Saving your hands in Thai Massage therapy
Every massage therapist knows that massage can be hard on your hands. We all had the experience that a large, heavy, stiff client requests some serious therapeutic work.
In some cases it can leave us wondering how we can handle this person’s request without stressing our hands too much. Small therapists might even have to avoid or decline such work.
This is where Thai Massage therapy can be ideal. It is a wonderful modality for deep, intense and highly effective therapy work.
Replacing your hands in Thai Massage
One of its greatest advantages is that therapists can use many body parts like knees, elbows, and feet to relieve stress on the hands and to increase their power. However, on top of these advantages, there is another useful option.
In this 6th episode of the Thai Massage Tips And Tricks series, you will find out about one massage tool which is practically never used in Thai Massage. However, I have used it very successfully on some of my larger clients.
It adds some substantial benefits to your work, it is good for the client and good for the therapist. While it does not replace your hands, it can be a valuable supplement to your Thai Massage work.
Using tools only when appropriate
It is a matter of deciding what is the right tool for a particular client. If you are a male with large and strong hands, and you are working on a small woman, then your hands are probably the best tool without need of anything else.
But if the roles are reversed, and you are a small woman working on a large man, then it is highly appropriate to think about replacing your hands to some degree with other body parts.
This might be forearms, elbows, knees, or a massage hammer. This doesn’t mean that you use these tools for the entire session, but it does mean that you provide relief to your hands and use them for part of the session.
Benefiting yourself and your clients in Thai Massage
But it is not only for your benefit. You are also doing the client a favor because you will be more effective than if you would try to use your hands for everything.
The argument is often that tools like forearms or knees or massage hammers don’t feel as good as your hands do. This is simply not true. You just have to learn how to use them correctly, and they can feel great.
In this way you prolong and save your career, and you are also able to do deep and effective work on large or very tight clients on whom you would have not been effective otherwise. It’s truly a win/win situation.
If you would like to watch more Thai Massage Tips And Tricks videos, you can find them here:
Thai Massage Tips And Tricks Video Series
Would you like to learn Thai Massage? Thai Healing Massage Academy can help you with an in-depth online training program that will turn you into a well-rounded, holistic, and highly competent practitioner.
The author, Shama Kern, is the founder and director of Thai Healing Massage Academy. He has been practicing and teaching Thai Massage for over two decades, and he is the creator of 20 Thai Massage online training courses.
Wow, what a surprise, never seen a machine like this one before and is a great idea for larger clients who need the work most but it is sometimes difficult to reach deep enough.
Loving this interplay, so happy to be learning with you Shama. Generous teacher, heartfelt lessons, thanks again.
Will research and see what is available in Australia.
I figured that not too many people would know about this device, especially how to use it in the context of Thai Massage. That’s why I put it in my “Tips And Tricks” series:)
Thanks for all your appreciation which you express so generously in your many posts. It is food for my soul! I put a lot of energy into my work, supporting my students, providing free training, writing informative articles. It is great to see that it is received well and that it helps others in their massage career.
What a wonderfully informative video. Thanks so much for showing us some tools that are helpful for self care, large clients and our regular clients. It looks like a good way to save our hands and serve our clients.
Thanks Ariana, it is always good to hear from you, and if I value anyone’s input and opinion, it is certainly you!
Thank you Shama, I really appreciate the information I got from the video. Being a small therapist I do need additional means to save not only my hands, but my arms working with large clients. Thank you again for a very useful piece of advice
Hi Lydia, good to hear from you! I am glad that my latest video resonates with you.
Thank you Shama for your innovative approach to this ancient art of bodywork. I have been using a professional vibration tool called GX99 for 15 years in my massage practice, which has been primarily bodywork on the massage table. I love the benefits for the client and my own hands, and the versatility this machine gives me. Your idea of using these hand held tools in Thai Massage is truly an eye opener for me and the heat is definitely a plus. Love it.
Thanks Catharina, I am glad that this gives you some inspiration for new ways of doing Thai Massage.