Thai Massage and Neuromuscular Confusion

The Key to Therapeutic Thai Massage

Thai massage creates neuromuscular confusion. 

Once you grasp this concept, each Thai massage technique you have learned makes sense. Train yourself to search for the point of neuromuscular confusion in each technique. Deconstruct it, and you will identify its therapeutic impact.

Knowing that, you can plan a session that will effect real and lasting change for your client.

What Do I Mean by Neuromuscular Confusion?

Simple. The brain is accustomed to being in control, active control, of the body's sinews (I so prefer this word to muscle and fascia, you know?). When you take over by moving your relaxed client's body, you create confusion (neuromuscular 

confusion). The brain wants to be in control, and it works to figure out what the heck you are doing. The brain tunes in to change. 

In Thai massage, we use the brain's need to know as a tool. It is our ally. It helps us replace tension with ease.

How Can You Use It on the Mat?

Let's take the example of the simple technique pictured here. 

Question: Where is the neuromuscular confusion being created?

Answer: In the glenohumeral joint (shoulder, to you and me). 

Why There?: Think about all the muscles, tendons, and ligaments (and let's not forget the bursa) in and around the shoulder joint. And, don't forget the bazillions of nerves in the neighborhood. Now imagine that joint in a relaxed state, fully supported on the mat. The brain is ignoring it. 

When you snug the arm to the side body with firm, broad acupressure (with your pretty tattooed feet!), what happens? The humerus (upper arm bone, right?) moves in a really odd way in the joint. Millimeters of change. Very slight. Very confusing.

What is the Therapeutic Impact?: Profound relaxation deep in the joint. Enough relaxation that you have earned the trust of the shoulder joint. 

Without trust, and by this I mean physiological trust, you can do very little to treat pain and limitation. Trust comes first.

From here, you can apply specific techniques that will treat injuries and restrictions in the rotator cuff and the neck. 

Why Does it Work?: Straightening the arm, snugging it to the body, applying broad acupressure, all while fully supported on the mat, aligns the sen. 

Last week, one of my smart students called it, "Getting the kinks out of the hose." Right on. It allows lom to flow through the sen.

When we align the sen of the arm and create a slight space in the glenohumeral joint, we give congestion in the joint an avenue to exit.

When to Apply It: I use this technique for all clients with limited range of motion in the should, postural deviation in the upper body or chronic neck tension. Pretty much everybody.

One Caution: Because this technique may have the potential to feel like "being pinned," I always check in immediately. Any verbal cue from the client of fear or restriction, and I change strategy. A history of physical abuse could make this technique a poor choice.

What Clients Commonly Say When You Apply It: "I feel energy flowing down my arm." "My hand is getting warm." "I feel that in my fingers." 

Of course, because you have allowed lom to move through the sen.

Why I Think in Millimeters When I Do Thai Massage

Creating space in a place as small as the shoulder joint is a matter of millimeters.

When you bring movement, even tiny amounts of movement, to a restricted, painful or even numb part of the body, millimeters will do.

The tiniest increments of space will allow your client's body to change and lom to flow. That change will continue to integrate and develop in the hours and days after treatment. This is why Thai massage lasts longer in the body and why the results of a therapeutic session can take a little time for your client to digest.

Talk with your client about what to expect, and you will form the basis for a beautiful therapeutic relationship!