Massage Professional Practices Flashcards
Body Awareness
Paying attention to the body’s posture, alignment, mechanics, and the use of breath to remain centered during a massage.
Body Mechanics
The use of proper body movements to prevent injuries, reduce stress, and enhance physical capability for therapists.
Bow Stance
A position in which one foot is in front of the other with the weight centered between the two feet.
Burnout
Accumulated stress that leaves a person feeling incapable of performing professional duties.
Cardiovascular Fitness
Fitness that centers on elevating the heart rate to promote health of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system.
Centeredness
A state of focus and calm that allows a therapists to perform a client-centered massage and maintain his/her own.
Flexibility
The range of motion possible at a given joint or series of joints.
Horse Stance
A position in which the therapist’s feet are shoulder-width apart and facing the same direction.
Nutrition
The role that food plays in overall health and wellness.
Personal Health
The combined effects of nutrition, exercise, sleep, and lifestyle habits on a person’s overall well-being.
Physical Health
Any activities that promote strength, flexibility, and postural awareness for overall well-being.
Range Of Motion
The amount of movement possible within a given joint; also, massage techniques that involve optimizing that movement.
Repetitive Stress Injury
Injury that results from wear and tear on the body and often related to repetitive job tasks.
Self-Care
Any activity that restored a massage therapist’s sense of well-being.
Sleep Schedule
The time, duration, and quality of restful sleep.
Stances
A term describing the position of feet, knees, and hips during the application of massage.
Strength
Physical force or vigor; its improved with exercise in which muscle contraction is resisted by an outside force to improve muscle tone increase joint stability.
Stress reduction (therapist)
Any positive activity that reduces the amount of stress a therapist feels from work exertion.
Structural Alignment
Correct alignment of the body parts during the application of massage.
Use of Body Weight
Applying pressure to a client’s tissue by leaning body weight into a stroke.
Use of Breath
Various techniques for regulating and being aware of the breath during a massage.
Warm Up
Practicing gentle, gradual movements at first before engaging in more intense physical exertion.