Thanks so much, Natalie!

Good to hear, Jen! Just wanted to make sure you'd seen this video on thumb pain: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l81zocKcudLYk4k.html As you recover, feel free to join us on the forum and troubleshoot (search for "massage sloth clubhouse" on facebook), and do consider seeing an occupational therapist or physical therapist if your pain persists or worsens. Best of luck!

Happy to help! 😊

i know what you mean i was thinking about thumbs free n this popped up on my phone.

How are your thumbs now, 6 years later? Were you able to use these techniques to help yourself?

I just wanted to make sure you had seen this as well: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l81zocKcudLYk4k.html And consider joining us on the forum (search "Massage Sloth Clubhouse" on Facebook) if you'd like to crowdsource some troubleshooting. Best of luck!!

How are your thumbs doing these days Helen? Are you still massaging?

Peta Elliott 52 and new. I know how you feel about starting with caution.

How are your thumbs doing now, 6 years later Peta? Do you still practice massage?

@@shaithaimassage 6 years later my thumbs are going well thanks!! better than when I started. I did have some thumb rehab with a hand therapist a while back, including a resting splint and dynamic stability approach, really helped too!

@@kno33 Great to hear it!!!

That's always one that's tough for me to answer, because I'm stuck in this 5'11" body with long arms. I'm actually jealous of people who have decent leverage :) Basically, get your table as low as possible, and get your body higher up when you need to (tiptoes, or even a step aerobics platform). Use angled pressure when using your straight arms, thinking of tractioning fascia away from you rather than applying pressure down toward muscle/bone. You'll inevitably do both, but it's a helpful mental picture. When you need to use pressure straight down toward the table, either get up higher, or use shorter tools, like forearms and elbows. You may find my video on body mechanics for low tables helpful: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eq15nqyGxJemnqc.html I think the information applies, but I can't make myself check. If I have to watch another minute of myself talking to the camera, I'm gonna lose my mind!

+Michelle Adamczyk Hah, thanks Michelle :) You can't beat that hands-on experience though!

+Liberty Face Great to hear! As far as a compromised wrist position, I just mean anything that feels unstable while you're using it. If you're applying your fist and thinking, "this feels kind of funky for my wrist," then try to find a more stable position, usually meaning straighter.

+Michael Dooley Hi Michael! When I hear about anterior hip pain, especially the type that occurs near the inguinal ligament, I'm thinking hip flexors. Psoas and iliacus use that structure as a sling. They're pretty much crammed under it, along with some nervous and vascular structures. If the muscles are hypertonic, they can make otherwise ordinary motions (e.g. walking, squatting) feel like pain or "catching." My first suspect isn't your massage habits (though those could certainly be contributing! More on that in a second), it's your exercise regimen. It looks like your bodyweight routine (yes, I did some KZfaq stalking) is pretty core-heavy, incorporating a lot of flexion (spiderman crawls) or resistance to extension (planks) at the hips. While these can be useful, the anterior and lateral pelvis are prone to overuse injury. I see this a lot in runners, but I'm betting that your core work is causing some repeated rubbing along the ligament and the iliopsoas bursa. What to do? Well, don't feel like you need to drop your exercise regimen, but you may want to take it easy with hip flexion exercises for a while. I'm betting isometric exercises like planks will be fine, but no bicycle kicks or whatever :) You may also get some relief from stretching the hip flexors, especially in ways that activate their antagonists. Bridges and that "wild thing" plank look like good candidates! As for your massage habits, just be aware of how tight you're keeping your core and quads during your massages. See if you can find opportunities to lounge against the side of the table as you work. Also, and I know this is heresy, but allow yourself to come out of "perfect" posture as you give your weight to your clients. In other words, as you pour your weight onto the table, slouch a little bit. See my "body mechanics for low tables" video for more: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eq15nqyGxJemnqc.html Best of luck! If this anterior hip pain continues or worsens, consider seeing a doctor for evaluation/referral.

Thank you!!

If you're wondering about the height, I have it fairly low, which I discuss here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eq15nqyGxJemnqc.html

This is a job for communication. I front-load my client with information about how I work ("I mainly do a style of massage called myofascial release, which might be slower than what you're used to. It should feel like being gradually ironed out."), and I ask about the pace during the session. If it's not someone's jam, I apply some more oil and speed up!