Archive for the ‘marble stones’ tag
How Important are Cool Stones?
How Important are Cool Stones?
Cooler temperatures are finally starting to appear in more stone services throughout the country but we are finding that our ability to explain the application is affecting our ability to provide the service. There are several factors involved in bringing cool stones into your service.
Clients’ mind set; How do they feel about cooler temperatures?
I have found that most people’s fear of cool stones is based on their feeling of being cold, which no one likes. Working with cooler temperatures is about receiving cool not about being cold. If the room is warm, your client should not get cold from this treatment. Therefore we have to educate the spa going population on the benefits of cooler temperatures and its power to assist the body in its healing process.
I believe that cool temperatures are the most important temperatures we work with. The body starts its healing process by influencing changes. We do massage to bring heat to contracted muscles which initiate a change. We workout to improve the shape of our body and improve our quality of life; we break down some muscle tissue which recovers and therefore becomes stronger. But like anything else, this can be overdone and can damage the muscle. Hydrotherapy is usually done in short duration and repeated which allows the body to accept the contrasts in a gentle way. Using cool temperatures in short durations will take the body out of its norm and it will recover from the experience which will assist in helping the systems in our body become stronger. In order to move forward, our body needs change on all levels; emotional, physical and spiritual.
It is our responsibility to reach our clients on the emotional and physical level and using temperature is a significant tool.
The types of stone massages; Deep Tissue, Swedish, Aroma Therapy….
The application of working with stones will vary depending upon the modality you are practicing. With Deep tissue; you will be able to work with a greater range of temperature due to the firmer pressure and pace of the application. With Swedish; it is generally applied with lighter pressure which means you will be applying stones that are not carrying as much heat as Deep Tissue applications. In either application, cool stones will be applied with firm pressure and slow pace allowing the nerves to adjust to the change of temperature. The warm and cool application will be decreased, dictated by tolerance, pressure and pace. In most instances, when working with cool stones, the pace will be firm and slow and when working with hot, it will be firm and fast and as the temperature decreases the pace will slow down. The stones must be dried off before application and only a small amount of oil should be used. When the stones are first applied, press them firmly into the body and do not move them until the client gets accustomed to the change in temperature. You also need to be aware that some places on the body are more sensitive to cooler temperatures then others such as the back. For those clients that have an apprehension of cool make sure the stones are not to cold. Remember it is about changing their impression of cool stones not about shocking them.
Your ability to manipulate the stones and understanding of transfer of temperature to the body
Like in most modalities, education, practice and passion produce the best results. Stones are no exception except without education and practice this could be a formula for disaster, for you and/or your client. We all need to work within our own abilities. Those who are stronger and have greater dexterity with the stones will be able to work with greater temperature ranges. But strength and dexterity in itself are not the most important factors. The most important aspects of this work are the hydro principles and how they affect the body. The body will exurb as much heat that we will give it and then produce a great deal of circulation. In some instances, your client over a longer session could get off the table and feel nauseous. The cool stones will bring the body back into balance. The body does not take in cold it pushes out heat. I believe the cooler temperatures are the most important ones I work with because the body heals by change and I can generate heat with my hands.
We can change the perception of cool stones in our treatments for the massage and spa going population with our commitment to continuing education. This will enhance our ability to communicate with our clients and allow us to reach higher levels of expertise.
By; Bruce Baltz, LMT
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Safety In Stone Massage
Stone massage as we know it today has gone through many changes as its popularity has grown, from spa sessions to injury treatments. Today, massage therapists have many choices in stone work education. There are almost as many stone work classes as there are modalities in massage. They range from home study classes to several day workshops, from Reiki with stones to deep tissue.
With therapists and businesses trying to keep up with the public’s demands for stone massage, the industry has run into legal setbacks which are not acceptable.
In my opinion, the blame cannot be put on any one party. Therapists must be held responsible for their actions as well as a business that offers any type of service. This means the providing parties need to seek out the proper knowledge so all necessary steps are taken to provide the best treatment possible.
The two elements all these workshops have in common are the use of heat and that a stone is applied to the body whether it is through a drape or directly to the skin.
For this work to be done within a safe range for the therapist and the client, there are several steps that must be taken into consideration:
The ability of the therapist to handle a hot stone
When you take a stone out of the hot water, make sure the temperature of that stone is within your tolerance. If it is too HOT, your ability to apply that stone with confidence, whether through a drape or on the skin, will be greatly hindered. Your client will feel your lack of confidence.
Your client’s tolerance to accept heat
Now that you have a stone you are confident you can handle, we must consider your client’s tolerance for heat. We must take all precautions to assure your client will have the best treatment you can provide. If a hot stone is being placed on the body through a drape, it should be done through a towel, not a sheet. The sheet will often be too thin. It is essential that you check with your client to see how the temperature feels to him. There are some techniques done by laying on stones. The chances of your client being burned by laying stones is greater but can be done with proper training. I tell all my clients that they are in control of the session, which also includes temperature, hot or cold, and pressure. If you do not give your client this permission, he could say to himself, “You are the professional and I guess this is the way it should feel.” We cannot afford to have this thought cross his mind. If your intention is to apply a stone directly to the skin, you need to make sure the heat stays within the client’s tolerance. If the maximum level is 10, and we do not want to be there, we are looking for the 7 to 8 range for deep tissue work. You will also have to acknowledge that the 7 to 8 range could be different on each of your clients, with hot, cold and pressure, and this must be respected. If these steps are taken by the properly trained therapist, it will greatly reduce the chance of injury to the client.
Day Spas, Resorts, and Medical Offices
To add stone massage as a modality for you to assist in the healing process you need to be aware of the learning curve to apply this technique safely. I refer to Deep Tissue Healing, the deep tissue work I teach. When therapists come to me for training with the use of hot and cold stones, I ask the therapist to take a stone in his hand and work with it as though it is part of his hand. It does not matter how long one has been a therapist, the stone will be an equalizer in class because the student therapist has to massage with that stone as though it is an extension of his hand. This process will take time before the stone can be one with the therapist’s hand. The therapist will need time to adapt the stone into the flow of his work. When this time is not taken, the therapist will not develop the technique properly. Thus, the therapist will not feel comfortable and the client will pick up on this feeling and not want the treatment again. This will reflect on all stone massage therapists, which will perpetuate a negative feeling for stone massage.
I do not recommend one therapist be sent to ANY workshop and come back to their place of business and train the rest of the staff in what they have learned. This could be a formula for disaster for the client, therapist, and owner. This could result in a client’s being injured and legal actions could be taken. I do want to thank the businesses that support continuing education for their massage therapists, but I will ask you to allow your therapists the time to perfect their modality whatever it may be. The end result will benefit all involved.