Back Massage

With the towel still covering the client, rock them gently and stretch three times:

1. straight: from the centre of the back, moving one hand towards the base of the neck, the other towards the top of the buttocks
   
   
2. two diagonal: from the centre of the back, moving one hand to the left shoulder and the other hand to the right glute. Repeat with the opposite shoulder and glute.
   
   
3. both glutes: pulling down on the buttocks, one hand on each glute.

Pull the towel down the client's body and tuck the top of the towel into their underwear. Proceed with the following steps:

1. Effleurage
   
   Apply enough oil to cover the back (usually two effleurage strokes).
   
   
2. Thumb circles
   
   Start at the base of the spine near the sacrum and either side of the spinal column (muscle, not bone). Circulate your thumbs so that the right thumb is circling clockwise and your left thumb circling counter-clockwise. Pressure should come from your thumb pads, not the tips.
   
   With each circle, move slowly away from the spine towards the hips. On approaching the hips, draw the thumbs down to drain the inguinal nodes.
   
   
3. Centre push
   
   Standing at the side of the client, from the centre of the back, with your fingers open and hand slightly cupped, push away from the spine with pressure coming from the palm not the fingers.
   
   As the first hand reaches the lateral part of the waist, continue with the other hand to achieve a fluid, continuous movement.
   
   Repeat this move six times and then repeat with the finger tips closed.
   
   
4. Centre pull
   
   Bend your knees but maintain an upright posture. Place the palm of your hand in the centre of the back, pull towards you from the spine with pressure coming from the palm not the fingers.
   
   As the first hand reaches the lateral part of the waist, continue with the other hand to achieve a fluid, continuous movement.
   
   Repeat this move six times and then repeat with the finger tips closed.
   
   
5. Wringing
   
   Bend your knees but maintain an upright posture. Place your hand that is nearest the buttocks on the side of the waist that is furthest away from you. Place the other hand on the other side of the waist.
   
   Draw each hand towards the centre of the spine, applying pressure with the palms of your hands. As your hands reach the centre of the back, straighten your knees slightly and adjust your torso to suit the change in position of your hands (i.e. twist the shoulders back towards the normal position).
   
   Continue moving your hands towards the opposite side of the body and follow the torso rotation through, bending your knees again towards the end of the move.
   
   Repeat this in the opposite direction, whilst moving your hands up the back towards the base of the neck.
   
   Once you have reached the armpits, progress back down towards the base of the spine.
   
   Repeat three times.
   
   
6. Petrissage
   
   With small circular movements of your thumbs, move slowly up the erector spinae (muscles either side of the spinal column). Apply pressure to the muscle with the pads of your thumbs.
   
   Continue until you reach the base of the neck.
   
   Repeat three times.
   
   
7. Grasp and neck pull
   
   Starting at the top of the neck, gently grasp the flesh around neck and pull towards you.
   
   Repeat for the middle and then the base of the neck.
   
   
8. Double handed figure of eight
   
   Standing at the side of the client, starting in the centre of the back between the shoulder blades, place one hand on top of the other with fingers interlocking.
   
   Move your hands in a figure of eight around the shoulder blades with the move always coming down the spine from the neck.
   
   As your hands reach the top of each shoulder, lead with the palm, not the fingers.
   
   Repeat six times.
   
   
9. Thumb massage of the Scapula
   
   Stand at the client's head. Gently massage from the base of the neck with your thumbs rotating in small circles (right thumb clockwise, left thumb counter-clockwise). Follow the muscle along the scapula and draw down to the armpit and then glide back up to the base of the neck.
   
   Repeat three times.
   
   Stand at the client's side. Working on the trapezium and deltoid...
   
   
10. Latissimus stretch
    
    Still standing at the client's head, place your hands in the centre of the client's back between the shoulder blades, and gently push to the shoulders.
    
    If the client has their arms by their sides, continue the stroke down the arms into the elbow.
    
    
11. Wringing
    
    Standing at the side of the client and working on the shoulder opposite you, knead the shoulder by simultaneously pulling and pushing the flesh around the scapula in a motion that is line with your arms.
    
    Repeat this six times.
    
    
12. Kneading
    
    In the same position, perform a kneading of the shoulder by alternately pulling and pushing from the shoulder to the neck then in the opposite direction.
    
    Progress the kneading around the shoulder.
    
    Repeat this six times.
    
    Move around to the other side of the client and then repeat the above two moves on the other shoulder.
    
    
13. Trapezius roll
    
    Using the thumbs on the back of the trapezius and your fingers on the front, gently push then roll back the muscle. Do not apply so much pressure that the muscle is pinched.
    
    
14. Hacking and Cupping
    
    Perform hacking and cupping up and down the erector spinae.
    
    Repeat three times, then move around to perform the same on the other side of the back.
    
    
15. Frictioning
    
    On the lower part of the back, perform firtioning using the middle three fingers of one hand and pressure from the other hand.
    
    Do this on three points moving away from the spine.
    
    Repeat twice.
    
    
16. Circular Smoothing
    
    Standing at side of the client, smooth the muscle at the bottom of the back using fluid movements with each hand in a circular motion; start at the base of the spine, move up to the middle, then out to the side and back to the centre.
    
    Repeat this on the other side of the body.
    
    
17. Vertical Smoothing
    
    Standing at the side of the client, smooth the muscle of the lower back by moving your hands perpendicular to the back from the centre of the trunk to the base of the spine.
    
    One hand should follow the other in a continuous flowing move.
    
    
18. Erector spinae small circles
    
    Massage the erector spinae with your fingers, moving up the spine.
    
    
19. ?
    
    
20. ?
    
    
21. Spine stretch
    
    
22. 'Tai chi' move
    
    Stand at the client's side. With your hand that is nearest the

Effleurage and gentle downward strokes along the vertebral column to relax the worked tissue and muscle.

Cover your client up.