Touch for Health
A Branch of Applied Kinesiology

Trager massage is actually called Trager work. It is a form of bodywork that differentiates itself from massage. It is movement re-education. The creator of Trager work refers to it as psychophysical integration therapy.

The History

Milton Trager was born in Chicago, in 1908, with a congenital spinal deformity. This accident of birth started him on his journey to becoming a health practitioner. Through experimentation, at a young age, he was able to heal his own spinal defect enough to allow him the freedom of movement required to train as a boxer when he was 18.

After training, Trager's trainer would often give him a rub down. One day Trager noticed that his trainer seemed tired. Trager offered to massage him. After the massage his trainer felt much better. Trager went home and tried the same massage technique on his father who had been suffering from sciatica. Trager was able to cure his father's sciatica after working on him only twice.

Trager continued refining his method of bodywork over many years. When he was 42 he attended medical school in became a doctor. In 1980 he opened the Trager Institute to teach other's his method of healing.

The Approach

The Trager approach to bodywork consists of two aspects. The first is table work. For this aspect of the therapy you lay on a massage table and the therapist begins by gently rocking your body. Then the therapist moves your joints through normal ranges of motion trying to find areas that are stuck. These movements are completely passive and you are relaxed during the session. The therapist's touch is light and you feel as if you are moving effortlessly.

The second aspect of the Trager massage is Mentastics. This is a series of movements or exercises you can perform on your own to relieve stress and relax. Self care is an important part of maintaining health.

Trager believed that stiffness and rigidity in muscle tissue is more a result of things going on mentally than physically. These mental beliefs can cause you to form habits. He said that this belief was made concrete for him during his medical residency. There was a patient there who was so stiff that he couldn't even turn his head. Once the patient was put under for surgery his body became very limp and flexible.

Instead of focusing on one aspect of the body, like the muscles, fascia, or joints, Trager massage involves the entire body including the consciousness. The therapist, through his touch, is telling your brain what your tissue should feel like and what your range of motion should be so that it can make that correction.

The Benefits

Trager work is effective on a wide range of ailments including:

back pain
stress
depression
sciatica
multiple sclerosis
limited mobility
post-polio syndrome
carpal tunnel syndrome
traumatic injury
headaches
cerebral palsy
Parkinson's disease
fibromyalgia
muscle spasms

What to Expect

During a Trager session you can stay fully clothed or undress down to your underwear. You'll be fully draped during the session. No lotion or oil will be used. Some people report results right away. Others feel results after a few sessions. There are no set number of sessions that you should have. Trager claimed that once restrictions were released through Trager work, they would never return.

The Risks

I don't see anything risky about this therapy. I would only advise you to take precautions when using it as your primary means of treatment. You should seek professional medical intervention for any condition that is serious. Use common sense whenever you are using an alternative treatment.