We had more shiatsu tonight, learning more anterior leg stuff and practicing our protocols. My partner got to practice our protocol and we were even able to fine tune it some more, even from last night's tuning.
We're gonna be rock-n-rollin. That's about all I got for tonight.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
Day 126 - Flowing Like The Nile
Saturday afternoon's clinic seemed to be a bit slower than they have been. My guess is that many people were either out of town for Thanksgiving weekend or they were out Christmas shopping. Either way, there weren't as many clients this past weekend. Well, my Shiatsu partner and I got to practice shiatsu stuff on each other during a student exchange.
One of the clients I got to work on was a weight lifter, so his muscles just stuck out and said, "Hey! Massage me!" So I did.
Now, onto tonight's class. My partner and I have been working on our protocol and I gotta say - it flows like the Nile. We have certain moves that we have to do and we have been working on how to transition to the next move. It's been working out very well. I'll get it all typed up tonight or tomorrow and we'll be rockin' an' rollin'.
On another note, over the long weekend, I watched one of the things WGH had DVR'ed from last week: The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now. I have to say that I was inspired. So much so that yesterday morning, I did a 15 minute yoga routine and then took a 30 minute walk. This morning, I got up and did the same 15 minute yogo routine and took walks during each of my 15 minute breaks at work today. I'm not saying that I'm going to lose a bunch of weight, or any at all, but I know that I need to be way more physically active than I am now. With the exception of a few things I do for classes or clinic, I've been very sedentary and I'm really starting to feel the effects of that. So...I'm trying to find ways to at least incorporate some sort of activity into my routine.
One of the clients I got to work on was a weight lifter, so his muscles just stuck out and said, "Hey! Massage me!" So I did.
Now, onto tonight's class. My partner and I have been working on our protocol and I gotta say - it flows like the Nile. We have certain moves that we have to do and we have been working on how to transition to the next move. It's been working out very well. I'll get it all typed up tonight or tomorrow and we'll be rockin' an' rollin'.
On another note, over the long weekend, I watched one of the things WGH had DVR'ed from last week: The Biggest Loser: Where Are They Now. I have to say that I was inspired. So much so that yesterday morning, I did a 15 minute yoga routine and then took a 30 minute walk. This morning, I got up and did the same 15 minute yogo routine and took walks during each of my 15 minute breaks at work today. I'm not saying that I'm going to lose a bunch of weight, or any at all, but I know that I need to be way more physically active than I am now. With the exception of a few things I do for classes or clinic, I've been very sedentary and I'm really starting to feel the effects of that. So...I'm trying to find ways to at least incorporate some sort of activity into my routine.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Day 125 - Thanksnatomy
So this evening's class was one of the hardest to actually get to...mentally. It's the evening before Thanksgiving - turkey, dressing, mashed tators, and all that good stuff. I went to class anyway.
I'm pretty sure everybody who showed up for class was thinking the same thing: get this over with so I can go home and prepare for tomorrow.
We took our quiz (10 out of 10, baby!) and then after a break, learned more about the skeletal system.
I hope I can retain this information for recall later.
Or have to study.
EWWWW!
Well, off to dream about turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and dressing. Yum.
I'm pretty sure everybody who showed up for class was thinking the same thing: get this over with so I can go home and prepare for tomorrow.
We took our quiz (10 out of 10, baby!) and then after a break, learned more about the skeletal system.
I hope I can retain this information for recall later.
Or have to study.
EWWWW!
Well, off to dream about turkey, pumpkin pie, mashed potatoes, and dressing. Yum.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Day 124 - Musculoskeletal Pathology
In tonight's class, we studied some of the pathologies of the musculoskeletal systems. We also got our assignment for next class, in which we take "SOAP" notes on a client and then put a pathology on them (that they don't really have) and describe how we would change our SOAP notes based on that pathology.
SOAP notes are the typical way that people in a medical-type profession keep notes on clients/patients. It has nothing to do with hygiene and getting clean.
