How Massage Therapists Can Take Good Care Of Their Hands

Massage therapists have to master the numerous techniques of massage therapy.

If you want to succeed in the profession, you have to be able to perform a flawless massage.

While mastering the techniques is extremely important there is something else too that you need to take care of.

Your hands are your biggest assets and the quality of the massage provided depends greatly on your hands.

This is why they have to be taken care of.

If your hands are not taken care of, the clients may not like the massage.

Some of the most common problems reported by therapists include dry hands, dead skin around the nails and chipped nails.

These are everyday hand issues for many individuals.

However, in the massage therapy industry, they can have serious implications on your career.

There are many things which you will need to consider when taking care of your hands.

Of course, the most important part of your hands is your palm.

However, you also need to ensure that your arms and elbows are well taken care of.

There are some simple techniques and tips you can use to care for your hands.

These simple tips and tricks will ensure that your hands are in top shape.

Caring For Cuts and Bruises

One of the most fundamental things you need to do is to care of any cuts and bruises on your hand.

It is impossible to try and prevent cuts and bruises altogether.

The daily routine of many individuals will result in a cut or two on their hands.

However, the important thing is not prevention, but caring for the cut.

Always make sure that you are not touching your clients with an open wound on your hand.

This increases the risk of transferring an infection to and from your client.

The same also applies if your client has an open cut or wound.

You cannot give a massage with a band-aid covering your hand either.

This is why there is a liquid band aid for massage therapists.

This liquid band-aid will seal your cuts and bruises and the client won’t be able to feel it on your hand.

Make sure that once you use the applicator of the liquid band-aid, no one else uses it as doing so may increase the risk of spreading an infection and/or diseases.

Managing Hand Health During Everyday Activities

This is one thing that you can control. Ensure that your everyday activities are not harming your hands.

If they are, you avoid prevent them. Many massage therapists love to remain fit and for that purpose they workout. Usually, when you train with weights, the skin on the palm develops calluses.

These calluses are caused by the friction between your palm and the weights. It is perfectly natural for this to happen.

However, it can be uncomfortable for the client. You do not have to quit working out to prevent calluses.

There is one simple thing you can do to prevent this.

You can buy a pair of weightlifting gloves. These gloves will provide you with a firm grip on the weights while preventing your hands developing calluses.

You should also wear rubber gloves while doing the dishes.

The detergent can make your hands rough and dry.

You do not have to alter your lifestyle to ensure your hands are cared for.

Just a few precautionary measures and you should be good to go.

Massage and Stretching Techniques

This is one of the most important aspects of caring for your hands.

When you are in massage school, you are taught various techniques on how to give a massage to your patient.

In addition to this, you are also guided by ways you can care for your own hands.

These techniques include various stretching exercises as well as massages which you can perform on your own body.

These simple massage and stretching techniques will keep your hands soft and delicate. Just make sure that you begin using these massage and stretching techniques immediately.

Do not wait until you begin a career in massage therapy. Starting off early will get your hands ready.

Moreover, you will be able to master the techniques. Practice makes perfect!

Getting Regular Manicures

Another important thing is to pamper your hands. This needs to be done without fail.

This is because your hands not only have to be soft but also need to be visually appealing.

You have to maintain your nails, your fingertips and they should appear well maintained.

The best way to do this is to get frequent manicures. You should consider getting a manicure at least once every two weeks.

There are a few things you need to convey to the manicurist to fulfil the requirements of your profession.

The most important thing is nail length.

The length of your nails should be below the pads of your fingers. Long nails may be uncomfortable for clients.

Additionally, you should go to the manicurist without any nail polish.

This is because the bacteria tend to stick onto nail polish.

If there is no nail polish, your nails and fingers will be cleaned properly.

Also, make sure that you go to a professional manicurist. This guarantees that your hands will be smooth and soft.

Avoid ‘do it yourself’ manicure kits or asking a friend who is not a professional to do it to you.

Getting a professional manicure can also be a good relaxing experience for you.

Ensuring Your Hands Are Soft

The most common misconception amongst massage therapists is that their hands are always well moisturized.

This is mainly because they apply moisturizers on their clients regularly with their hands.

However, massage therapists also have to wash and disinfect their hands after every massage.

Because of this, the moisturizers and lotions may not affect your hands much.

In fact, this constant cleaning and disinfecting could leave your hands dry.

This is why you should keep your hands well moisturized to ensure they are soft.

The best way to do this is to invest in a good quality hand moisturizer.

Apply it generously on your hands up till your elbows every night before going to bed.

Moreover, keep your hands and arms well moisturized throughout the day.

If you want to be a successful massage therapist, be sure to care for your hands.

The above-mentioned tips will prove to be helpful in doing so.

If you are considering purchasing any of the tools mentioned above, check out Massage Naturals to get the best price on these items.

Neal Lyons is a founding member and volunteer contributor at the MTSI Institute, an information based portal dedicated to guiding and assisting aspiring massage therapists establish a successful career in massage. Neal is a published author and has collaborated on several mobile applications that serve the massage profession. You can view his published work on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Sony and Kobo. You can connect with him on Facebook, Twitter and on Google+

5 comments on “How Massage Therapists Can Take Good Care Of Their Hands
  1. Simone Alexander says:

    Describe client care and explain appropriate client care.

    • Neal Lyons says:

      thanks for a good article idea Simone. until we get around to publishing the article, what in your opinion is client care? how would you describe appropriate client care?

  2. Abigail says:

    I’m a massage therapist myself. The way I look after myself is by getting regular massages myself as a massage therapist I do massage all day it can be very physical so you have to pamper yourself

  3. Melissa says:

    Good blog on how massage therapists need to take care of their hands. Absolutely get regular massages so your arms and hands feel loose and not tight and hurting. Best thing I do for myself! ❤

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