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I just treated a really nice guy, who I've treated before. A big stress sufferer. He had one special request, that I do it as hard as poss.
Well, I usually do apply fairly firm pressure and have to be a bit careful with straining my own hands. But I did do it really hard and he snored through it like a babe, but said he could feel tingles in all the corresponding areas more. He was completely zonked after. No more than usual though
The point is, I like a fairly firm pressure myself and sometimes if the treatment feels a bit too light, I dont feel so "ooh that was lovely" after. But it still does me good.
Do you alter pressures on request, or treat lightly. Most importantly does it really make a big difference in outcomes.
What do you think.



I dont really ever go any lighter with a reflex treatment...generally keep pressure the same which is quite firm anyhow but what i would then do is finish with a very direct firm foot massage...
seems to do the trick..
T
x



I use firm pressure and don't favour the light touch myself.
I think it is important to give the client what they want, whether it is reflex or massage. He had probably had a treatment that didn't do it for him. Sounds like you scored though! Zzzzzzzzz.....:D



i use a fairly moderate pressure, but on the balls of the feet i'll go deeper. i dont like it really hard myself and would be quite miffed if i was wincing and the therapist kept prodding.
on the other hand, if someone says can you do it harder, and i am doing it as hard as i feel is correct for me, so not that soft, i will say, that benefit is still being achieved and really hard is not necessary. i am not about to injure myself because people expect it to hurt!



I use a pretty firm pressure myself, although I do vary it because I find that older clients usually (although not always) prefer something a little more gentle. I normally make the first treatment more superficial and then the second much firmer, although it generally depends on the feedback I am given and the look on their faces. In saying that I agree that above all else you have to ensure you don't hurt yourself in trying to please the client. I think they would be far more upset if you said you couldn't finish a treatment because you'd hurt your thumb.



I also have some clients who, because they know that tenderness in an area is usually an area of imbalance, actually encourage me to continue with harder pressure as they feel it is doing them good.
Lesley



I suppose we all have our own opinion about how hard is hard!;)
Maybe I should start a new thread: "How Firm do you like it?" Ooo Missus.



i remember our tutor would make us almost jump off the couch sometimes, but i think she was doing it like that so that we could experience the different reactions.
feedback is so important and so is common sense. but as i maintain, whatever pressure is being used, the reflexes are still being stimulated, even when working on very subtle energies and balancing.
pity we cant all get together and have a big therapy swap!



I agree with Rosie and Justine. I think of myself as being on the gentle side of firm (ooer matron) and I have not had complaints about my treatment needing to be firmer except once, but I'm not going to go into that. I'm not about to injure my hands working deeper than is comfortable for me. I know a local reflexology who works more firmly than I do, and I would gladly refer such a client to her.
Come on Candie, where is that How Firm Do You Like It thread??



You should know me better than that. Naughty girl!:D