How are new clients diagnosed for tension?

I specialise in Raynor Massage. Being a holistic massage, I spend 15 - 20 minutes diagnosing all of a client's body to find out where tension is being held. I don't just focus on the what the client is complaining about as that is often not the root cause of the issue!

So, how do I do my diagnosis? It starts with the Massage Health & Consent form that the client fills in. If 'anxiety', 'stress', 'anger', or 'insomnia' have been ticked then there is likely tension in the head so a face/head massage will be beneficial. If 'migraine' has been ticked there is likely tension in the head and neck, so a head and neck massage is required.

On the client, I press with my fingers into the Raynor Bands (see blog 'Tension and Raynor Bands') which interconnect the body. If the area feels sore to the client (they tell me) or feels hard to my touch there is likely tension present.

With the client facing upwards (supine position), I start on the left leg, feeling bands on the front and sides of the leg and the sides of the foot. Next I look at the toes. Are they straight, or has tension pulled them over? Are the toes loose when pushed, or are they under tension and spring back? And can the toes be circled easily?

After looking at the right leg I turn to the left arm, pressing on the bands on the inside and outside of the arm. Next is the hand. Do the fingers click when tugged (an indication of how loose the joints are)? Do the joints move laterally, or is there tension keeping them tight? Are the fleshy areas of the thumb and little finger painful when pressed?

After looking at the right arm I press on the bands in the pectoral muscles, looking for tight areas in the upper chest.

With the client turned over (prone position), I feel the neck muscles near the spine and the trapezius muscles of the shoulders. I also do a brief scalp massage to see how tight the scalp is over the skull.

Next I press along the bands down the back and feel for "knots" (where they commonly occur). Continuing down the body, bands in the centre and outside of the buttocks are pressed, followed by bands in the back of the legs. Finally, I rotate the feet to see now loose the ankles are.

Having performed a diagnosis I now have a view of where a client is holding tension. And with this knowledge I have the basis for a treatment plan.