Fall has arrived—hooray, pumpkin spice everything! However, before we know it, we’ll be transitioning into the frigid winter months. Spruce up your massage treatments with these small yet effective add-ons to keep your clients warm and happy and learn how you can safeguard your practice from potential risks.
Heated Blankets
Many therapists use heated blankets year-round, however, heated blankets are especially beneficial during ski season. The heat from the blanket not only helps keep clients warm, but it also draws blood to the muscle tissue prior to beginning your treatment.
Safety tip:
Double check the cord on the blanket and make sure that there are no frayed wires or damaged prongs before beginning your treatment. Tuck away the cord to help prevent trip-and-falls.
Dry Brushing
Dry brushing is a great add-on option because of the simplicity and effectiveness of the treatment. Our skin dries out during the winter months so removing the dry skin prior to beginning massage can help lock-in moisture from lotions and oils that you’ll apply during your session.
Safety tip:
Always listen to your client. If dry brushing causes discomfort, end the treatment and move on to the massage immediately.
Aromatherapy
Use aromatherapy to help your clients relax and receive the full effects of your massage. Trickle a few droplets of your favorite winter oil onto a tissue and tuck it under the headrest of your table. This simple addition will make your clients feel special and it’s a great way to customize your session.
Safety tip:
Make sure your client doesn’t have any allergies to essential or base oils during your client intake. We realize that it’s customary to ask in the initial evaluation, but it’s still worth noting because of how high the risks are.
Learn more about the benefits of aromatherapy insurance.
Hot Towels
Use hot towels throughout your massage to heat up muscle tissue and give your treatment a little something extra. Begin by soaking three or four hand towels in essential oil (of your client’s choice) and hot water. Roll them up and place the towels in a crock pot or towel caddie to keep them warm.
While the client is in prone position, prior to flipping them over into supine, place a towel lengthwise from the sacrum to the occipital bones allowing the spinal muscles to absorb the heat from the towel. Then, roll the towel onto itself and let it rest across the deep back and occipital muscles as you cover your client with the sheets and blanket.
Remove the towel and set it aside. Before waking your client, at the end of the session, take the remaining two towels and wrap each foot creating a bootie. Place a dry towel underneath the feet prior to wrapping to avoid soaking the sheets.
Safety tip:
Unroll and shake the steaming towels after removing them from the crock pot or towel caddy to cool them down. Never place scalding towels on your clients’ skin. We’ve received several claims about injuries caused from hot stones and towels, so make sure they’re an acceptable temperature prior to using them in your treatment. Also, we all know that water doesn’t mix with electricity, so laying the dry towel underneath the soaked towels while there is a heated blanket under the sheets is a necessary safety precaution.
Bonus tip:
As always, being cautious is the best way to keep yourself and your clients safe and happy. But even when you’re taking every safety precaution in the book, sometimes the unexpected can happen. That’s why we suggest getting covered with massage insurance! Nobody wants accidents to happen, but make sure you’re covered if they do.
Did you find any of these ideas helpful? How do you winterize your massage sessions? Let us know in the comments!
