Massage and Bodywork for People Over 55

Massage and Bodywork for People Over the Age of 55

Move More Freely. Turn Your Head. Protect Your Hips. Stay in the Game.

Getting older does not mean giving up the activities you love. Whether you want to turn your head more comfortably while driving, walk with greater confidence, keep playing pickleball or tennis, or simply get out of a chair with less stiffness, your session should be designed around what you want your body to do.

I am Ricky Prevatte, a blind massage therapist with 43 years of experience in massage and bodywork. At Ricky Prevatte Massage in Rock Hill, South Carolina, I do not give every client the same face-up and face-down massage routine. I assess how you move, address the muscles and soft tissues that may be limiting you, and then reassess your movement.

Test. Assess. Address. Reassess.

Call 704-890-8225 to discuss your needs or schedule an appointment.

Being Over 55 Does Not Mean You Are Finished Competing

People over 55 can still train, improve and become champions in their own age groups. Olympic champion Michael Phelps helped introduce millions of people to cupping when its familiar circular marks appeared on him during the 2016 Olympics. You do not have to be an Olympian to benefit from individualized recovery work or to take your goals seriously.

Maybe your competition is a pickleball tournament. Maybe it is a tennis match, a golf round, a walking group or simply keeping up with your grandchildren. Whatever your arena, we want to help keep you from pooping out in pickleball and give special attention to the demands tennis places on the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hips, knees and ankles.

The objective is not to promise athletic performance or force your body through pain. It is to help you move as well as possible so you can continue participating in the life you enjoy.

Can You Turn Your Head Safely While Driving?

Being able to look left and right is more than a comfort issue. Drivers need enough neck movement to check traffic, scan an intersection and look toward a blind spot. When tight muscles make it difficult to rotate, rock or tilt the head, you may compensate by turning your entire body—or you may not see as much as you need to see.

Properly selected neck and upper-body work may help reduce muscular restriction and improve comfortable range of motion. A session may address the shoulders, upper back, chest, front and sides of the neck, and the relationship between the head and rib cage. Active Isolated Stretching, neuromuscular techniques and myoskeletal alignment may also be incorporated when appropriate.

Improving the ability to turn your head can help you feel more confident behind the wheel—and safer movement benefits you, your passengers and everyone sharing the road. Massage does not certify that anyone is medically safe to drive, however. New, severe or unexplained neck symptoms, dizziness, weakness, numbness or changes in vision should be evaluated by a medical professional.

Stress, Cortisol and Your Hips

Your hips do a tremendous amount of work. They help you stand, walk, climb stairs, balance, play sports and rise from a chair. Stress can also influence how the body feels and moves. Cortisol is a normal hormone that plays an important role in the stress response, but chronically elevated cortisol is associated with muscle breakdown and poorer bone health. Hip pain can have many causes, however, and cortisol should not automatically be assumed to be the source.

Our work does not diagnose a cortisol disorder or replace medical care. We focus on the muscular and soft-tissue side of the picture: tension, restricted movement, swelling, guarding and imbalances involving the hips, pelvis, lower back and legs. Depending on the person, we may assess the hip flexors, gluteal muscles, rotators, adductors, hamstrings and surrounding tissues. We may also use gentle lymphatic-focused techniques when swelling is present and massage is medically appropriate.

If you have persistent hip pain, unexplained swelling, a recent injury or concern about cortisol, osteoporosis or joint damage, consult your physician. Massage and bodywork can then be coordinated as a supportive part of your plan when appropriate.

More Than Hands Alone: Cupping, Scraping, Taping and the G5

MASSAGE Magazine has highlighted cupping, scraping and taping as powerful tools that can enhance therapeutic massage and add value for clients. I incorporate these methods according to the individual—not as automatic add-ons and never as a one-size-fits-all routine.

