You have learned proper body mechanics during your massage therapy training, but when it comes to actually working in the real world, those things may be forgotten with everything else that you are trying to remember. Giving a massage requires that the therapist give a lot of their energy, both physically and emotionally. By focusing on proper body mechanics, you can effectively increase the amount of time you can spend as a massage therapist.
In the beginning of your career, no one is there to remind you of your bad posture and to correct certain habits that may lead to a sustained problem in your body. Taking a bit of time between each client can make a huge difference. The first thing to remember is: STRETCH. Even if you only have a few minutes take some time to stretch hands, wrists and any other part of the body that feels a little achy.
Learn a simple yoga sequence that you can do if you a little bit more time between clients or at the end of the day. This will increase blood flow, thus increasing energy. Oftentimes, when you feel tired, one might tend to get lazy and that’s when problems can occur. Another thing you can do is give yourself a massage with a foam roller or a tennis ball. Again, focus on the areas in the body that require the most attention. Of course, the obvious solution is to get a massage regularly. Find a friend from massage school and do a trade on a regular basis.
If it’s possible try to schedule a variety of massages in the same day. If you know your clients well enough, you can start to anticipate which styles they prefer. Giving a Deep Tissue massage, uses less of the forearms and elbows as would a Swedish massage.
Finally, when your day is through, release any muscular tension with a hot bath or soak in a hot tub. The more attention you give to your body, the more attention you can give to your clients.