Though it seems simple, draping is an important skill to learn. The sheet covering the client provides a sense of comfort and safety.
The reason we drape is to cover the client’s private parts and to keep the body warm while focusing on one part of the body. I think the best sheets to use are flannel because…
- they feel good against the skin,
- they don’t show oil stains (oil stains can sometimes remain even if the sheets have been cleaned and sterilized),
- they are usually thicker and warmer than cotton sheets and so the client feels they are better covered, and
- they are the easiest to work around because they stay put when undraping part of the body.
Sloppy movement of the sheets can cause anxiety in the client by making him/her feel overexposed physically, and can cause the the client to question the skills of the therapist, even if the massage is great.
Knowing how to drape will also allows the massage to go more smoothly because the sheets will not shift or get in the way. Always think clean lines. Do not allow them to bunch up.
Once you have undraped the body part, try not to work under the sheet. Massage the area that is uncovered. If you can’t see where your hands are going, you could accidentally bump something that you dont want to bump into. If you didn’t expose enough of the area, it is better to redrape than to guess.
By the way, not all massage therapists drape their clients, but I’d say about 99% do. And covering the body isn’t just for the modesty of the receiver. Even if you’re ok with being nude, I can promise you that many therapists are not ok with undraped massage, and do not want to see that side of you (beautiful as I’m sure it is!)
Prepare the table the same way one would prepare a bed. Cover the table with the twin-fitted sheet, and then the flat sheet. The face cradle can be covered with the pillowcase or with a towel, or you can also purchase special covers from a massage supply store.
How to Drape A Massage Client At The Start of The Massage
At the beginning of the massage, the client should be covered with the sheet completely from the shoulders down. It’s best not to cover the face and/or head, although sometimes I do use an eye pillow to shade the eyes from light.
If you start a client face down, the way you start the draping is usually the same.
The Back
The back is the easiest to drape and undrape. The simplest way to undrape this area is to make make a couple folds in the material, until you have exposed the low back area, but without exposing the clients behind.
Usually the top sheet is all the way up to the client’s neck when they are face down, so here is what the first fold looks like.
Soon I will be posting how to undrape:
- The Leg
- The Abdomen
- The Arm
- The Diaper Drape
- Turning the client over
But I want to have pictures to go along with the descriptions, but I am writing this during the pandemic and I am not bringing clients in right now.
If you are reading this after the pandemic, please let me know and I will continue this post. I probably forgot to finish getting pictures so you can send me a message in the Facebook group.
I think images will make things much clearer for you.
Whether you are another massage therapist and just want to check out how other people drape their clients or a client who wants to confirm that modesty is honored and respected during a session, I feel like describing how I cover or do massage drape a client during a session is an important post for me to have and I hope you have enjoyed it.
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