Please Help With My First Client!

[Alyssa Kerr]

Please help!

I am a newly practising massage therapist and have my first proper client booked in for a full body massage next week. However, I'm quite concerned (and I suppose nervous!) of her physical condition - basically she has a broken leg and has been on crutches for the past 2 years.

She told me that she gets regular (and quite severe) lower back pain and neck/shoulder pain as a result of the problems she's had with her leg. Unfortunately, the leg break was so bad that the healing process has been extremely problematic for her, hence the continuous use of crutches.

She's looking for a nice relaxing treatment with focus on her back, neck/shoulders.......should I stick to this? Or does anybody know of any particular areas that I should concentrate on, or avoid as the case maybe, in order for her to get the best from the massage????

Any tips/advice would be much appreciated - thankyou in advance.

Liz.

 

[Rolfe Salamat]

Hi Liz
Firstly welcome to HP, do go and say hello in the new members forum.
For my opinion: obviously if she is sporting a broken leg you dont go anywhere near it - but you know that anyway.

Depending where the break is in the leg work on the gluts and the piriformis as this can be really tight, the shoulder pain is probably coming from the crutches, so thoroughly cover the rotator cuff and all around the scapula, she may have some rounding of the shoulders where she is leaning forward on the crutches so try and work on this....also depending on the condition of her leg she may not be able to lie face down on the couch as this may put to much pressure on her ankle joint....so you may have to do her sitting up....

Hope that helps....
Hugs
T
x

 

[Rotontomlew]

Hi Liz,

Welcome and I hope that you find this a very useful group, I know I have. Don't be afraid to ask what may seem silly questions because I have found that what other people have thought as trival questions have been important to me.

I agree with what TB said, bum and shoulders are likley to be key areas to work. Could I also suggest that you work the face. I don't know about anybody else, ut when I make a hard efffort I tend to screw up my face. So just a simple massage on the face musscles may help just to relax you client.

Please drop a line to let us know how it goes.

All the best.
Jason

 

[Brandon Vang]

Yes, you can deal with her, what you would do is to have her sitting down, pillow in front of her, leaning forwards. Cover bottom half with a towel, to keep her modesty and warm.

You can also use this method for anyone who is pregant and at least four months, always to be on the safe side.

GOOD LUCK, we have all been their with our very first clients, esp. someone with acute medical problems.

You will be fine, have faith in your ability, if you couldn't do massage you wouldn't be where you are now.

Enjoy it, you will be fine.

 

[[{ !shay! }]]

Well firstly hello and congratulations! ....first clients are scarey rent they ! especially if the first one is a bit of a challenge! but i agree with what the others have said on this...depending on how easy she can get on / off the couch and how comfortable ( if she can get on couch use lots of cushions for support) she is on it because if the leg and how easy for her to turn over etc then you could do it on the couch or on the chair as mentioned with a pillow in front.

Also i really agree with waht was said about face massage ( was it armandii who said it i think), massaging the face although quite a person area can really help to relax the whole body before you get to work on it and put her at ease so you could try that is appropriate.

Sounds like a massage of some specific areas as mentioned above together with a ealxing and nurturing feel would be really nice.

Anyway ! you'll be great! so enjoy it and let us know how you get on !

kind regards
paul

 

[blueprint101]

Just realised my post is full of spelling mistakes making some sentences seem gobble-de-gook!! sorry !! ......must practice more typing!

paul