Winning Hands Massage

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Treatment Techniques

Spinal Snake Hand Positions

Evaluation consists of running a finger tip or thumb down the center of the spine. If there is pain or tenderness in the center, it indicates a subluxed vertebra. If pain radiates out bilaterally, it is probably a vertebra but might be both ribs at that level. Pressing in from the sides toward the spine, if tender only on one side, it is almost certainly a rib out. This can be confirmed by pressing along the same side edge of the sternum, one to two inches lower in front than in back to accommodate for rib cage curvature. It is almost a guarantee that pain in the side at the level of the bra line, especially when accompanied with painful breathing, indicates a subluxed rib.

For those not completely clear on the definitions, a subluxation is when two bones that are create a joint by maintaining contact with each other are for some reason not making proper contact. They are still contacting, but not the way they should. A dislocation is when there is no longer contact between the two. For some reason I have never been able to understand, terminology for ribs is different. What would normally be considered a dislocation is called a rib head separation. Basically, the head of the rib articulates with the vertebrae in what is called a facet articulation.

With the upper hand (I generally use my left for Polarity reasons), put the tips of the middle and ring fingers on either side of T1 Vertebra. Place the pad of the thumb as far down the spine as is comfortable, in the center of whatever vertebra it reaches. Middle and ring fingers of the lower hand are placed on either side of L4 or L5 with the thumb up the spine as far as comfortable, again in the center of the vertebra. You can also have the thumb in the center of the L4 or L5 with the middle and ring fingers spanning a vertebra higher up the spine. Do whichever is more comfortable at the time.

The typical energy pattern is for the movement to start in the low back, swaying side to side up the back. The sense of swaying side to side “like a snake” is how it got its name. The side to side movement addresses subluxations. After the side to side adjustments have finished, the spine then lengthens. It feels like it is stretching. And it in fact is. This opens up space between the vertebrae. Once these two movements are done, if necessary, the spine will then adjust for any rotation issues.

The cervical spine (neck) can basically be done the same way except you don’t use the thumbs because there isn’t enough available space.