It stands for:
S - Subjective (what they say is the problem or what they are presenting with)
O - Objective (What the practitioner sees)
A - Assessment (what the practitioner does)
P - Plan (what the plan is for next time or in the mean time)
That's about all I have for tonight.
SOAP notes are the typical way that people in a medical-type profession keep notes on clients/patients. It has nothing to do with hygiene and getting clean.
It stands for:
S - Subjective (what they say is the problem or what they are presenting with)
O - Objective (What the practitioner sees)
A - Assessment (what the practitioner does)
P - Plan (what the plan is for next time or in the mean time)
That's about all I have for tonight.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Day 123 - Extra Movin' and Groovin'
I do actually WANT to update after my shift in student clinic, but actually, I'm either too tired or too lazy. It could be either. During this past weekend, I worked the Saturday afternoon shift, where there aren't as many student therapists so we were all quite busy with taking clients. I actually worked with four clients and did no student exchanges during this shift.
Oddly enough, two of the clients asked me specifically to work on their abdomen, which is not something that I automatically included in the massages I have been giving. Another different thing is that I had all women for clients this time.
As far as class goes for tonight, I had shiatsu class in which we learned about the back and various meridians and points associated with it, including the energy path that runs along WGH's favorite place - the lamina groove. We also learned extra moves for the posterior side and all sorts of other stretches. I just practiced a couple of them on WGH. He's a good sport.
My partner and I have our final assignment/protocol started. Now, we just have to get it typed up and formatted with the right flow and that sort of thing. And practice it. Well, that will definitely take some time.
Oddly enough, two of the clients asked me specifically to work on their abdomen, which is not something that I automatically included in the massages I have been giving. Another different thing is that I had all women for clients this time.
As far as class goes for tonight, I had shiatsu class in which we learned about the back and various meridians and points associated with it, including the energy path that runs along WGH's favorite place - the lamina groove. We also learned extra moves for the posterior side and all sorts of other stretches. I just practiced a couple of them on WGH. He's a good sport.
My partner and I have our final assignment/protocol started. Now, we just have to get it typed up and formatted with the right flow and that sort of thing. And practice it. Well, that will definitely take some time.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Day 122 - Getting a Clue with Shiatsu
Before I tell of all the exciting things that happened in class, I have to share a confirmation I received today on why I am going into this field.
While at the J-O-B, I noticed a co-worker in her office with the lights off, which was quite unusual. She explained that she had been experiencing one of the worst migraine headaches she's had - for the whole last week! She seemed very lethargic, too, which is pretty unusual for her. I told her that though I had learned some stuff that may help, I wouldn't want to "practice" on her. She said that she was going to the doctor and see if they can help.
After she returned from the doctor, she asked me to help her. Besides saying that she was experiencing stress and possibly not eating balanced meals, the doctor had found some knots in her trapezius muscles that may be causing the headache. I almost immediately found them and went to working them out, using some pincer techniques, friction, vibration, compressions, and good ol' petrissage. After about 10 minutes - 15 at the most - I felt I had done all I could in that "session" and wrapped up with her. She said that she felt better and more loose in the shoulders and after a little chat, she left the room. About 10 minutes later, she came bee-bopping back into the room with a much more energetic demeanor and said she was feeling better.
So, in case you're wondering, THAT'S why I'm putting myself through this grueling schedule. To help people feel better. I love that feeling!
Anyway, back to class. We discussed what a client's reaction may be to a shiatsu session, benefits to it, and a little bit more about Eastern Medicine and how it relates to shiatsu. I find it interesting that it seems to mix the physical work with the energy work. Of course, I could be wrong about all of that.
We got our "big" assignment, which is creating a protocol for a made up client. We also got to see protocols made up in previous classes, as well as see a little bit of demonstration of some "extra moves" that are to be used in the protocol. The extra moves seem to be very similar moves, if not the same, to Thai massage.
My understanding of Thai massage: do Yoga for your client and bend your client into a pretzel until screaming begins.
