Guidelines for Vaccinated Massage Clients

 

In response to the latest reporting on the transmissibility of the Delta variant for covid-19, we are returning to our previous masking policy. Going forward, all clients and therapists will be required to wear a mask at our studios both in the waiting area and during treatment.

Please note that the below policy is being paused while viral spread of the Delta variant is rising in NYC. If spread reduces back below 1% we will return to the guidelines below.

Updated as of May 24th

NYS’s lifted mandated covid safety guidelines for most businesses on May 19th. In accordance with the newest CDC guidelines. What this means is that businesses now have the option to either continue their existing safety protocols. Or to establish their own. The only true mandates on most businesses are that non-vaccinated patrons must continue to wear a mask and socially distance wherever possible. And for vaccinated massage clients, there are no longer any NYS mandates.

That being said, we are going to gradually scale back our existing covid safety plan. So, for the most part, we will be keeping our existing plan. There are some immediate changes, specifically to mask policy for vaccinated massage clients.

The main change: updated mask policies for vaccinated massage clients

1. You can remove your mask during your massage if you choose to. You will need to show proof of vaccination to your therapist (see #4). If you prefer leaving your mask on, that’s totally fine. Therapists will honor all requests to keep their own masks on.
2. Vaccinated therapists can work in treatment rooms without a mask as long as the client is comfortable with that. Non-vaccinated therapists will continue wearing masks as required by NYS and your safety.
3. For now, masks are still required in the waiting and common areas regardless of vaccination status. The waiting areas of our studios are meant to be peaceful and calming. We want to avoid having clients having to navigate asking each other’s vaccine status. And/or argue over mask safety which is not in line with our vibe.
4. For proof, you can show your therapist your vaccination card OR download the NYS Excelsior App. The app is super easy to use and you can add your pass to your phone wallet.
5. Without proof of vaccination, we’ll require you to keep your mask on under existing safety protocols.

Other changes to our covid safety protocols for both non-vaccinated and vaccinated massage clients

These are minor, but ones that we see as easy to make in the current environment. IE very low viral spread in NYC and continuing to drop.

• Now that viral spread is well below 1%, we feel it’s time to ditch the bulky and uncomfortable eye protection.
• We will be reopening our waiting areas again. We ask that you keep masks on in the common areas of the studios. So for now, no food or drink please.

These are exciting times after so much turmoil! Getting used to these new changes may take time. And that many of you will need some time to adjust. Feeling safe without a mask is a new idea. You can read about just how amazingly effective the new vaccines are here: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/health-departments/breakthrough-cases.html

As the viral spread continues to drop and vaccinations continue to increase we will introduce other changes. Stay tuned!

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Chronic Wrist Pain & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

 

In our modern device driven world, wrist pain and carpal tunnel syndrome have gone from rare to ubiquitous. Between typing, holding up our phones all day, carrying bags everywhere, etc. our high paced way of life takes a toll on our vulnerable wrists. Luckily, wrist pain and/or a carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis does not mean you'll wind up in surgery. With a few lifestyle adjustments, more breaks in your routine, and a series of advanced massage therapy sessions, wrist pain can be a thing of the past for anyone.

Elizabeth Dashiell interviews Senior Massage Therapist Evana Class on Wrist Pain & Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Elizabeth: What kind of pain do you address in your clientele at Bodyworks DW that you're very successful at treating? 

Evana: I have been really successful at working with clients that have chronic wrist pain and/or a diagnosis for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Elizabeth: How do you tend to address this kind of wrist pain?

Evana: I begin with a range of motion assessment. Is the client able of open and close the hand? Can they move each finger independently, flex and extend at the wrist?

Doing this will tell me which muscles in the forearm and hand are “tight” or restricted. The massage will start at the palm of the hand and moves through towards the elbow on both sides of the arm.

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Neck Pain Relief: How we assess the root causes and get you the best result

 

Neck pain is a super common concern. Physicians estimate that 7 out of 10 of us will suffer from it at some point during our lifetimes. As a licensed massage therapist, neck pain relief is the number one request clients make to me during intake. It’s often coupled with its close relative, shoulder pain — more on that below. Pain medications can help lessen the severity of the symptoms. However, they generally won’t be able to target the root of the problem.

A licensed massage therapist experienced in assessing the causes of neck dysfunction can help you get to the bottom of your pain. In order to address it most effectively during your visit. They can also help you understand some of the reasons why your neck pain started in the first place. And suggest simple lifestyle changes you might need to make in order to prevent it from coming back as a chronic issue.

Intake 101: Helpful basic information for neck pain relief

Like a detective trying to solve a crime, a medical massage therapist will want to know certain details about your symptoms. The more clear and precise you can be, the easier you can make it for your therapist to help. Some of you already know exactly what caused or causes the pain. To others, it’s a mystery. To help unmask the root culprits, we’ll ask a series of questions usually from totally open-ended to narrowing down specifics. Read more Neck Pain Massage Midtown