07/02/2026
re-post
💭 Chi’s Thoughts on Remedial Massage Practice
Remedial massage isn’t about just feeling and guessing — it’s an evidence-based practice.
Our hands are important, but so is our reasoning. Every touch should have a reason behind it.
🗣️ Understanding Clients’ Words
Clients often describe sensations like:
“I feel tight here.”
“It’s pulling.”
“It feels stiff.”
“It cramps sometimes.”
“It’s worse after resting or I sit too long.”
“I sleep with my arms up because it feels better.”
“I couldn’t move at all that day.”
“pins and needles”
“tingling”
“I feel numb in the hands”
These words are gold — but only if you know how to interpret them.
“Tight” doesn’t always mean the same thing. It could mean stiffness from muscle shortening, weakness under tension, or even a protective guarding from the nervous system.
Our job is to translate what clients say into what’s actually happening in their body. That’s where skill, curiosity, and pattern recognition come in.
❓Asking Better Questions
Good questioning is a therapist’s secret weapon.
Instead of just collecting symptoms, dig deeper:
When does it hurt?
What makes it better or worse?
What do you mean by “tight”? Show me that movement.
Where exactly sore? Can you pinpoint?
These questions not only help you find the real cause — they also build trust. Clients feel that you truly care and are thinking deeply about their problem.
🧠 Thinking Like a Professional
Always ask yourself:
Am I thinking objectively or just following my own bias?
Am I listening without judgment?
Am I respecting what the client is trying to tell me, even if it doesn’t fit my first THEORY?
Professionalism isn’t about being serious — it’s about being curious, reflective, and GROUNDING in reasoning.
🔍 Picking Up Subtle Clues
Some clients downplay their pain.
They might say things lightly like, “Oh, it’s just been there for years,” or “It’s not that bad.”
Often, this is where the most important information hides.
Listen for those little clues.
If you sense something more, ask gently. Sometimes, you’ll uncover years of discomfort they’ve just accepted as “normal.”
❤️ Encourage and Connect
Show genuine interest. Curiosity is contagious.
When clients feel your attention, they’ll share more details, and that’s when real understanding begins.
Many people hesitate to speak up — they don’t want to “bother” you or sound dramatic.
Your attitude can make the difference between a shallow session and a meaningful one.
📚 Building Real Knowledge
Pain is often just the result, not the cause.
So, when a client’s pain area isn’t the source, ask yourself:
Where is the true contributor?
Is there a secondary or compensatory pattern involved?
Has this become a long-term feedback loop between multiple regions?
Good therapists don’t chase pain — they trace it.
Our goal is to break the loop, not just calm it for a day.
🔁 Follow-Up Thinking
After every session, reflect:
Was my treatment suitable for what the client needed?
Did I really understand what their words meant?
Did I clearly explain what’s happening in their body?
If the effect doesn’t last:
→ Why? Is posture or daily movement feeding it?
→ Is there a weakness or endurance issue underneath?
→ Did I treat the symptom but miss the pattern?
If it doesn’t work at all:
→ Maybe the real cause hasn’t been found. Reassess — test again, palpate better.
→ Sometimes, it’s not the technique but how and where we apply it.
If it made things worse:
→ Check if you work on the area that shouldn't be work on.
→ It was acute inflammation or the body wasn’t ready for that depth of work.
Every result — good or bad — is feedback for learning.
🧍♀️ Building Trust and Cooperation
Clients should know what’s happening during treatment.
Keep them on the same page. When they understand your plan, they’ll work with you, not just lie there for you.
If they’re not following your guidance or seem unsure, ask yourself:
Did I build enough trust?
Did I explain things in a way they understand?
Am I respecting their expectations and comfort?
Remember, there are two professionals in the room:
You — the professional in treatment.
The client — the professional in their own pain experience.
Respect both roles.
🏋️ Exercise/Stretch and Homework
Ask yourself:
Is this exercise/stretch truly helping or creating more pain?
Is it suitable for their strength and control level?
Do I know how to modify it — easier or harder — if needed?
Do I have the ability to pick up abnormal movement to avoid worsening their pain or causing other issues? if not, you are not ready for giving exercise yet.
If an exercise/ stretch isn’t effective, adjust your approach.
The body changes fast; your plan should be flexible too.
🧩 Interpreting “Tight” and “Hard”
“Tight” can mean:
Shortened from overuse
Lengthened but still under tension
Neurologically guarded because the brain doesn’t feel safe
Ask: what position is this muscle usually in?
What type of contraction (concentric, eccentric, isometric) is it stuck in?
This tells you whether to release, strengthen, or re-train it.
When a muscle feels “hard,” it’s not always tension — sometimes it’s just tone or bulk.
Train your hands to tell the difference between tension, density, and adhesion.
🌱 Final Thought
Remedial massage is both science and art.
We use evidence, but also intuition built from experience and curiosity.
Every client teaches you something — if you pay attention.
Keep asking, keep observing, keep refining.
The best therapists never stop learning, but also never stop listening.
Chi
