Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2024

Summer 2024 • 53

accompanying symptoms such as numbness, tingling or weakness in the arms or hands. • Treatment history: Determine if the client has sought treatment for neck-related issues and the nature of any previous interventions. Physical Activity and Exercises • Mobility practices: Understand the types of physical activities or exercises the client regularly participates in and their relevance to neck and upper body mobility. • Self-care strategies: Inquire about any specific exercises or stretches they perform to address or alleviate neck-related concerns. Ergonomic Considerations • Workspace setup: Request a detailed description of their typical workspace setup, including chair and desk height. • Ergonomic accessories: Check if the client uses any ergonomic accessories, such as laptop stands or adjustable chairs. Awareness of Tech Neck • Familiarity with TNS : Assess the client’s knowledge of TNS and its potential impact on musculoskeletal health. • Self-identification of symptoms: Encourage them to identify any symptoms they may have noticed and attribute to prolonged device use.

they would like to address during the therapeutic process.

By exploring these nuanced aspects of how your client functions on a day-to-day basis, including their physical activity and mindset, you can gather a holistic understanding of the client’s lifestyle and habits. This comprehensive approach provides a solid foundation for tailoring interventions and recommendations that are not only effective but also aligned with the client’s individual needs and goals. This means your massage sessions will be as therapeutic as possible, and this will give the best chance of making them return clients who recommend others to you. Visual Postural Assessment When conducting a postural assessment for TNS, massage therapists should carefully observe and assess the various aspects to identify potential signs and risk factors. The key elements to consider during a visual postural assessment are: Head Position • Forward head posture: Assess the alignment of the head in relation to the shoulders. Look for signs of forward head posture, where the head is positioned anteriorly in relation to the shoulders. Shoulder Alignment • Shoulder position: Examine the position of the shoulders. Note if they are rounded forward or elevated, as these may indicate compensatory changes due to prolonged device use. Do the arms hang in front of the hips, or do they fall under the shoulder joints down the plumb line? Are the scapulae even, or is one or both protracted? Is there excessive contraction/ hypertrophy in the upper trapezius muscles? Are the shoulders lifted up toward the ears? Spinal Curves • Cervical curve : Evaluate the curvature of the cervical spine. Loss of the natural cervical curve is a characteristic feature of TNS (this may be easier to palpate when the client is prone in the head cradle, but sometimes is visually apparent).

Sleep and Lifestyle Habits • Sleep quality: Discuss sleep habits,

including the number of hours of sleep and any correlation between device use and sleep quality. • Bedtime device use: Determine whether the client uses devices close to bedtime and its

potential impact on sleep patterns. Client Goals and Concerns

• Health and wellness objectives: Understand the client’s primary health and wellness goals and how these align with concerns related to the neck and upper body. • Specific concerns: Encourage the client to articulate any specific concerns or challenges

amtamassage.org/mtj