On the 5thDecember I massaged my clients whole back for 45 minutes, practicing all the massage techniques I have learnt over the past few weeks and what areas they are best to be used on. In the second hour a fellow sports therapist and I went through the bony points on the skeleton and then palpated them on each other.
| Reflective Summary
Prior to the session, I collected all the equipment that I needed so I was organised and prepared. I laid down the couch roll which protects the bed and it will keep the client warmer when they are lying on the bed. Once the client arrived, as I was massaging there back I held the towel in front of them to protect their modesty and asked if they felt comfortable taking their top off. They then laid face face down on the bed and I placed the towel over their legs again to keep them warm. I spent 20 minutes on each side of the back starting off with effleurage and then moving into petrissage where I performed both kneading and wringing to release tension. I then made use of the bolster allowing the scapula to become very superficial so I could get under the medial border and use my thumbs to feel for any tightness. I also used muscular energy technique on the upper traps by isometrically contracting the muscle (PIR). In the second hour me and another sports therapy student revised bony points using the equipment from the clinic and then we palpated these on each other as this is what is expected of us in our exam. Areas for further improvement To improve for next time, I still think I need to communicate more effectively by asking the client regularly if the pressure is correct and if I am applying it to the right areas. It is so important to do this so that the massage can be as successful as possible. I also need to make sure I am hitting the exact spot where the bony point is else I will get marked down on this in my exam. Things to Remember
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