muscles are minimally lubricated. When performing deep tissue work, massage therapists should not press muscle tissue down into bones, as this can damage both the muscles and bones of the athlete and result in severe bruising. Instead, the applied pressure should move perpendicular to the bone or at as much of an angle away from the bone as possible. Massage therapists should check in frequently with the athlete for feedback about pressure Directional massage This technique is similar to the Myofascial Release technique (see below); however, it is applied to muscles as opposed to the body’s fascia, is deeper, and is meant to be done during the acute phase of a muscle’s injury (24-48 hours after the initial injury) between applications of ice. Without using any lubricant, therapists begin this technique by placing the fingers or thumbs perpendicular to a muscle’s fibers near a muscle’s origin with light to medium pressure. After the fingers or thumbs make contact with the muscle tissue, therapists use a short, one-inch deep stroke to push the muscle towards its insertion. Massage therapists should check in with clients to see if they are experiencing any sharp pain; if so, massage therapists should
and pain; some discomfort is normal during deep tissue work but sharp pain should be avoided. Therapists should avoid deep tissue massage when an athlete has a blood disorder or is taking medication that causes hemophilia (prevents blood from clotting), or, causes thrombophilia (increased blood coagulation) since the latter condition may lead to the development of a thrombosis (blood clot). stop. If a client is not experiencing sharp pain, therapists should continue the technique by slowly lifting fingers or thumbs out of the muscle and repositioning them one inch closer to the insertion; therapists should repeat the stroke until the origin is reached. Generally, massage therapists should make at least three passes from origin to insertion. Note that large or broad muscles such as the latissimus dorsi will take longer to treat than shorter muscles such as the infraspinatus, sometimes as long as 30 minutes. On occasion, this technique is more effective when moving from insertion to origin, so if working from origin to insertion proves ineffective for this technique, massage therapists should apply the technique in the opposite direction. at an effective temperature (less than 116 degrees; a therapist trained to utilize hot stones will know when a stone is too cool to be effective). In the careful placement of stones, stones may be placed directly on the skin, provided they are not more than 120 degrees. Hot stones at a temperature greater than 120 degrees should be buffered by a towel or blanket to prevent burns on the athlete. As with a deep tissue massage, an open channel of communication between the massage therapist and the athlete helps to establish the comfort zone regarding the heat of the stones. While often effective in loosening soft tissue and very relaxing for any client, there are cautions against using hot stones. A hot stone massage is generally contraindicated if the athlete has diabetes or takes blood thinners. Hot stones are also contraindicated for female athletes who are pregnant or experiencing menopausal hot-flashes, or if the athlete has a sunburn. therapists move in the direction of the muscle fibers towards the insertion of the muscle, feeling for any restrictions or hardened areas within the tissue. Massage therapists should maintain light pressure at the restriction for up to five minutes until the tissue begins to feel warm to the touch and subsequently becomes softer. Finally, therapists should continue to move toward the muscle insertion until they complete the stroke and remove the fingers, thumbs, or knuckles from the skin slowly. If a restriction does not react to the initial stroke, the therapist may try softly pinning the muscle’s origin with one hand while performing the stroke with the other hand. This technique is sometimes uncomfortable for some athletes, as no lubricant is used on the skin and their bodies may generate heat in a manner they are not used to. This technique is almost always safe to use after the acute phase of the injury has passed, unless a client’s discomfort is an issue. rhythmic fashion. In relation to sports injuries, this technique usually targets the belly, or ‘meat,’ of a muscle. In cases when an area of the client’s body cannot be petrissaged due to friction burns, cuts, scrapes, or other legions, therapists can apply petrissage using the first two fingers and the thumbs on smaller areas of an affected muscle. Doing petrissage in this manner is not common, but may still effectively increase blood flow and unbind tension when other techniques are ineffective. The technique is rarely contraindicated by itself, though the amount of pressure applied will depend on the athlete’s preference. or during their training cycle. Often, athlete will choose to receive a pre-event massage at the site of their competition in order to prepare their muscles for competition. The pre-event massage
Hot stones
Warm-to-hot stones (120-150 degrees) may be utilized to direct heat deep into muscles. The application of heat deep into the muscles can have a sedative effect on the nervous system and effectively treats hypertension and manages pain by dilating blood vessels and loosening
superficial muscles, thereby giving therapists quicker access to deeper layers of soft tissue. Hot stones can be utilized in one of two ways; either as an extension of the hands so that the stones are kept in motion or by careful placement. When used as an extension of the hands, stones are usually heated to a temperature of 120-130 degrees and kept in constant motion so that they do not burn the athlete’s skin. As the stones cool, the pace of the stones may slow until the stones are no longer Myofascial release This technique is designed to eliminate restrictions that develop in fascia; broad, thin sheaths of connective tissue that surround muscles, bones, and organs. It is thought that by loosening this connective tissue, mechanical issues such as limitations to a client’s range-of-motion (ROM) can be corrected. While deep tissue massage is usually considered a separate technique (see above), many therapists consider it a type of myofascial release as the pressure of the deep tissue technique overloads restrictions in deep layers of muscles and connective tissue until they release. For the sake of this course, however, myofascial release refers to the less invasive technique that utilizes light finger, thumb, or knuckle pressure across superficial areas of muscle and bone. Generally, massage therapists use this technique by placing the fingers, thumbs, or knuckles upon a muscle’s origin with light pressure and taking a moment to ‘sink in’ to the soft tissue. Then, Petrissage This technique is effective for increasing blood flow, relieving chronically stressed muscles, and loosening muscles in preparation for exercise. Petrissage also assists the lymphatic system to move waste products through the body for removal. This technique is characterized by a kneading or squeezing motion with either the entire hand or between the fingers and thumbs. When performing petrissage, massage therapists apply moderate to firm pressure to a large area of skin or a muscle group such as the biceps or upper trapezius and lift away from the surface or bone, then squeeze and release in a slow, circular, Sports massage This combination of techniques helps to facilitate athletes’ performance and recovery. Depending upon their needs, athletes may elect to receive a massage prior to an event, after an event,
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Book Code: MTX1323
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