Approaching Palpation Effectively

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pac_studentlife_preprocess_node()
call_user_func_array() (Line: 261)
Drupal\Core\Theme\ThemeManager->render() (Line: 491)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->doRender() (Line: 248)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->render() (Line: 476)
Drupal\Core\Template\TwigExtension->escapeFilter() (Line: 72)
__TwigTemplate_109431225407a71a9c8bb48c90bee7cf->doDisplay() (Line: 393)
Twig\Template->yield() (Line: 349)
Twig\Template->display() (Line: 364)
Twig\Template->render() (Line: 35)
Twig\TemplateWrapper->render() (Line: 33)
twig_render_template() (Line: 348)
Drupal\Core\Theme\ThemeManager->render() (Line: 491)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->doRender() (Line: 248)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->render() (Line: 476)
Drupal\Core\Template\TwigExtension->escapeFilter() (Line: 116)
__TwigTemplate_e15eb5330dbd7043550541900eeba24f->doDisplay() (Line: 393)
Twig\Template->yield() (Line: 349)
Twig\Template->display() (Line: 364)
Twig\Template->render() (Line: 35)
Twig\TemplateWrapper->render() (Line: 33)
twig_render_template() (Line: 348)
Drupal\Core\Theme\ThemeManager->render() (Line: 491)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->doRender() (Line: 248)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->render() (Line: 238)
Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\HtmlRenderer->Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\{closure}() (Line: 638)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->executeInRenderContext() (Line: 231)
Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\HtmlRenderer->prepare() (Line: 128)
Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\HtmlRenderer->renderResponse() (Line: 90)
Drupal\Core\EventSubscriber\MainContentViewSubscriber->onViewRenderArray()
call_user_func() (Line: 111)
Drupal\Component\EventDispatcher\ContainerAwareEventDispatcher->dispatch() (Line: 186)
Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\HttpKernel->handleRaw() (Line: 76)
Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\HttpKernel->handle() (Line: 53)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\Session->handle() (Line: 48)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\KernelPreHandle->handle() (Line: 28)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\ContentLength->handle() (Line: 191)
Drupal\page_cache\StackMiddleware\PageCache->fetch() (Line: 128)
Drupal\page_cache\StackMiddleware\PageCache->lookup() (Line: 82)
Drupal\page_cache\StackMiddleware\PageCache->handle() (Line: 45)
Drupal\services\StackMiddleware\FormatSetter->handle() (Line: 48)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\ReverseProxyMiddleware->handle() (Line: 51)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\NegotiationMiddleware->handle() (Line: 36)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\AjaxPageState->handle() (Line: 51)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\StackedHttpKernel->handle() (Line: 741)
Drupal\Core\DrupalKernel->handle() (Line: 34)

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pac_studentlife_preprocess_node()
call_user_func_array() (Line: 261)
Drupal\Core\Theme\ThemeManager->render() (Line: 491)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->doRender() (Line: 248)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->render() (Line: 476)
Drupal\Core\Template\TwigExtension->escapeFilter() (Line: 72)
__TwigTemplate_109431225407a71a9c8bb48c90bee7cf->doDisplay() (Line: 393)
Twig\Template->yield() (Line: 349)
Twig\Template->display() (Line: 364)
Twig\Template->render() (Line: 35)
Twig\TemplateWrapper->render() (Line: 33)
twig_render_template() (Line: 348)
Drupal\Core\Theme\ThemeManager->render() (Line: 491)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->doRender() (Line: 248)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->render() (Line: 476)
Drupal\Core\Template\TwigExtension->escapeFilter() (Line: 116)
__TwigTemplate_e15eb5330dbd7043550541900eeba24f->doDisplay() (Line: 393)
Twig\Template->yield() (Line: 349)
Twig\Template->display() (Line: 364)
Twig\Template->render() (Line: 35)
Twig\TemplateWrapper->render() (Line: 33)
twig_render_template() (Line: 348)
Drupal\Core\Theme\ThemeManager->render() (Line: 491)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->doRender() (Line: 248)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->render() (Line: 238)
Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\HtmlRenderer->Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\{closure}() (Line: 638)
Drupal\Core\Render\Renderer->executeInRenderContext() (Line: 231)
Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\HtmlRenderer->prepare() (Line: 128)
Drupal\Core\Render\MainContent\HtmlRenderer->renderResponse() (Line: 90)
Drupal\Core\EventSubscriber\MainContentViewSubscriber->onViewRenderArray()
call_user_func() (Line: 111)
Drupal\Component\EventDispatcher\ContainerAwareEventDispatcher->dispatch() (Line: 186)
Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\HttpKernel->handleRaw() (Line: 76)
Symfony\Component\HttpKernel\HttpKernel->handle() (Line: 53)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\Session->handle() (Line: 48)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\KernelPreHandle->handle() (Line: 28)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\ContentLength->handle() (Line: 191)
Drupal\page_cache\StackMiddleware\PageCache->fetch() (Line: 128)
Drupal\page_cache\StackMiddleware\PageCache->lookup() (Line: 82)
Drupal\page_cache\StackMiddleware\PageCache->handle() (Line: 45)
Drupal\services\StackMiddleware\FormatSetter->handle() (Line: 48)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\ReverseProxyMiddleware->handle() (Line: 51)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\NegotiationMiddleware->handle() (Line: 36)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\AjaxPageState->handle() (Line: 51)
Drupal\Core\StackMiddleware\StackedHttpKernel->handle() (Line: 741)
Drupal\Core\DrupalKernel->handle() (Line: 34)

Approaching Palpation Effectively

Palpation is the exploration of soft tissue through touching. It is used for three primary purposes in massage and bodywork therapy:

Palpation is used to locate specific structures such as muscles, bones, or ligaments.
Palpation is used to obtain data about the health of the client’s tissue as part of assessment practices.
Palpation is used in a continuous process during the application of massage to adapt the depth and types of techniques used during the session based on the client’s needs, tissue health, and comfort level.

Palpation Skills

When learning to palpate, focus on the ability to notice the following items or to detect differences in related structures or in bilateral structures. Pay attention to:

Tissue texture
Tissue tone
Tissue temperature
Tissue hydration
Tissue texture, tone, temperature, and hydration differences in bilateral structures (e.g., the right sternocleidomastoid versus the left sternocleidomastoid, or the right rhomboids versus the left rhomboids, etc.)
Tissue pain or techniques that illicit pain
Soft-tissue restrictions or dysfunctions that reduce range of motion in selected joints
Structural symmetry
Depth of work that feels “just right”
Depth of work that feels “too deep”
Depth of work that feels “too light”
Changes in tissue from the beginning of a massage session to the end of the session
Changes in tissue from the beginning of a massage technique to the end of that technique

The most effective way to build palpation skills is to remain present, alert, and aware. Highly skilled massage therapists are palpating continuously, on an almost subconscious level. They gather, interpret, and respond to data they receive through their fingers, palms, knuckles, forearms, and elbows. This way, they can make moment-by-moment adjustments in the pressure and speed of a particular stroke or technique to better match the client’s needs.

Structure of a Palpation Session

Structure palpation-learning sessions carefully. Your goal is to develop and refine a system for assessing and adapting to your client’s tissue through the data you gather with touch. The Palpation Session Form included in the Picked Fresh section of this newsletter will help you work through a session systematically and recognize important findings.

Approaching Palpation Effectively

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