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Does Size Matter? A Question for Small Therapists
I have a question for therapists who consider themselves small. (Which I would define as being about half the size of most of their clientele)
Do you feel that your size puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to how many massages you can do per day or how deeply you can work?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Aldora on
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No. Its about body mechanics. I have had a number of NFL sized clients who were stunned that I could indeed get thru their tissues and help them. I notice as I improve my skills and techniques, my body mechanics need to as well. I can 4 back to back. up to 6 if I have a 2 hour break after the 3rd.
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Size definitely doesn't matter if you believe in your skill and passion to do your work. With regards to how many massage you perform per day it all depends on your workload, but I personally feel a break between 2-3 massages will definitely help to perform your next massage.
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Permalink Reply by Gordon J. Wallis on
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I have found on occasion, size does matter. I'm very strong. I weigh 140lb. I can put that 140lb on any one spot on the body. But on rare occation, that has not been enough.
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Permalink Reply by Chris Reynolds on
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Not sure. I think it depends on the individual. One of the best DEEP Tissue massages I ever had was from a lady that was maybe 5 foot tall and 100 lbs soaking wet.
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Permalink Reply by Therese Schwartz on
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Getting deep shouldn't be about force; it should be about sinking into the tissues as they release layer by layer. I'd say size doesn't matter for that!
IMO, if you need more "force" it means the client/tissue isn't ready to release yet and it's best to leave it until they are ready. I'm not talking about being lazy; I'm talking about if you've given it all you've got with techniques and thoughtfully applied pressure and it won't give, more force won't help.
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Permalink Reply by Mitsuko Ito on
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I would have to say as an 110lb, 5-1, rather new graduate that, even with the table at the lowest, and being conscious about body mechanics, it is not easy for me to work on a 300lb client whose thigh seems as thick as my waist (well that's probably just wishful thinking;) With thick and tough muscles though, and preferring to do deep trigger point type work, my finger/wrist/shoulders made me quickly realize I need to add more tools to my box than just my own upper body ( I am getting close to 40 too). For me, utilizing controlled body weight seems to make sense, and I am constantly looking for other tools too. That's just my own opinion from my own experience. Maybe I have't gotten the body mechanics right, but I would say it won't hurt to be aware and be prepared for the potential disadvantage.
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Permalink Reply by Stacey Breslin on
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I've had a lot of clients say that they never expected such a great deep tissue from me because of my size. Maintaining proper body mechanics and knowing what techniques work for you and the person you're working on will help keep you in control of the session. I'm not saying it's all sunshines and rainbows, though. I do have a few clients that make it hard on me but keeping up with self care will help you recover.
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Another thing, for Deep Tissue massages I've started using my forearms and elbows more often and that definitely helps!
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Size does matter. Trust me. I mean usually not. But on occaion I have been asked to press harder when I have my total body weight of 140lb with my elbow or thumb on one spot. Im very strong. All that happened was I did a push up on his body..He was a 360lb power lifter.. so at some point , it does matter. And if you are a massage therapist and weigh 100lb or less... Well its a lot easier if you weigh 190lb.or more..Dont kid yourself. Its physics. But for the average massage client. 100lb on one spot is usually enough.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Pyle on
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From my experience, size does not matter. Technique and table height are critical. I received body work from a woman who is 5'3 and 98 lbs. She had my eyes watering at times. LOL
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Permalink Reply by Michele Ellis on
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Size does not matter. I am a 5'1", 140lb (very muscular) person that has massaged large body people, athletic people, and horses. I have never had a problem getting those deep muscles and performing deep tissue. Those few people that think "more pressure means deeper", I educate them on how the muscles work and tell them that too much pressure will be counter productive. Don't get me wrong, I can do firm pressure. I specialize in performance animals and athletic people (horse riders to be exact). They are both very muscular. And when I do educate the person on pressure and working with the muscles, not against the muscles, most understand and let me work with them. They always feel better than those that want "more pressure to get those deep muscles."
So if size did matter, then it would be very hard for much of anyone to massage a 1000+lb very muscular animal. Even if the horse is too tall you can use a step stool to reach if the animal is well behaved. So size, or height in this case, does not matter.
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