PERFORMING ABHYANGA ON THE LATERALS OF THE TRUNK

PERFORMING ABHYANGA ON THE LATERALS OF THE TRUNK

One after the other, in left and right lateral positions of the patient the abhyanga is carried out. While doing abhyanga, the inner aspect of the arm is also included, as this portion of the arm is easily accessible for hand movements. Linear maneuvers are performed in this part of the body.

CIRCULAR MANEUVER ON THE HIP

This is performed on all the four positions. Flat of one of the palm is placed on the hip area of the patient. Then palm is moved on the hip in circular fashion.


Waist
Ask the patient to lie on his left side with his left leg straight and the right leg slightly bent as shown in Figure 14. While sitting behind the patient, massage the waist, lumbar region, and the ribs on the side. Then move your hands simultaneously. Move one hand in a clockwise direction and the other in an anticlockwise direction as illustrated in the figure. Repeat the procedure on the other side also. This massage helps the waist to become more flexible.

CIRCULAR MANEUVER ON THE BUTTOCK

Patient is placed in the prone position. Therapist standing on the side of the patient facing the head end is ideal. Both the palms are placed on the buttock with the fingers facing the opposite buttock. This is followed by sliding the palms over the buttock in circular fashion applying firm pressure.

LINEAR MANEUVER ON THE THIGH

Abhyanga is performed in supine, prone as well as lateral positions of the patient. Therapist places his both the palms on the proximal part of the thigh. Then the palms are moved in downward direction over the thigh applying firm pressure, up to the knee followed by taking back the palm from distal thigh towards the hip.


CIRCULAR MANEUVER ON THE KNEE

When the patient is in the supine position, therapist places one of his hands beneath the knee, firmly holding the knee. Abhyanga is done with the other palm, by moving in circular fashion over the anterior surface of the knee. Similarly in the prone position of the patient, one palm beneath the knee holding it, the therapist with the other palm massages the posterior part of the knee in circular fashion. Further in the supine position, both the palms are placed on the side of the knee, and moved in circular fashion applying firm pressure.

CIRCULAR MANEUVER ON THE ANKLE  

Both in the supine and prone position of the patient, the therapist standing at the foot end, places his both palms on either sides of the ankle. Then, the therapist moves his palms in circular fashion on both sides of the knee. When the patient is in one lateral position, the opposite leg is flexed at knee. This clears the space for carrying out the maneuvers on the leg touching the table. Patient's ankle is made to lie on the other leg. With one hand the therapist holds the leg of the patient and with the other palm massages in circular fashion on the open side of the ankle.

LINEAR MANEUVER ON THE LEG

In both supine and lateral positions of the patient, the therapist places his both the palms on the proximal part of the leg at the knee. Then he slides his palms towards the distal part up to the ankle with firm pressure. Following this palms are taken back to the knee. In the lateral position, the patient is made to flex his leg at the knee and placed on the other resting on the table, Then the therapist with both palms continues massage by moving them in downward direction from knee to ankle. In the prone position of the patient therapist holds the patients leg at the ankle with one hand. And the other palm is then placed on the leg at the knee. This is followed by, sliding this palm applying firm pressure towards the ankle. The palm is then taken back to the knee.