Petra Pestonit - Masajes en el Camino de Santiago

In recent decades, life expectancy has grown longer due to an improvement in quality of life (e.g., a healthy and balanced diet, drinking water, daily exercise).

Massage, considered in many Eastern cultures to be “preventive medicine”, can also contribute enormously to longevity, as it balances body and mind, always adapting to the needs of each person, avoiding or reducing (as far as possible) the need for medications that undoubtedly end up damaging vital organs such as the stomach, liver and pancreas.

Old age is not an illness, but a stage of our life in which, as we get older, our psychoneurological capacities (memory, etc.) and motor skills (reduction or loss of mobility as a result of wear and tear, fractures or falls) are reduced. That’s why it is so important to maintain physical and emotional balance, and why massage should form part of our everyday life.

Below, I go into detail on possible conditions, recommendations and the most suitable massages for each of them:

TRAUMATIC INJURIES

Muscle pulls and tears.
Bruised muscles and joints.
Ankle sprains.
Post-traumatic joint stiffness.
Post-traumatic hypotonia (loss of muscle tone).

Especially recommended: Therapeutic massage and Thai massage.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

- Reduces or eliminates pain.

THAI MASSAGE
Benefits:

- Improves posture by stretching the muscles and mobilizing the spine.
- Tones the nervous system by reducing stress and improving relaxation.
- Reduces insomnia, anxiety and fatigue.
- Activates the lymphatic system.
- Increases muscle flexibility, strengthens ligaments and tendons. Prevents injuries.
- Improves blood flow.
- Regulates moods (balances body, mind and soul).
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Facilitates breathing.

RHEUMATIC CONDITIONS

Fibrositis (inflammation of the tendon sheath, causing pain and stiffness).
Synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane, which covers joints (knee, hip, shoulder…).
Tendosynovitis (inflammation of the tendon and the membrane that covers it).
Monoarthritis (heat, pain, swelling, redness and functional impairment).
Arthrosis (deterioration of cartilage).
Polyarthritis in the hands (inflammation of the synovial membrane).
Vertebral osteoarthritis, especially cervical/lumbar osteoarthritis. (Focus is on reducing tension in the muscles of the vertebral canals.)

Especially recommended: Therapeutic massage.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE
Benefits:

Helps to reduce inflammation, thus reducing pain.

In cases of arthrosis, the “Moxibustion Technique” is ideal.

Benefits:

Helps to remove cold and moisture from bones and joints, significantly reducing pain.

VASCULAR CONDITIONS

After-effects of cerebral vascular events (paralysis).
Non-acute oedemas (swelling) due to varicose veins.
Sub-oedema from decompensated cardiac failure.
Microvaricosis (small varicose veins).
Varicose veins with medical indications.
Lymphoedema (lymphatic swelling).

Especially recommended: manual lymphatic drainage.

MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE

Benefits:

Aids reabsorption of fluids.
Soothing effect on pain.
Reduces inflammation.
Helps improve the body’s defences.
Produces a relaxing effect (stress reduction).

NERVOUS SYSTEM CONDITIONS

Non-rheumatic neuralgia.
Nerve injury sequelae.
Anxiety.
Stress.

Especially recommended: Relaxing massage.

RELAXING MASSAGE

Benefits:

Improves sleep disturbances.
Reduces muscle stiffness and physical exhaustion.
Improves headache pain.

METABOLIC CONDITIONS

Fatty deposits.
Neuralgia (nerve pain).
Rheumatoid arthritis or gout.

Especially recommended: Manual lymphatic drainage or bamboo cane massage.

MANUAL LYMPHATIC DRAINAGE OR BAMBOO CANE MASSAGE

Benefits:

Aids reabsorption of fluids.
Soothing effect on pain.
Reduces inflammation.
Helps improve the body’s defences.
Produces a relaxing effect (stress reduction).

For this type of conditions, therapeutic massage can also help to ease pain.

DIGESTIVE CONDITIONS

Gastric hypotonias or lack of muscle tone.
Gastroptosis (sinking of the stomach).
Constipation.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Aerophagia (stomach gases).

Especially recommended: Colon drainage.

COLON DRAINAGE

Benefits:

Improves intestinal transit, eliminating waste and toxins.

SPINE CURVATURE DISORDERS

Scoliosis (abnormal sideways spinal curvature in the shape of an “S” or “C”).
Kyphosis (pronounced convex curvature in the upper part of the spine).
Lordosis (excessive curvature in the cervical or lumbar region of the spine).

Especially recommended: Therapeutic massage.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

Benefits:

Helps to soothe pain.

OTHER CONDITIONS

Sacroiliitis (partial or total inflammation of the sacrum).
Intercostal neuralgia (chest wall pain).
Torticollis (muscle contraction in the neck).
Lumbago (low back pain).
Sciatica (sciatic nerve pain).

Especially recommended: Therapeutic massage, accompanied by mobilization, if possible and if the pain threshold allows it.

THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE

Benefits:

Reduces pain.
Reduces muscle stiffness and physical exhaustion.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SENIOR MASSAGE

There are certain diseases common for the elderly where massage is especially recommended, such as:

Parkinson’s: Relaxing massage, therapeutic massage, colon and lymphatic drainage, Thai massage.
Fibromyalgia (not very acute): Relaxing or sensitive massage.
Fluid retention problems: Lymphatic massage.
Osteoarthritis: Moxibustion technique.
Alzheimer’s: Relaxing massage, especially on the feet, light and gentle mobilization.
Constipation: Colon drainage.

CONTRAINDICATIONS TO SENIOR MASSAGE

Undergoing cancer treatments.
Acute infections or inflammations.
Open wounds, burns.
Risk of bleeding (e.g., acute varicose veins).
Extreme thinness.
Heart problems.
Diabetes.
Osteoporosis.
Multiple sclerosis.
Chronic and acute muscle fatigue.

THERAPEUTIC MANICURES AND PEDICURES

1. Pleasant hand or foot bath with hot water and a special solution, designed to soften all calluses, rough skin, nails and cuticles.
2. On the feet, in case of unpleasant odour or excessive sweating, basil essential oil is applied.
Thorough cleaning and disinfection using sterile or single-use tools:
1. Cutting and filing nails. Special care taken with ingrown or fungal nails.
2. Retraction or removal of cuticle, at discretion.
3. Removal of all rough skin and calluses.
Gentle massage and lymphatic drainage of the hands (up to the elbow) and feet (up to the knee), alleviating fatigue and circulatory problems while being immersed in complete relaxation. To do this, we apply a nourishing and replenishing cream that provides a very pleasant sensation of freshness.
Depending on the client’s wishes, nails can be finished either with a therapeutic lacquer, which adds shine and strengthens the nails, or with an aesthetic varnish with colour.

Duration: 1 hr – 2.5 hr, depending on the client’s needs.

CONTRAINDICATIONS:

Special care must be taken with the “diabetic foot”, which requires special treatment.
Cleaning and disinfection of blisters caused by friction or after cancer treatments.