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November 14, 2005

When Flesh Meets Knife

There ares some hobbies that it would be good for massage therapists to stay away from. Hobbies that hand intensive like gardening or quilting will not allow the hands to rest and recuperate. But we all have to eat, right?

I like to cook (and eat) but what is a massage therapist supposed to do if there is a mishap in the kitchen that sidelines the money-makers? Barring a trip to the hospital for a reattachment surgery, we bind our wounds and forge ahead with our work.

For me this meant a little antibiotic ointment, a bit of creative wrapping with a couple of sports bandages, and finger cots (little latex finger wraps to protect the bandage from oil and moisture). Luckily, my wound isn't hurting so much today, so I could work in relative comfort. However, a bound and rubberized finger was awkward to work with, so I used the blades of my forearms and elbows more than I usually do. Nobody objected to the change in technique.

If you have stories concerning working around injuries (and they don't have to involve your hands), please share them. It may be helpful to others who practice massage therapy.

Posted by linda at November 14, 2005 10:31 PM