Safety in Thai Massage

Safety and body mechanics are two often-overlooked facets of practice which are essential to the long-term well being of the practitioner, and to the health of the client.

Thai massage is a potentially dangerous art form. An understanding of the way the human body works is essential to the study of Thai massage, as is an understanding of the principles of alignment for yogic postures.

Students need not take formal courses in anatomy and physiology in order to gain this understanding (although this is truly beneficial). This understanding may be gained experientially through the practice of alignment-oriented yoga (such as Iyengar and Anusara). For this reason, we always recommend our students take weekly yoga classes in the months prior to their study with us.

Understanding principles of alignment is central to the safe practice of Thai massage, but is unfortunately lacking in almost all Thai massage programs. For example.... let's take a look at a common Thai massage step, the "cobra pose". This pose is typically performed as shown in this photo:

In this pose, the practitioner is kneeling on the client's buttocks or hamstrings. When performing this move in this position, the therapist's knees push the buttocks up increasing the pinch in the lower back. Additionally, by lifting the client's abdomen from the mat, the strain of this stretch is placed squarely on the lumbar spine.... a very dangerous situation for the client!

An even worse situation is shown in the next photo:

In this photo, the entire weight of the client's upper body is carried by the lumbar spine, another injury waiting to happen!

An understanding of anatomy and physiology, plus alignment principles from yoga, can be brought to bear on the practice of Thai massage to maximize safety and comfort for both client and practitioner. The cobra pose should be performed as shown below:

In this image, the therapist's weight is pressed down onto the client's pelvis, keeping the hipbones and abdomen pinned to the mat to immobilize the lumbar region. The backward lean of the therapist further pulls the tailbone away and elongates the spine rather than crushing the lumbar. The therapist's knees prevent the client from taking the brunt of this stretch with the lumbar, instead focusing on opening the chest and thorax, the proper place for this stretch to be felt. The finishing touch is the outward rotation of the arms and shoulders, which opens the client's chest without stressing the neck.

This step, as described, is much more beneficial and much less likely to cause injury to the client. These are the kinds of considerations that are emphasized repeatedly throughout TaoMountain's training materials. These sorts of considerations are usually brushed over in shorter Thai massage courses, particularly those taught in Thailand, which are typically designed for tourists and not serious practitioners. If your Thai massage program is not paying attention to this kind of detail... be careful! Please gain an intimate understanding of body mechanics (both yours and your clients') before embarking on your career as a Thai therapist!

For more information on safety, alignment, and body mechanics, please consult Pierce's book, The Encyclopedia of Thai Massage, or find a teacher on our directory, www.TaoMountain.net.

This Article Continues:
History of Thai Massage | Spirit of Thai Massage | Thai Massage as a Medical Discipline | Herbs in Thai Massage | Thai Massage and Yoga | Safety and Body Mechanics