Clinical Reflection – 2/11/18

Date Location Total Amount of Hours Overview of Session
 

2/11/18

Sports Clinic Marjon           1 Soft tissue massage around the scapula and neck to improve range of movement.

 

 

Reflective Summary Areas for further Improvement plus action plan
In today’s session the client explained how they had been experiencing a lot of tightness in their trapezius. The pain was predominantly along the medial border of the scapula and into the neck up until the occipital bone. They also had a low range of movement during flexion of the neck and lateral bend of the neck.

 

I asked the client if they had had any injuries to their neck or surrounding areas to which they replied no and explained that it had just got progressively worse and they believed it was down to poor posture and stress. I also asked them about contraindications and tested their allergies to the massage mediums.

 

I then began the massage with effleurage on the whole surface of the back and neck, particularly focusing on the trapezius muscle to warm up the muscles and improve flexibility and circulation. I identified pressure point areas under the scapula mostly located along the medial border and around the superior angle. I used neuromuscular technique to relax these muscles, improve circulation and deactivate myofascial trigger points. I made sure I had good communication with the client at all times to establish and use the discomfort scale to ensure the pain levels stayed between 5-7. In between soft tissue release I used effleurage to ease the pain and keep the muscles relaxed. Following the massage, I used soft tissue release to stretch and lengthen the muscles in the neck to reduce tightness and increase range of movement. I used both active and passive soft tissue release which I explained to the client and advised they continue at home to continue the beneficial effects.

 

I think I need to broaden my knowledge on the location of ligaments and muscles to allow me to identify exactly which area is injured. This will help me to decide what techniques would be most effective to use. To help me with this I will revise the anatomy using diagrams of each body part to allow me to learn the exact location of each muscle.

Returning to reflections at a later date
I have now learnt more about the anatomy of the upper back and neck which has improved my confidence when treating clients. I will continue to practice on a variety of clients to allow me to get used to individual differences between client’s physique (e.g. muscle mass in certain areas which may mean more pressure is required).

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