Hi all,
This is a new one on me, hopefully someone out there has some positive experience that could help me!
I have a new Sports Massage client (fitness and dance instructor) and everything is fine when treating her legs but the back is a different story......
At first I thought the extreme muscle contraction and squirming was due to my over zealous technique but nope.....she is ridiculously ticklish on her back! I've tried different levels of pressure, and used everything from thumbs to knuckles to elbows but I can't seem to get through it.
She says that she's always been like that
Any ideas guys?
Kerry
Hi Kerry
Before you start the ticklish area rub it hard with a rough towel. It's supposed to desensitize the ticklish bits. I've done it a few times - sometimes it worked sometimes not but worth trying.
When clients have hypertonic back muscles, I use both hands fingertips only and drag slowly both sides of the spine in the same direction as the muscle. Eg longissimus from iliac crest to upper thoracic's this should "switch off" the hypertonicity enough for you to then do some individual attention to other low back muscles.
This will all sound counter intuitive, but it over stimulates an area enough to confuse the brain into an exceptance of the stimuli, otherwise other techniques will just serve to make the muscles (and client) jump.
The analogy I give my clients, is that of a sprinter in the "set" position in the starting blocks. Muscle's are overly primed and sensitive just waiting for the gun to go off.
Its very important to be able to "switch off" hypertonic muscles as in my experience the tissue is soooo lively the client may be unable to get into a deep sleep.
Thank you Jinx and Stephen,
Both great suggestions!
Really interesting that the towel technique de sensitises where as the second approach over sensitises, although both techniques are working on a neurological level.
I'll try one technique on Monday when I see my client and the second technique during the session after that to see which works best for her
Kerry 🙂
Thanks Guys!
I tried the 'desensitising' route first and used a pair of ex foliation gloves instead of a towel, worked a dream! No more jumping writhing and giggling!
Kerry 🙂
Glad this has worked for you Kerry. I may be pinching these tips for one of my client's who seems over senstitive at times on her back, she says she feels a funny feeling which makes her almost jump.
I will give the towel technique a go! Thanks as always guys for sharing your tips and techniques:D
Hi all,
This is a new one on me, hopefully someone out there has some positive experience that could help me!I have a new Sports Massage client (fitness and dance instructor) and everything is fine when treating her legs but the back is a different story......
At first I thought the extreme muscle contraction and squirming was due to my over zealous technique but nope.....she is ridiculously ticklish on her back! I've tried different levels of pressure, and used everything from thumbs to knuckles to elbows but I can't seem to get through it.
She says that she's always been like that
Any ideas guys?Kerry
This is crazy! I was looking up why my back is so ticklish and found this. I could NEVER get messages. It would tickle too much. i also have no info on how to desensitize.
Was it just in one specific place where it was ticklish? I have always had one spot on my back that is really bad when touched, my chiropractor said it was something to do with a tight muscle or nerve. It's like a spasm tickle.