When we speak of “core strength” do we all mean the same thing? I recently experienced a very different version with a client. Core strength is a current buzzword, with therapists and trainers giving tips on how to develop core, keep core, activate core, etc. as a panacea for injuries and prevention. I recently read … Continue reading Core Strength and Armor
Hands are the best tools in a massage therapist’s toolbox and the most likely to be injured. It happens to even the most careful therapists: a burn from a hot pan, a scratch that gets oily, a bit of tendonitis that turns into a raging case of nerve inflammation. Plan A for most … Continue reading Save Your Hands
Other than a rare bad check, my massage practice and business has never been ripped off – until last month. Armed with a pizza, the dog, my phone and laundry, I neglected to make sure all the doors were securely closed on my car that Sunday night. Monday, after doing about 10 errands, … Continue reading Reward: Used Maroon Astra-Lite Table with Wheeled Black Carry Case….
Gift certificates for a massage are always welcome, and if the massage therapist who wrote them is lucky, the certificates are used and result in a new client; if the massage therapist is lucky in another way the certificate is never used. Heck, in California, and possibly a few other states, gift certificates … Continue reading Forever Gifts
Some regular massage therapy is a good thing for most diabetics. Swedish strokes tend to help lower blood sugar, and structures suffering from loss of blood – from bones to the soft tissues, enjoy a boost of circulation. Most people think of diabetes as an imbalance of insulin hormones, but we massage therapists see … Continue reading The Diabetic Foot
It had been a particularly busy Saturday, with lots of clients coming in for massage therapy at my office. After work, tired though I was, honey and I went over to the local promenade for dinner and walked along the cement boardwalk for quite a ways looking at the crowds and shops. Usually we … Continue reading Taming the Tube
Folks who travel for vacations complain the most about the plane ride home – they are tired, often sunburned and a bit depressed that the dream vacation is over. Many clients book massages during their vacations, but forget about dealing with the stress and fatigue of the trip home. That’s why I have recommended people … Continue reading Frequent Fliers and Massage Therapy
A recent study showed hyper nerve endings under the skin of people with fibromyalgia – the first “objective” sign that people with fibro are not just whining about their pain. Well, we massage therapists are different from others in the treatment community who have doubted the clinical basis of fibromyalgia. The difference is fairly … Continue reading Wrapped Up in Fibromyalgia Massage
It being the crack of summer and my massage practice being filled to the seams, I decided to take 10 days off. Daring, I know, for anyone in private practice, but it was great. For 10 days, no massages, no excess use of my hands and now, heading back to the office for another full … Continue reading Look! No Hands!
Some things about being a massage therapist are all about the details – the atmosphere, noise level, lighting, and yes the table linens. Face cradle covers have always been problematic for massage therapists. The disposable covers are scratchy – and although no client has ever complained about them I have heard clients complain about … Continue reading Covering the Cradle