Massage Therapy

Its nice to meet another massage therapist
As for techniques, that are most effective, sometimes that it is a puzzle. Start with long, slow (deliberately slow) strokes much like effleurage strokes used in Swedish down along your patient's spine. Do this as many times as your hands tell you and your heart as well. When you get to the base of the spine, gently with your palms lean into the posterior superior iliac spine, much like a gentle push. Working along the spine and slowing the strokes down gives the nervous system time to relax and involve their breathing also.
With RSD the body is already in overload and needs to find a balance. At the beginning of the stroke, have them take a deep breath and slowly let it out as your working down their spine. With all massage techniques the breath is so important for the patient as well as the therapist. How many time have you forgotten to breath? and you feel yourself tensing up? See how important it is? Also, by implimenting the breath with your techniques, it causes the brain to refocus.

Now there isn't any specific number to these strokes..whatever works go with it. All my strokes are slow and deliberate. I also build into my massage gentle stretching and yes very slow. Anything too fast can overload the nervous system and cause a spasm or a negative response of pain. As for the depth, use your body weight behind the stroke and you too have to breath. After the long strokes along side of the spine, my strokes are on angle (cross-fiber stroke) and short towards the spine..from the posterior superior iliac spine right up to cervical/thoracic region.

When stretching, move slowly and feel the muscle. If it restricts, stop and go back a little (put slack in the muscle) and hold the stretch. Have your patient take a deep breath and slowly exhale... feel what the muscle is telling you. I work with my eyes closed a lot and let my hands tell me what is going on. It may take you some practice but, by shutting off your visual sense, you become more in tune, more intuitive to what is going on.

Recommended book -
Advanced Study in Therapeutic Massage for Clients with Cancer & Neuromuscular Therapy