Massage techniques for caregivers - Hand & Lower Arm Massage

The UK Integrative Medicine & Health program uses traditional medical therapies and practices, while also recognizing the interaction between the patient’s mind, body and spirit.

Integrative medicine focuses on the whole person using all appropriate therapies, health care expertise and disciplines to achieve optimal health and healing.

At UK HealthCare, we believe this approach is integral in the patient’s overall health and well-being. Our mission is to assist patients in reaching their health and wellness goals by treating the whole person – body, mind, spirit and community.

Transcript:
Hi, I'm Kymber Tackett. I am a licensed and certified massage therapist with advanced training in hospital-based massage therapy. Today, I am here to teach you some techniques for hand and foot massage for caregivers.

Start out with just holding the person's hand, making sure that they are relaxed and they're not in a strain, and just slowly massage their hand and arm just so they get used to your touch. So you want to apply a small amount of lotion into your hand and warm it up in between your hands. And then I start applying it to the arms and the hands.

You want a light motion, not a lot of pressure. It doesn't even hardly move the skin. You can alternate your hands. And you want to do this about six times to make sure all the lotion is on their arms and their hands.

First, you want to take the person's hand palm down inside your hands and moving with a light pressure-- just stroke outward on the top of their hand. And you want to do this about six times from top to bottom. Again, you're just using light pressure.

Next, you want to take the person's hand palm up, start at the thumb-- at the base of the thumb-- using circular motions-- light circular motions. Run from the base to the tip and give the top of the tip a little squeeze at the end and then continue on through all the fingers. Next, with palm still upward, use your thumbs and do a horizontal move outward, starting at the wrist and going up through the palm-- still using light strokes.

For the next technique, take the hand in a handshake position. Use the palm of your other hand and gently work your way up to the elbow with a light but firm long stroke. Complete your technique by placing the hand in a resting position and then continue to the next arm and hand.