MM Chapter 19: Health Care Massage

While the basic definition of posture is important, a broader understanding of the term posture is helpful. Posture is generally described not just as the position of the body but also as an attitude, a stance, a cultivated position, or a pose that conveys attitude. A person’s posture tells the story of their life. It […]

Postural dysfunction is defined as any position of the body that puts undue strain on body structures, including joints, ligaments, fascia, muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and bones. Dysfunctional body positions cause adaptations that lead to unhealthy tissues and various other complications. Postural muscles must brace misaligned joints to maintain the body’s erect posture. This causes

When the skeleton is aligned properly, bones assume their normal and correct position at joints, which are held in place by strong, healthy ligaments. The muscular system is balanced, and the body can efficiently disperse the forces of gravity and stand or move with little effort. Ideally, gravity acts in an equalized line on the

The human skeleton comprises long bones and a multijointed spine. Joints are strapped together by ligaments, and the whole structure is held erect against the forces of gravity with coordinated muscle activity. Reflex mechanisms that are “hard-wired” into the neural system of the brainstem and spinal cord control the muscles maintaining posture. For example, consider

Questionnaires, analog measures, or combinations of these two methods are easy to use in a massage practice. Ask clients to complete your pain assessment form on their first visits. Direct clients to complete the entire form and to describe their current experiences of pain (what they feel right now).  Review the form and get clarification

Pain assessment involves a number of methods that can be used to describe a client’s experience of pain at a given point in time. Pain assessment has several benefits and uses:  Inform treatment planning: Understanding the location, quantity, and quality of a client’s experience of pain is essential for choosing appropriate techniques and methods for

In a healthcare massage, you perform the same assessments after the session that you performed before the massage session. For example, if you conducted a posture and range-of-motion assessment before the session, you conduct a second posture and range-of-motion assessment after the session. This way, you can document and compare the results of the two

The initial healthcare session interview can be pretty complex and involve much physical assessment (e.g., posture, gait, range of motion, palpation). As with the wellness session described in Chapter 10, you are likely to begin with a review of policies and procedures, a discussion of the client’s general medical information to rule out contraindications to

The health intake form for healthcare massage (Fig. 19-1) is generally longer than a form for wellness massage. With a wellness massage, the client may come once a month for relaxation or come to a clinic once while on vacation in the area and never return. With healthcare sessions, however, the therapist is likely to

The sequence of events in a healthcare massage is often the same as in a wellness massage, as discussed in Chapter 10. There are additional events that do not occur in a wellness massage but are specific to healthcare massage. Every situation is unique, however, and every session does not follow this exact sequence. For