Geriatric Massage

[Rock Firestorm]

Hi, all! Although I have worked on a couple of elderly clients, I am not specifically trained in geriatric massage techniques. A student of mine asked for pointers on massaging her 73-year-old father. She says he's in good health but she is concerned about the presence of very visible veins in his legs. She doesn't think they're varicose, more that thinner skin is making them visible, but she isn't sure.

Aside from pressure modifications to accommodate possible hard tissue deterioration and precautions to avoid possible DVT in the leg, what information should I pass along? Thanks in advance for any advice or for pointing me in the right direction.

 

[Britannia Boy]

His doctor would know if there are varicose veins.

If he is in good health, there are no specific precautions. "Senior" does not always mean geriatric. If she is concerned, she should just ask him to have his doctor sign a consent form and give any precautions. Her dad will be able to tell her how much pressure he wants/needs. There is no reason to assume there is a risk of DVT or any other health problem. His bones are unlikely to be any weaker than mine or yours, in good health. Honest!

My oldest client is 100 years old, and I have many in their 90's. The biggest thing, if they are healthy, is to remember to go from superficial to deep, and don't try to work out a 40 year old trigger point in an hour. Only if your friend is one who works fast & deep and doesn't seem to notice client discomfort would I have any real concerns about working on an older loved one.

 

[A-Hart !]

Only if your friend is one who works fast & deep and doesn't seem to notice client discomfort would I have any real concerns about working on an older loved one.

Thanks for the info, ROS! Sorry to come off sounding like I think all older people are frail. Because I don't know this gentleman, I'm going into the conversation with my student with a worst-case-scenario mind set. I'm concerned because she is still a student, with only a couple of weeks of Swedish training, and she doesn't have the best grasp of contraindications. The curriculum at our school is split up among the instructors, so I don't know what the other instructors have taught her and she, obviously, doesn't know what she doesn't know. I'd like to give her some general tid bits so she can apply whatever knowledge she does have appropriately.

Thanks again.