How to Treat the Shoulders With Lomi Lomi Massage

Massage is one of the oldest forms of healing arts known to man and has unique origins in almost every corner of the world. Lomi lomi is a form of massage which originated in Hawaii and is characterized by long, slow, flowing movements. With just a few simple steps you can learn how to give lomi lomi massage to treat the shoulders.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Massage oil or lotion

1. Begin at the head of your massage table with your client face down. Gently remove his arms from the table and allow them to fall freely along the edges of the table. The weight of his arms will help to stretch the muscles as you work.

2. Apply a bit of massage oil or lotion to your palms and begin warming up the upper back and shoulder. Place your hands at the base of the neck, moving along the spine to the base of the shoulder blades and come back up again. As you move up, run your palms along the tops of the shoulder blades and out around the shoulders. Repeat a few times to warm up the muscles, taking care not to work over the spine or any bony protrusions.

3. Stand to one side of the table and place your lower hand on your client's side below the shoulder blade. Place your upper hand at the base of the neck and apply firm pressure. In one flowing motion, draw your hands together until they meet at the shoulder and then wrap one hand around the top of the arm and the other around the bottom. Lean back, lifting the arm slightly as you draw both hands down the length of the arm. Repeat various times and repeat on the opposite shoulder.

4. Lift one of your client's arms and place it gently on her lower back. Use one hand to lift and support the shoulder between the shoulder and the table. With your other hand, massage in long, slow motions from the base of the neck, down under the shoulder blade and up and around the shoulder. Make sure that you work both shoulders evenly and that your motions are flowing.