Magnesium Body Rub

SCROLL ACROSS FOR YOUR HOW-TO GUIDE

HAND TECHNIQUE & PRESSURE:

Use long, smooth, gentle strokes, keeping your hands flat. Where possible draw your massage strokes towards your heart. This can help to improve circulation and reduce swelling. Do not lie directly on your stomach or on your back. 

Please note these are all self and partner massage guided techniques.

NECK & SHOULDERS

Position: Best to do sitting down. Get yourself a something soft to sit on too, Mama.  

Technique: Use long gentle strokes from the tip/edge of the shoulder up along either side of the neck to the top of the spine. Or stoke from the low back or mid back up towards the head on either side of the neck. Again, using low pressure, slow strokes with open hands.

FOREARMS & HANDS

Position: Best to do sitting down or lying on your side (if someone else is helping you).

Technique: Use wide open palms, long and slow strokes. Massage from the inner wrist (angled from the pinky finger side) up towards the elbow. Or massage the top/outside of the forearm and hand up towards the elbow. You can also safely massage the hands, using low pressure and avoiding the below outlined areas. 

Glutes & Hips

Position: Standing, sitting on the edge of the bed or couch, or lying on your side.

Technique: Use open palms and gentle slow strokes, using a circular motion towards the outer margin (sides) of the glutes, massage towards the hips and around to the side of each hip joint, this is where you can extend the massage through the tissue that runs down the outside of your thigh (the iliotibial band). Remember to massage upwards towards the heart from this direction. You can apply more pressure in this area but still use the open hand technique.

Upper Legs

Position: Standing, sitting on the edge of the bed or couch or side lying.  

Technique: Massage from the knee upwards towards the hips, this can be done in the front of upper leg (quadriceps), back of upper leg (hamstring) or through the tissue that runs down the outside of your thigh (the iliotibial band). You can apply more pressure in this area but still use the open hand technique.

Calves

Position: Sitting, side lying, or reclined sitting with legs elevated. 

Technique: Use open palms, very gentle and superficial strokes upwards towards the knee.

Feet & Ankles

Position: Sitting with feet elevated to help improve blood flow. 

Technique: Gentle massage with open palms, avoiding deep pressure. Rub the top (dorsal and palmer surfaces) of the foot upwards towards the heart.

Pressure Points to Avoid

Pregnancy massage can be a safe and effective way to help relieve the physical and emotional discomforts of pregnancy. However, there are certain risks associated with deep tissue massage. We need to let you know (not to scare you) but to empower you to use safe techniques and to be able to do this at-home.

Certain pressure points on the body, are believed to be associated with inducing labor. Therefore deep tissue or acupressure in these areas should be avoided. You can still use open hand, gentle strokes on these areas.

Please note that risks are generally rare and unlikely to occur. If you have any concerns or questions, please consult with your healthcare provider.

Forearms & Hands

Areas to Avoid: Deep tissue area of skin between your thumb and index finger and the radial aspect of the wrist (where you would take your pulse at the base of you thumb in the wrist region). You can of course gentle rub or stroke these areas, just ensure you aren’t applying concentrated pressure to the area.

Glutes & Hips

Areas to Avoid: The sacral foramen – from the dimples at the base of your spine, down to the intergluteal cleft (or top of bum).

Breasts & Abdomen

Areas to Avoid: Avoid self-massage of the entire breast and abdomen area, unless advised to do so by your LMC or practitioner.

Calves, Feet & Ankles

Areas to Avoid: Deep tissue or acupressure just behind the outer ankle (lateral malleolus) and 3-4 fingers above the lateral malleolus (outer ankle bone). Avoid pressure to the outside area of the small toe.

Avoid deep tissue massage, acupressure, or firm strokes of the calves.