Body modesty is always an issue, given that our clients quite literally bare all when they are in our care. This can lead to a question for some therapists around the matter of whether a typical massage session should include work on the glutes (a.k.a. the muscles of your hiney).’
This group, which includes Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius, and Gluteus Minimus, are actually some of the hardest-working muscles in the body. They connect all the work that the legs do, and they also connect to the lower back muscles. For those of us who are sitting a lot, or even people who are athletic and run, the whole hip area can often use a good working over, and the glutes certainly benefit tremendously from massage.
Unfortunately, with the proliferation of franchised chains and spas, therapists are often instructed to skip working directly on the glutes, so as to avoid even the possibility of an awkward situation, especially if there is a gender issue involved, such as a male therapist working on a female client, or vice versa. When such a major muscle group like the glutes is not even a consideration, it often means that the client won’t get the full therapeutic benefit of the session.
If you are ever concerned about your work on someone’s glutes being misinterpreted as anything inappropriate, rather than avoiding the area, simply converse with the client. Explain that these are very hard-working muscles that would benefit from this work, and ask the client if it would be ok to work on the gluteal area. Sometimes the client will say that they don’t need any work there, and sometimes they’ll greatly appreciate it. Either way, asking is better than just skipping. If you are still uneasy about working in that regions, ways to carefully respect someone’s modesty when working on their glutes could include:
- Starting out working through the sheet or blanket, with just a gentle tracing around the greater trochanter
- Using a shiatsu-style rocking technique through the sheet or blanket
- Still working through a sheet or a blanket and applying pressure or twisting action with your knuckles
When working directly on the skin, taking care to use careful draping, crossing the sheet over their glutes and tucking it securely under their leg and torso.
Most importantly, remember that what the client receives from the massage in the end is your intent. If your intent is purely therapeutic, even if the client is a little shy in the beginning, by the end of the massage, they will know that the only thing that you ever meant to do was to help them feel better.
Thank you for this article……Agreed!
1) proper draping at all times !
2) I work on glutes at the end of one area
And I do 3 basic areas that ” end at modest glute point for massage
A) low back to upper glutes
B) upper thigh up to lower glutes
C) hip to glutes
All areas are worked on with corresponding areas so it’s
Obviously therapeutic , thorough and professional .
I worked with many men and they have been utterly
Grateful, respectful and huge tippers for good work .
I am a lady and I also work on my horses – I have strong hands
And a big heart … So it’s all GOOD.
No I can’t work for a chain – yet unless they allow me to do my healing work
Properly which includes glutes !
Sorry for typos I am on my phone
God Bless everyone’s Glutes ! Haha!
Honestly just who was this article directed to? I personally felt like the writer was addressing a second grader, most definitely not a massage therapist. I am really extremely vexed that anybody would actually write ” a.k.a. the muscles of your hiney” WT* REALLY?! This article is insulting if you ask me. I hope you do better next time. Please consider the audience here is mostly not consisting of therapist that have not worked on the public before. A.K.A licensed massage therapist most seasoned at that. I don’t need an article the tries to explain the lamest sounding glute work I have ever heard of. We should never kowtow and coddle vanities over therapy that is what is the difference between a professional and a student. Yes, respect clients concerns but honestly that should be handled before the client ever gets on the table. I know I do I simply ask is there any place you do not want worked and are you ticklish if so where? Plain and simple you can do a very wonderful glut tx with the gluts draped the whole time. As a profession we can not talk down to each other, all to many times I have seen this so many people acting like they have the corner on education I am putting this nicely to many people who profess to know what they are talking about act like they are talking to somebody that just fell off a turnip truck. It bothers me why cant we just assume that we all have a good grasp of our chosen profession until it is proven different?
WOW! am I disappointed
Rayn