Massage therapy is a very physical profession, and because of this the risk of injury is quite high. I am sure many of us have suffered from some kind of strain during our career, often as a result of poor position or motion when giving a massage. To be able to perform our work effectively and injury-free, requires a set of skills in ergonomics that many of us studied at the beginning of our career but may have forgotten by now, or simply do not apply in our everyday work. I wanted to write this article with some top ergonomic tips for massage therapists hoping that they will help you work in a safe and effective manner. This will benefit yourself both short- and longterm and help you run a successful massage practice for a long long time ahead.
Ergonomic Tips For A Safe And Durable Massage Career
- MASSAGE TABLE HEIGHT. Make sure that your massage table is at a proper height. For normal massage, a good reference height is your wrist, and for a deep pressure massage, in which you use especially your body weight for applying pressure, it should be a bit lower.
- POSTURE. The correct posture for applying massage is standing with your feet shoulder width apart and knees slightly
bent. The idea is to move your body weight from one leg to the other, in a soft rocking movement. Depending on the massage stroke applied, you move your body weight sideways or forwards and backwards. Remember to keep your back straight and neck relaxed! - APPLYING PRESSURE CORRECTLY. When applying pressure, the force should originate in your shoulders or forearms, and not your hands/fingers. The idea is to use your body weight as much as possible in order not to strain your hands and fingers.
- TAKE BREAKS. Try to have a minimum of 15min break between the massage treatments.
- ALTERNATE TREATMENTS. Try to never apply a deep pressure massage (such deep tissue massage, sports massage…) for more than 120min. When possible, try to combine deep pressure massages with softer massage treatments (this is naturally easier when working for a large Spa or Wellness Center as they have several therapists that can alternate).
- STRETCH. Strech your fingers, wrists, arms, shoulders and neck at least twice a day. A good time to do this is to use 5min (or more if you have time!) of your break to stretch. Remember to keep your neck and jaw relaxed when giving a massage (we tend to tense them). It helps to breath long and deep breaths, this will relax you.
- SAFE FOOTWEAR. Use adequate shoes that are comfortable, breathable and allow you to move safely.
- PROJECT AN EXEMPLARY IMAGE. We work in the Wellness sector, and we should be able to motivate our clients with the image we project of ourselves. Maintain yourself in a good physical shape through exercise, stretches, and a healthy nutrition. Maintain your mind at ease, and work on living on positive energy. A great practice that works on a body-mind-energy level is Yoga; it makes us strong, flexible and gives us peace of mind, all in one!
- WAITING FOR INPUT…
- WAITING FOR INPUT…
- WAITING FOR INPUT…
I have consciously left the last three points blank here, hoping that you would fill them out. Please write three ergonomic tips for massage therapists in the comments below, that in your experience are crucial, and that you want to share with other massage therapists and bodyworkers! Thank You for your input!
Wishing you a meaningful day ahead,
César Tejedor