16/11/2018
Sports massage clinic
Today I spent 1 hour in the clinic going through muscular energy techniques with my client stretching her pectorals and her glutes.
What happened during this session:
During this one hour session I helped to stretch my client out using PIR muscular energy techniques to help increase the flexibility and range of movement in my client. I started by stretching my clients pectoralis major (chest) by getting her to put her hands on the back of her head palms down and pulling backwards on her elbows until she reached her maximum position. I then asked her to push against me for 5 seconds isometrically contracting the muscles so that after the 5 seconds when she was relaxed I could stretch her muscles to their new maximum range of movement.
Quickly I noticed that her shoulders were raised and that she was doing this to help enable this movement to be easier for her. this can be due to other muscles being tight and therefore instead of having 2 arms up at the same time, I got her to place one by her side and have the other up stretching out one side at a time.
I found it a lot more effective for my client now that she was not raising her shoulders to aid the movement in reaching her true maximum range of movement. I started again using one arm, repeating it 3 times and them repeating the same process on the other side to ensure that her pectorals were stretched out.
I later moved on the stretch my clients glutes putting her leg up to create a 90 degree angle at the hip and the knee while she was in supine lying position (laying front faced up). and pushing the leg across the body and stretching it yet again to her maximum range of movement applying pressure as she resists against me.
Unlike the PIR for the pectorals, she did not adjust their body to aid the stretch for the glutes and therefore I felt that this was more effective for her.
Areas for improvement:
An issue I had was finding the correct technique that suits both myself and the client being able to get the client into a position that benefitted her as well as a position that I could get in to ensure that I provide enough resistance. this will be developed through practicing what works best for me and getting to know clients better.
It would be more beneficial while in training not only for myself by for the client to communicate with the client more to ensure I am applying enough pressure and creating enough resistance. It will also ensure that I am not hurting them during maximum range of movement.
When stretching a client using muscular energy techniques you must find their full range of movement first and measure it to see how much it has improved by. Although you can see it visually its a lot harder for them so if you give them measurements they will be able to see how it has affected/improved their range of movement. This can be done with a measuring tape in their full range of movement before MET and after to compare the difference in the range of movement.
Things to remember:
- When doing PIR on the agonist muscles (example, hamstring) does IR on the antagonist muscle (example, quadriceps).
- Communication is vital to improvement at this level.
- The more you practice the more likely you are to find what works best for you and know what works best with clients.