How to do basic Massage Therapy

My name is Guannella Williamson and I have been a Licensed Massage Therapist since 2000. I attended East Tennessee School of Massage Therapy, and following my graduation moved to the Nashville, TN area. I have worked in a variety of settings including chiropractic offices, day spas, medical spas, and also independently. I've been trained in Swedish, Deep Tissue, Sports, Infant, Prenatal and Shiatsu massage modalities, as well as many others!

• A brief history of Massage
• Things to be aware of when doing Massage if you aren't a professional
• A look at the Human Skeleton
• Some at home techniques

As early as 15,000 B.C. there were cave paintings in the Pyrenees that depicted the use of therapeutic touch.

776 BC Athletes were massaged prior to olympic games.

460-380 BC Herodicus taught Hippocrates. Friction was used to treat sprains and dislocations (anatripsis is Greek for friction) Thought disease resulted from natural causes and that the body has the power to heal itself. Hippocrates wrote a code of ethics which became the Hippocratic Oath.

1899 Sir William Bennet inaugurated a massage department at St. George's Hospital in London.

1914-1918 WWI Massage was used to treat wounded soldiers.

1930's Hospitals staffed Physical Therapists to do Massage Therapy in St. Thomas Hospital in London.

1970's saw the birth of two forms of Rolfing as well as Soma Neuromuscular Integration.

1980's Association of Bodywork and Massage Practitioners was formed.

The list of dates for early Massage Therapy, writings containing it, and practices around the world could go on and on. There were many documented cases for the use of Massage. I've included a few to show how important Massage Therapy has been throughout the ages.

Having been a Licensed Massage Therapist for 11 years now, I don't recommend attempting to do any deep tissue work unless you are a professional. If you are going to do massage on a loved one, I recommend light Swedish techniques as this is less likely to cause harm. I've demonstrated techniques to many people over the course of the years.

The most common area that people want to have massaged is the back. Most of us seem to have tension in the back either from working a physically demanding job, sitting at a computer all day or also stay at home mothers who are constantly bending, reaching and picking up children!

It's important to keep your body healthy. Your spine is of course the bony vertebral column that goes down the center of the back. You also have nerves that travel from the spine to other locations throughout the body. As we age, degeneration happens. By drinking water daily, taking good vitamin supplements and being aware of your posture and body mechanics, you can improve your health! A regular exercise regimen is also beneficial. We all know that if your back hurts it makes sleeping more difficult and thereby increases your stress, so take care of it as best you can!

Precaution when Massaging!

One thing to remember when massaging the back area is do not put pressure on the spine! You never want to put pressure directly on a bone. When going over areas like the shoulder blade (scapula) you can use some pressure with your palms or forearm but never use elbows unless you are a professional! As long as you remember this when doing light to medium massage on the back everything should be fine!

Before you start massaging make sure you are in a comfortable position. You can have the person lying on a couch or bed and possibly sit on a stool or kneel depending on your reach. Take a moment to find a comfortable position that allows you to reach without straining or stretching too far. 

I usually begin with the back and it is the most common area to have massaged. If you are trying massage for the first time, chances are you won't be massaging for an extended period of time so the back is a great first massage!

Warming the muscles

Place your hands on the back and do a basic rubbing motion as if you are going to wipe a countertop or window. There is no set way to do this and you can use a little variation. The point of beginning this way is to warm the muscle, this is especially useful in cold weather. This prevents injury and prepares the muscles for massage.

Once you have warmed the muscles you are ready to begin!

Basic Effleurage (Palms Down Back)

Start at the lower back and make long strokes upward to the top of the back. Keep your hands relaxed, palms facing down and fingers in a natural outstretched position. Repeat one hand after the other on either or both sides simultaneously. You can work one side and then move to the other using the spine as the separating point.

***While doing your massage communicate and make sure what you are doing is not hurting the person. Everyone has a different level of tolerance.***

Kneading

After stopping at the top of the back, you can begin to knead the muscles. This technique is just as it sounds like you would knead dough in the kitchen! You can work the muscles along the top of the shoulder area best by kneading.

Walking Palms Down the Back

With this stroke you will take both hands and go down the back in a walking motion. Keep your fingers untucked and relaxed, using a little pressure in the palm area of the hands. Follow one hand after the other.

Piano Fingers

Place your hands like you would on a piano and begin to move your fingers as if you are playing notes. You can do this at a slower pace than playing a piano and this will help to work out some of the tension in the area.

Circles

Circles is pretty self explanatory. You can do larger circles over the area or smaller ones to create a different touch. This is again using your palms with your fingers relaxed and untucked. You can also do circles using only your fingertips for a more precise area.

Thumbs

When using your thumbs make sure not to hyperextend!!! You want to place your hand as you would naturally with your palms down and then raise the wrist slightly. This will put your hands in a good position to use your thumbs. Then you can work on areas of stress by using small circular motions with the thumb. Remember if you are applying a more pressure which the thumbs will do, move at a little slower pace the more pressure you use. Do not use an extreme amount of pressure to make sure you don't injure yourself while doing your massage. Safety is extremely important for you and the person you are massaging.

These are some great techniques to get you started doing massage at home on your loved ones! A relaxed body is always happier! Be relaxed, be healthy and be happy!

~Guannella Williamson LMT