Efficient movement which increases strength, power, and pressure, decreases possibility of injury, enhances quality and effectiveness of massage, promotes energy or chi, increases career life span
Wrist problems
Overuse can lead to problems such as carpal tunnel and osteoarthritis
Back problems
Poor posture of the spine and excessive leaning over can lead to neck and shoulder problems as well as muscle spasms and problems of the back and spine
Arm problems
Overuse of arms can lead to nerve entrapment and fatigue in the arms and shoulders
Main source of strength comes from
Lower body not the arms and shoulders
Balance on both feet with
Knees bent
Keep the back
Straight and head up
Use the pelvis and torso to
Provide leverage and strength needed to apply pressure
Elbows and hands should stay
Close to the body
Shoulders and wrists should stay
Relaxed
Used substitutes when
More pressure or relief is needed
Keep wrists and hands
In alignment with the movement
Avoid
Small, repetitive movements
If injury or excessive strain occurs
Rest until it heals
Adjust the table height to allow for
Proper posture in relation to client size
Proprioception
Special sense in the body that enables us to detect body position and movement
Proprioceptors
Specialized nerve receptors found in joints, tendons, and muscles that sense body position
Muscle spindles
Proprioceptors mostly found in the bellies of muscles, provide information about the length or change in length of skeletal muscles
Golgi tendon organs
Proprioceptors located where muscles join with tendons, prevent tendons from being torn by inhibiting excessive muscle tension on tendons
First class levers
Fulcrum is located between force and weight, allow variable mechanical advantage also called teeter-totter levers ex. triceps with elbow as fulcrum
Second class levers
Weight is situated between the force and fulcrum, great for generating power, also called "nutcracker" or "wheelbarrow" levers ex. jaw
Third class levers
Force is located between the weight and fulcrum, great for generating speed, also called "baseball bat" or "shovel of dirt" levers ex. hips
Muscle twitch
Single contraction followed by relaxation
Tetanus
Sustained contraction
Isometric contraction
Muscle contracts but no change in length
Isotonic contraction
Muscle contracts and changes length
Concentric contraction
Muscle contracts and shortens
Eccentric contraction
Muscle contracts and lengthens
Agonist
Prime mover
Prime mover
Muscle that is most responsible for movement
Synergist
Muscle that helps perform a movement
Antagonist
Muscle that works against another muscle and performs the opposite action
