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Help! Hands are sore!!

I am a fairly new LMT. I am currently working in a chiropractor's office several days a week. My shifts are usually 4 - 6 hrs. Most of the time I am booked for my entire shift so I am massaging almost the entire time. Most days I have a new patient every half hour. But there are days that they are scheduled for an hour long massage. ( I have had days where I have given 3 or 4 hour massages along with the half hour massages)

My hands are sore! I am pretty good about doing self care in between sessions. I try to stretch my flexors and extensors and pecs throughout the day. But lately my hands have been sore. They feel like they want to cramp up. And they feel weak. I am also experiencing carpal tunnel symptoms at night.

What can I do to prevent this from getting worse? What kind of stretches can I do? Exercises? Self massage but where to focus so I am doing as little "work" as possible.

I am trying to change my techniques so I use my palm, forearm and elbow more often during a session. Still learning as I go. Although I am not really sure how to avoid kneading the traps. Suggestions???

Other than that I am doing okay. I do have days when my back bothers me (previous injury that flares up on occasion) I am constantly checking my body mechanics and correcting myself which helps.

Suggestions on what to do would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by elizabeth mount on January 16, 2012 at 10:11am

If you are doing a lot of 1/2hr massages i have had trouble wanting to accomplish more than is realistic in the that amount of time. I am right now improveing on making plans based on multiple sessions. I think that changing my goal from giving the best massage and helping the person the most possible in one session to planning the best therapy for them will improve the care i can give and be easier on me. I don't need to go balls out every session.

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Permalink Reply by Jimswife on January 17, 2012 at 3:06pm

Elizabeth- I read your post yesterday. I wasn't sure if it applied to me or not. Hadn't really given it much thought I guess. So, I thought about it today while I was at work. And you're right about wanting/trying to accomplish more than is realistic in a 1/2 session. And today when I realized that I do that, I made the decision to just focus on the one area that is bothering them the most at this time. And not worry about any other areas UNLESS I have the time. What a change! I felt so much more relaxed and just at ease. I felt physically and mentally relaxed while working. ( I didn't keep looking at the clock wishing it would slow down because I needed more time! causing more anxiety ) And I feel that I gave better massages because of it. Seriously!! I will have to remind myself of that when I go to work!

I have learned so much over the last week! Thank you for all the input everyone! I feel much better mentally and physically. I'm getting there..... Baby steps.....

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Permalink Reply by elizabeth mount on January 17, 2012 at 3:30pm

i really tried to think about what you wrote and what i could learn from it. I said to my self how does this effect me what really makes me sore, what am i struggling with right now. I'm glad it helped. I will work harder on having that confidence you described haveing today.

thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Robin Byler Thomas on January 18, 2012 at 10:09pm

Lots of great comments here. The only other point I'd make is to limit your activities with your hands outside of work as much as possible until your stamina is built up. Things like typing, mousing, writing, food prep, painting, cross stitching, knitting, playing the piano; stop doing these things until you feel better and then add them back one thing at a time. They are all repetitive and use the same muscles you need for work. Good luck to you and best wishes for a successful and longgggg career.

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Permalink Reply by Bethany Ingraham on January 18, 2012 at 10:20pm

I abruptly went from doing a handful of massages a month to about 10 a week in December. My stamina is finally starting to catch up, but not without a lot of worry and soreness along the way. I did something stupid a week or two ago that set off a round of pain in my flexors. When I'm not massaging, I spend too many hours on my netbook (not conducive to ergonomic work). So, for the last two weeks, I've had to limit my computer time or stay off it altogether.

Thankfully, I've been able to use a lot of the suggestions from this thread to keep my arms and hands in better shape. The hand cramps have stopped, which is a major plus. :) I hope you continue to see results from your own self-care.