Massage Assisting with Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson's Disease (PD) is no stranger to me as my grandmother was diagnosed with it the same year I was born. I love my grandmother dearly and often take her hand and help her through some daily activities when she seemed to have difficulty accomplishing a task. Shortly after finishing massage school my mother asked me to provide my grandmother with a massage. I was not yet educated well enough then to understand the difference between a geriatric massage and a massage designed to assist clients living with PD, so the massage that I gave her did very little to help her symptoms. Now that I have finished a continuing education course and familiarized myself with massage for clients with PD I feel confident to assist most any client I may encounter living with PD.  

I, typically, am not a person who can go into a situation without understanding exactly what will be going on, therefore I would like to detail the proceedings of a massage focused on PD symptoms (here on out to be referred to as a PD massage). First, a PD massage can be done completely clothed; I understand that daily activities can be incredibly difficult, including dressing and undressing. So, to be able to dedicate more time to the massage and to keep the client warm, my clients living with PD will always be invited to remain clothed and offered a blanket.  The very first technique I use will be a craniosacral technique where one hand is under the base of the skull and the other under the sacrum (the bone at the base of the spine, nestled between the two hip bones). This technique is used to stretch the fascia, the tissue encompassing muscles and organs, north and south to ensure proper flow of the cerebral spinal fluid(1). If there is an obstruction within the flow it will be addressed before moving along. Most of the massage will be focused on moving lymph, the fluid the body uses to cleanse it's tissues. This fluid, if stagnant, "quickly becomes a hindrance to diffusion and other chemical reactions"(2). Muscle contractions are a main source of lymph manipulation; however, PD can make those voluntary contractions difficult to nearly impossible, therefore massage is an almost essential to aid the lymphatic system. The technique used to manipulate the lymph will be long, smooth, and repetitive strokes, which can also help loosen tight muscles, which contribute to a shuffled gait and the occasional trip and/or fall. Another technique used during a PD massage is stretching and strengthening. The limbs, keeping in mind the limited range of motion caused by rigidity, are manipulated in a way to promote healthy assisted stretches. After the stretch the client will be asked to push against me, a kind of resistance exercise used to strengthen the muscles activated. Throughout the massage a highway of communication is essential; I am not the client on the table and I am not the one living with PD, I don't know how the massage feels to my clients, I can only assume. Therefore, comfort level will be the main topic of discussion.  

One of my most favorite things about any massage is the mental healing a client can go through during the session. A massage of this kind can "reduce anxiety and depression" affiliated with PD(2) and "has been proven to improve a [client's] day-to-day activities, sleeping habits, walking, stress, and more" to include boosting self-confidence and well-being (3). This research, coupled with continuing education and previous experience, has led me to feel confident in assisting clients living with PD, as long as the client has informed their personal physician of the decision.  

Give Grand Junction Chiropractic Center a call at (970) 241-1199 and book an appointment with me if you believe massage therapy can assist you in your journey with Parkinson's Disease.  

(1) Schaeffer, M. Bodywork Techniques for Parkinson's Webinar 
(2) Werner, R. (2009). A Massage Therapist's Guide to Pathology (4th Ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a Wolters Kluwer Business.  
(3) Woodbridge, S. (2018, January). Why You May Want to Consider Massage Therapy. Parkinson's News Today.  

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