MM Chapter 19: Health Care Massage

The initial health history intake process can be quite lengthy. While you won’t conduct such a thorough assessment before and after each massage session, some specific testing can help fine tune the treatment planning for each session.  Periodically conduct an in-depth reassessment using the same procedures you used in the client’s initial visit. This allows […]

To create the client’s treatment plan, consider all the data you have gathered, trust your intuition, consult with the client to ensure their participation in the choices made about treatment, and formulate a plan to decide which locations and structures you will address and which techniques you will use to meet treatment goals. Before beginning

To plan a healthcare massage session, you analyze the data you have collected, prioritize needs and goals, and then decide what techniques to use and the order you’ll apply them during the massage. You also adapt the session to make the massage safer for the client if you have identified cautions or contraindications. The following

Shared massage knowledge and research have documented the positive effects of massage for many conditions and client populations. In a healthcare massage session, you should match the treatment goals to the client’s current level of health, functional goals, and particular condition. To do this, it is helpful to understand the continuum of health and the

Range-of-motion testing is performed and documented both before and after the session to identify the level of dysfunction and verify progress brought about by massage intervention (Fig. 19-15). Periodic re-testing demonstrates continued progress for the client, other members of a healthcare team, or an insurance provider. It helps you recognize when a treatment plan is

In resisted range-of-motion assessment (also called manual resistive tests), the client performs the selected joint motion while the therapist applies light resistance in the opposite direction of the muscle’s concentric action so that the client contracts the muscle isometrically. The muscle contraction does not need to be maximized for the therapist to be able to

In passive range-of-motion assessment, the therapist moves the client’s joint through its normal motions and appraises the condition of the movement and pain levels. Inert tissues are evaluated throughout the movement; you should hone your sensitivity to movement patterns and movement quality to identify fascial restrictions and crepitus. Crepitus is a grating, crackling, or rasping

During an active range of motion assessment, the client performs the movements available at a particular joint. At the same time, the therapist evaluates the client’s overall functional capacity, including willingness to move, general muscle strength and tone, coordination, and available range of motion. Active range of motion is the most general range-of-motion assessment method

Recall that the term range of motion refers to the amount of movement possible at a joint based on its structure. The normal range of motion of every joint is restricted by its natural anatomical and physiological characteristics.  Anatomical restrictions are restrictions caused by the structures that make up the joint, such as bones and

Gait is a person’s walking pattern. Gait assessment is the observation of a client’s walking patterns to gather information for treatment planning. Gait assessment can be a simple process used to confirm findings from a posture assessment and to identify areas of tension or stiffness that might be addressed in a massage session. Some health