Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/142672
proper body mechanics By Mary Ann Foster The keys to effective body mechanics are good posture, fluid movement, and wholebody movement. Working with these attributes is a moment-by-moment process that requires body awareness and commitment. Think of it as self-care on the job. Every time you tune into your body and make alignment and flow corrections, you're practicing self-care and preventing injury. You're also helping your clients because the better you feel while giving massage, the better quality of massage you can give. The good news about a massage career is that it is a physical job that keeps us moving. But like any other occupational labor, there are more and less efficient ways to move. Bricklayers will injure their lower backs if they flex the spine to bend over and pick up bricks. Similarly, massage therapists who work with the spine in chronic flexion or hyperextension also risk repetitive stress injuries from pushing and pulling in a bent position. In the same way that tires wear out on a car if the tires are not properly aligned, your joints will suffer wear and tear if you practice massage with a poorly aligned body. The same body mechanics that apply to walking, running, laying bricks, and even scrubbing pots and pans in your kitchen sink apply to massage. Effective body mechanics requires an understanding of muscle and joint kinesiology. Here's a list of guidelines based on principles of posture and gait kinesiology that can help you have an enjoyable and successful career. • efore you begin a session, B check your posture and take a human stance. This means standing up straight, lengthening your neck and lower back, widening your shoulders front and back, and tuning into your core. Check a mirror to see if you're straight. Imagine your head, thorax, and pelvis like three dots to keep aligned as you work. • ay attention to your skeletal P alignment as you work. Keep your spine extended and your lower abdomen lightly contracted, which prevents abdominal distension that places a forward drag on the lumbar spine. Throughout the massage, make adjustments to keep your spine straight, especially when bending over the table. • hen bending, always bend W at the hips. Bending the spine, especially during force applications, is a primary cause of back pain that can lead to injury. Avoid slouching at all costs! Bend at the hips like a waiter bowing, keeping your neck long and your chest and abdomen lifted. • reathe easy as you work. As B you inhale, expand your lower ribs, which is the benchmark of true diaphragmatic breathing. Let the breath fill your rib cage and lift your sternum, which will lift and support your arms from underneath. Imagine the breath like a tide that washes energy