I could be wrong though. It's been known to happen on occasion.
While at the J-O-B, I noticed a co-worker in her office with the lights off, which was quite unusual. She explained that she had been experiencing one of the worst migraine headaches she's had - for the whole last week! She seemed very lethargic, too, which is pretty unusual for her. I told her that though I had learned some stuff that may help, I wouldn't want to "practice" on her. She said that she was going to the doctor and see if they can help.
After she returned from the doctor, she asked me to help her. Besides saying that she was experiencing stress and possibly not eating balanced meals, the doctor had found some knots in her trapezius muscles that may be causing the headache. I almost immediately found them and went to working them out, using some pincer techniques, friction, vibration, compressions, and good ol' petrissage. After about 10 minutes - 15 at the most - I felt I had done all I could in that "session" and wrapped up with her. She said that she felt better and more loose in the shoulders and after a little chat, she left the room. About 10 minutes later, she came bee-bopping back into the room with a much more energetic demeanor and said she was feeling better.
So, in case you're wondering, THAT'S why I'm putting myself through this grueling schedule. To help people feel better. I love that feeling!
Anyway, back to class. We discussed what a client's reaction may be to a shiatsu session, benefits to it, and a little bit more about Eastern Medicine and how it relates to shiatsu. I find it interesting that it seems to mix the physical work with the energy work. Of course, I could be wrong about all of that.
We got our "big" assignment, which is creating a protocol for a made up client. We also got to see protocols made up in previous classes, as well as see a little bit of demonstration of some "extra moves" that are to be used in the protocol. The extra moves seem to be very similar moves, if not the same, to Thai massage.
My understanding of Thai massage: do Yoga for your client and bend your client into a pretzel until screaming begins.
I could be wrong though. It's been known to happen on occasion.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Day 121 - Deja Vu Anatomy
Last week, we took our Anatomy I final exam which included the subject of muscle tissue, what it is, what kinds there are, and how muscles actually work. We had learned about sarcomeres, calcium's role, and what actins and myocins are.
In our first class of Anatomy II this evening, guess what? We reviewed muscle tissue, what it is, what kinds there are, and how muscles actually work, including sarcomeres, calcium's role, and what actins and myocins are.
Weird. Deja vu.
Last week, I ended up getting a 95% on the final exam, but wasn't really sure what all of the muscle stuff meant. Frankly, by the time we went over that last week, my brain had totally checked out. After tonight's review, I think I get it.
Yay!
As for the J-O-B, today was a strange day. Since the company had lost a contract back at the end of September, things have been rather slow. Well, today, TPTB executed multiple lay-offs. I was not one of the parties affected. I really want to add "unfortunately" to the end of that because in many ways, working 40 hours a week while doing this massage school program is hugely time consuming, physically and emotionally draining, and I never have time (or make the time) to clean the house.
But - I guess I have to help pay bills and make my contribution to society, so off to work I go.
Well, I mean, tomorrow, I will go to work. Tonight, I'm heading to bed.
In our first class of Anatomy II this evening, guess what? We reviewed muscle tissue, what it is, what kinds there are, and how muscles actually work, including sarcomeres, calcium's role, and what actins and myocins are.
Weird. Deja vu.
Last week, I ended up getting a 95% on the final exam, but wasn't really sure what all of the muscle stuff meant. Frankly, by the time we went over that last week, my brain had totally checked out. After tonight's review, I think I get it.
Yay!
As for the J-O-B, today was a strange day. Since the company had lost a contract back at the end of September, things have been rather slow. Well, today, TPTB executed multiple lay-offs. I was not one of the parties affected. I really want to add "unfortunately" to the end of that because in many ways, working 40 hours a week while doing this massage school program is hugely time consuming, physically and emotionally draining, and I never have time (or make the time) to clean the house.
But - I guess I have to help pay bills and make my contribution to society, so off to work I go.
Well, I mean, tomorrow, I will go to work. Tonight, I'm heading to bed.
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