I encompass the wish and try not to compromise on the whole experience. I refer to full body treatments when making these comments.

Helpful?

 

[Sim]

I totally agree with you, sometimes less is definitley more. I always find that in a first treatment i tend to stick to my own routine (if i find a problem area i concentrate on it) to find the problem areas.
Then after the massage i tell the client what i have found and normally they know you found the problem area as you concentrated on it, and they felt you were in the correct area.
Once they know you can feel (physically or intuitively) the problem area's they usually put their trust in you to know whats best.
Some people need deep work, others really do just need stroking and gentle work. I often find that tension due to physical work needs more mechanical textbook strokes, whereas emotional tension often just needs the gentle healing touch, with no deep work at all, sometimes i find myself just holding the area and thinking positive thoughts.
Remember people that have no close friends/family/partners have no physical contact with anyone except the occasional hand shake therefore the physical contact alone can be healing without any deep massage.
I too have rambled but for me massage (holistically speaking) is healing on all levels, touch is a basic instinct, if a child falls and hurts his knee you rub it better.
We follow the text books to pass exams, once those exams are passed we should all become intuitive to our clients. Occasionally you get a client where this is not possible, this is when the routine comes in handy.
Hope this has made sense, i myself am in a funny space at the moment and writing this has reminded me why i do the job i do. I love doing what i do, i just wish i could find someone to do it for me!
Good luck with the wonderful career you have chosen.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

To continue the less is more question.........

I had a client this week with "brick back" - no matter how hard I massaged she didn't feel much at all. It was like her nerve receptors weren't functioning. Now, my instinct told me that she needed a LOT of effleurage and broad strokes to try and unstick the fascia and superficial muscles of the back before I even attempted to get stuck in with static pressures and deeper work. However, I felt that if I only did what I thought was necessary she'd feel short-changed. As she said that in the past she's had deep work and likes deep pressure ie. elbows.

So what did I do........... about 15 minutes of effluerage and broad strokes and then 30 minutes of deeper work. Leaving my thumbs and arms aching as I was using all my might. I explained to her and advised her that she needed regular massage to loosen things up - as she was in a severe chronic state of muscular tension that certainly wasn't going to be alleviated with the odd session every few months when things got too much and she gets terrible headaches. She says she can't afford regular massage.

Now... should I have stuck to my guns and done very little deep work and also been kinder to myself in the process and possible had a disgruntled client, or should I give the client what they think they want and need?

Also, what impact does very deep massage have on chronically tense muscles - was I wasting my time? Do chronically tense muscles become de-sensitized?