Stretching

Stretching can be skipped from a massage session without notice. However there are a lot of health benefits from doing it. You should be able to assess your client's needs and perform one or a combination of the following types of stretching.

• Passive stretching: The stretching is done entirely by the practitioner and the patient does not actively participate.

• Active assisted stretching: This requires the patient to do the stretch while the massage therapist helps stretch a little further.
• Active resisted stretching: The patient resists the movement of the stretch. This helps the muscle and the joist to stretch better and increases the level of “pleasant pain”.

The stretching can be performed on limbs, on the back, or you can even stretch the neck but very gentle. If you are not very experienced you should choose to not perform stretching on the neck.
You have to make sure you don't overstretch. This is especialy true for small persons who's bodies can be easyer manipulated and you can pass the normal movement range of the articulation. Usualy your patient tells you that it hurts, but sometimes they don't and you have to make sure you communicate with them when you perform the stretching.
"