MTAP Lecture 3

Building a Massage
Treatment
Effective treatment is based
on:
Health History
BUILDING A MASSAGE
TREATMENT
Assessment
Wishes/Goals
SETTING THE TABLE, DRAPING, EFFLEURAGE
Health History
What is important to ask a
patient before they have a
massage?
Wishes / Goals of patient
Assessment
What is an assessment?
Why is it necessary?
Prior to Treatment
We will incorporate some extent of health history
and assessment and wishes ALWAYS
Health history understanding and skills will grow
through the program
Assessment understanding and skills will grow
through the program
Why is this important?
Assimilating information from health history,
assessment and patient wishes forms the basis of
a treatment
Requires: On-going learning
Critical thinking
Open mind
Curiosity
Creativity
What next?
TREAT
Set the Table
Sheets
What areas do you treat?
Pillows
What techniques do you use?
Blanket
Swedish
Non-swedish
Hydrotherapy
Remedial exercises
What position do you have the
patient in?
Before You Begin
Face cradle covers
Towels
Pillow cases
Oil, lotion etc.
CMTO CPHS 1 & 3
One more thing before
beginning treatment…
Personal Hygiene
Body Odour
Breath
Clean, professional clothing
What is important to tell a
patient before you treat
them?
Hair, nails, jewelry
Inform them of…
Recap….
Health History - any conditions you need to be aware of? and
reasons for caution during or after the treatment
What to wear / not wear
Areas you will treat
How to position themselves
How to get on the table
Safety measures
CMTO CPHS 10, 11 & 12
Assessment: ROM - ease of movement, extent of movement, pain
muscle squeezing - taut tissue, hypertonic tissue, atrophic
tissue, bony or joint imbalances, excess “give”, lack of “give”
traction - extent of movement, pain
shaking and rocking - ease of movement, extent of
movement, ability to “let go”, pain
Wishes - what does your patient want treated? not treated?
Treat
Effleurage - Definition
ROM, muscle squeeze, traction, shaking and rocking are
treatment techniques as well as assessment techniques Swedish Massage and Other Techniques:
Effleurage, petrissage (kneading, stripping, muscle squeezing,
wringing, skin rolling), tapotement (tapping, pincement,
cupping, hacking, beating) shaking and rocking, vibrations,
stroking, frictions, myofascial techniques, trigger point therapy,
joint mobilizations (traction, oscillations, glides)other
musculotendinous techniques, ROM (active, passive, resisted),
stretching (active, passive, assisted, self), muscle activation
techniques, hydrotherapy, remedial exercises
Effleurage - Description
Light technique used as an
introductory and a finishing stroke.
Used to apply oil
“to glide, stroke or touch
lightly”
Effleurage - Technique
Use palm with fingers together
Prepares the tissue for deeper work
Use fingertips in smaller areas,
forearm in larger areas
Transition stroke between techniques
Surface conforms to tissue
The palmer surface of the hands,
fingers and thumbs are moulded to the
tissue and glide at a light to moderate
depth while always maintaining contact
Broad general pressure
The rhythm can be slow or fast
depending on the desired effects
Long stroke, towards the heart,
maintain contact
Types – full sun half moon, figure 8,
one or 2 hands
No pressure on return stroke
Effleurage - Standard of
Practice - TS 4
Smooth stroke, light to moderate
depth
Effleurage - Effects
The direction of movement is
towards the heart with no
pressure on the return stroke The movement is broad and
general, and proportional to
the part of the body
Relaxation - how/why
Reduces pain - how/why
The clients treatment plan
indicates the need for
effleurage
Reduced muscle tension - how/why
It is not used or is modified if a
contraindication exists
Increases local circulation - how/why
Increases venous return - how/why
Reduces edema - how/why
Effleurage - Indications
Effleurage Contraindications
Spread lotion
Introduce to therapists touch
Palpation of temperature, muscle
tone and texture (sometimes
tenderness)
Inflammation
Acute injury
Infection
Prepares tissue for deeper
techniques
Open wounds
Transition stroke from one
technique to another or from one
body part to another
Caution with heart disease
and circulatory system
pathologies
Finishing stroke to “flush” the area