Why is body awareness important?

Have you ever wondered how you, as a client, can get more from your massage session? Have you ever wondered why your clients keep coming back for the same ailments? One of the causes could be a lack of body awareness.

Our medical society is relied upon to tell us what is wrong with our bodies, rather than allowing our inner senses to tell us when something is wrong. The maxim, "If it hurts, don't do it" is simply not an option. To whit, the athletes that compete and win in events such as Ironman Triathlon, Iditarod, and the Tour de France just to name a few. These individuals push their bodies to the extreme. In order to do this, a person must be well versed in the use and care of their body.

By reflecting on the aches and pains that nag us, we are able to stave off further injury down the road. By asking a client to make a before and after assessment of their body, I am opening the door for them to find words for their sensations. If they are able to make the connections about what changes have happened on the table, then they will have greater access to the changes off the table.

Whenever a client presents to me with a specific problem, I ask for a great deal of feedback. I want to know how their body is responding to the work and I want them to follow the internal changes that are occurring over the course of the session. While the changes may seem more profound if they get to explore only at the end of the session, the client loses out on the process of change. This process allows them to connect their issue to their life (That reminds me of when I ...) and their experience beyond that of the table.

Your clients may just surprise you if you offer them these chances on your table.

Movement is Life

As of late, I have realized that our bodies work best in a state of movement. For instance, the computer at which I am writing forces me to sit (or stand) in front of the screen. As soon as we constrain our movement, adaptations begin to occur to compensate for it. Muscles shorter, leading to imbalances of muscle tension and pain. Ligaments contract since their limits are not explored beyond "normal".

I see this frequently with the student population which I work with at the University. Hours of sitting in class, sitting studying all leads to very clear patterns of movement. A head-forward posture is almost universal with my clients on campus and low back pain is surprisingly common.

I associate this with how our bodies are made for an alert, erect posture with our head swiveling to allow our stereoscopic vision to spot food and threats. With our society, erect posture becomes "sitting up straight" or "square your shoulders". Our gimbaled neck swings us eyes from one corner of the screen to the other and checks our blind spot. Suddenly, backing out of the driveway becomes painful and difficult.

We seek out massage therapists and bodyworkers and doctors for pain relief. As a bodyworker, I appreciate the patronage afforded to me by this conundrum. I also hope to further educate my clientele about the options that are available to them as a supplement to massage therapy. Whether a low-velocity activity like tai chi or some forms of yoga or a high velocity activity such as aerobics or sports, I see them all as exploring available ranges of motion in the client and therefore as beneficial.