Cupping

Cupping uses controlled suction to lift the skin and superficial soft tissues rather than continually compressing them. The intensity and placement are adjusted to your condition, comfort and medical history. Michael Phelps brought worldwide attention to this technique, but cups can be used gently; dark marks are not the objective of treatment.

Scraping and instrument-assisted work

Specialized tools may be used to scan and work along soft tissue with controlled strokes, including fanning and stripping techniques. Pressure is selected carefully. Effective instrument-assisted work does not have to mean aggressive bruising.

Kinesiology taping

Taping may provide continued sensory input and movement support after you leave the table. It may be used when appropriate for posture, swelling or an irritated area, depending on your skin and health history.

The directional stroking power of the G5

The G5 provides mechanical vibration, percussion and directional stroking that human hands cannot duplicate in the same way. It may be used to warm tissue, prepare an area for more focused work and support muscular relaxation and recovery.

The G5 has a remarkable athletic history. On Derek Jeter Day at Yankee Stadium in 2014, the New York Yankees presented Derek Jeter with a G5 massage machine as part of his retirement gifts—the same type of equipment associated with his clubhouse recovery. If this technology was valued by one of baseball’s great athletes, adults over 55 deserve access to it too.

Modalities are chosen according to your needs and contraindications. They are not used simply because they are available.

A Blind Therapist and a Lifetime of Athletic Experience

I was born blind, but blindness did not prevent me from becoming an athlete or building a career centered on touch and movement. I was the first blind person to carry the Olympic flame during the 1984 Olympic Torch Relay. I was also named Most Valuable Player in beep ball for blind athletes for more than five years.

That athletic background still shapes my work. I understand the desire to compete, remain independent and keep doing what other people may assume age or disability has taken away. After 43 years in practice, I combine highly developed touch with movement assessment and specialized equipment to create a session around the person in front of me.

A Session Designed Around You

There may be no standard massage sequence. You could be positioned face up, face down, on your side, seated or supported in another position. We may work on the front of the neck or chest when that is appropriate and within your comfort. We may compare how far you can turn your head before and after treatment, observe how you rise from a chair, or assess how the ankle, knee, hip and shoulder work together.

Possible methods include:

    ●    Neuromuscular massage and myoskeletal alignment

    ●    Medical and orthopedic massage approaches

    ●    Active Isolated Stretching

    ●    G5 vibration, percussion and directional stroking

    ●    Cupping and decompression techniques

    ●    Gentle scraping and instrument-assisted soft-tissue work

    ●    Kinesiology and sports taping

    ●    Muscle testing, movement assessment and reassessment

    ●    Positioning on an ADA-accessible hydraulic lift table

Massage and bodywork are complementary services. Results vary, and treatment is not a substitute for medical diagnosis, physical therapy or emergency care.

Serving 55-Plus Adults Across York, Lancaster and Chester Counties

Ricky Prevatte Massage is located in Rock Hill and serves adults over 55 from Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay, York, Lake Wylie, Clover, Indian Land, Lancaster, Chester and surrounding communities.

We welcome residents living in and near:

    ●    Carolina Orchards by Del Webb in Fort Mill

    ●    Four Seasons at Gold Hill in Fort Mill

    ●    The Gentry at Handsmill on Lake Wylie in York

    ●    Sun City Carolina Lakes in Indian Land

    ●    Tree Tops in Lancaster

    ●    Roselyn in Lancaster

You do not have to live in an age-restricted community to receive massage and bodywork for adults over 55. Clients are welcome from throughout York County, Lancaster County and Chester County, South Carolina, as well as the greater Charlotte area.

You Are Still in the Game

Do not settle for a massage routine when your goals are specific. Bring us the neck that will not turn, the hip that feels guarded, the shoulder tired from tennis, the legs that fade during pickleball or the stiffness that makes everyday movement harder. We will assess what you can do, apply appropriate techniques and reassess the result.

Call Ricky Prevatte Massage at 704-890-8225.

Let us help you move more freely, remain active and keep pursuing your personal best.