When you work as a massage therapist, investing in a massage chair and taking a course on how to effectively treat clients who are seated on the chair can be beneficial. In addition to adding another type of valuable service to your practice, you may appreciate the variety that giving chair massages provides. Because of its portable nature, you'll often consider opportunities to give treatments in corporate environments and health expos. Although your focus in on your client as you give a chair massage, you should also ensure that you're doing what you can to keep your own fatigue at bay. Here are some techniques to employ.

Stagger Your Feet

While your first instinct might be to stand with your feet below your shoulders as you stand next to the seated massage client, this is a position that can tire you out and eventually lead to discomfort. When you stand upright, you'll be forced to lean forward to treat the client, and pain in your lower back can arise. It's usually beneficial to stand in a staggered position — that is, with one foot positioned in front of the other. Your front leg should be slightly bent, and your back leg will be straight.

Get Close

The length of your arms, especially if you're bending forward, will allow you to massage the client's back and shoulders even if you're standing at a distance from the chair. This leaning position, however, will tire out your upper body prematurely — which will be bad news if you have a series of chair massages lined up throughout the day. Don't be afraid to get close to the chair. Many massage therapists actually place their lead foot beneath the chair to some degree. Keeping the foot below the chair can serve as a visual reminder that you're close enough.

Use Your Body Weight

The staggered standing position that you should aim to employ when giving a chair massage isn't just about keeping lower-back pain at bay. When you stand in this position and lean forward, you're actually using your own body weight to apply pressure. For example, if you're kneading a client's shoulders, your weight will provide more than enough pressure to the muscles, meaning that you won't have to squeeze hard enough that you tire out your hands, wrists, and forearms. You can make slight adjustments to the degree at which you're leaning down to apply or reduce pressure.

Contact a company like Body Well Mobile Massage for more information and assistance.