The power of the palm. What I believe in, whether in rehabilitation, bodywork, or parenting.

Thank you for finding this article among the many notes available. I am Pino, a physical therapist with 10 years of experience, now working as a bodywork practitioner, living with my husband, my 7-year-old child, and a rabbit.
Today, I would like to write about something that is both a bit technical and very personal.

The theme is "hands."

Whether I was doing rehabilitation, adjusting my own body, or raising my child, I have always been helped by the power of my "hands."

I don't do anything in particular, I just touch gently. Yet, strangely, my heart calms down or the pain eases.
I believe that hands have that kind of power.
Please let me talk about that today.

"Don't think. Feel."

When I was working as a physical therapist, my job mainly involved manual intervention—that is, using my "hands."

There is physical therapy that uses machines, but what I valued most was touching the other person with my own hands. That is why I was always thinking.

"How is my touch being conveyed to the other person?"

I still cannot forget the words my boss told me when I first started.
"The moment you touch with your hands, the muscle tone changes."
The moment I touched them. Even though I hadn't done anything yet, the other person's body was already starting to change. When I was taught that, I honestly thought, "Hands are amazing."

There was another thing my boss used to say.
"Don't think. Feel."
Honestly, I didn't really understand it at the time. But over many years, that meaning gradually soaked into my body.

When you touch softly, you can hear the other person's voice

What I kept in mind during my treatments was to touch as softly as possible.
It's a strange thing, but the more gently you touch, the better you can understand the state of the other person's body. What state they are in now. How they want to move. Where they are tense.
And information from me becomes easier to convey. The "clashing" between us decreases.

Rehabilitation is a job that aims for physical recovery. It's not just about loosening things up to feel good; it's about gently correcting wrong movements and guiding the person so they can move using their own strength. If my intervention becomes just "assistance," it won't lead to true recovery.
That is why I was always conscious of "how the information from my hands is being conveyed to the other person."

However, this is also a story of failure—.
"I want them to move like this," "I want this muscle to work." When my thoughts were too strong, my hands would unknowingly become "guidance."
Then, my hands and the other person's movements would clash, and it wouldn't go well. Hands that are too tense miss hearing the other person's voice.
"Don't think. Feel."
I think this is probably what that meant.

Even for those who cannot communicate with words, hands can convey

I have an experience I cannot forget.
It was when I was in charge of respiratory rehabilitation for a patient on a ventilator.
That person was unconscious and could not communicate with words.
While checking the respiratory status on the monitor next to the bed, I would slowly move their limb joints, adjust their body position, and approach them so that their breathing would be even a little easier.

There are things I can do.
But I was always anxious, wondering, "Is this right?" or "Is it reaching them properly?"
Still, I continued, relying on the sensation in my hands. I would gently place my hands where the chest movement was poor and encourage breathing.

One day, a nurse who was nearby said this to me.
"They seem relaxed when you do rehabilitation. It looks like it's easier for them to breathe."
The nurse noticed the reaction I couldn't read and put it into words for me.
How saved I was by those words.

And I thought.
Even if we cannot exchange words, there are things that can definitely be conveyed through "hands."

The warmth of hands is, in itself, a comfort

When I adjust my own body, my hands are truly reliable.
First of all, hands are warm.
That warmth alone calms my feelings.

I think this is something many people do unconsciously.
When your shoulders are stiff. When your stomach hurts. When your lower back feels heavy.
Before you know it, your hands are gently touching that spot.
Just touching. Yet, somehow, it feels calm.

I think hands have that kind of power.

Why were the hands of my senior and my peer so different?

When I was in my first year as a physical therapist, I made a discovery.
As a newcomer, I still lacked both knowledge and technique. That is why we therapists often practiced our skills on each other.
What surprised me most was that the way it felt was completely different depending on who was touching me.
Even though we were supposed to be taught the same methods, the reaction in my body was entirely different when a senior performed it versus when a peer did.
I kept wondering why that was.

Looking back now, I think we in our first year were too conscious of our own intentions and the "results."
I have to do this well. I have to make this happen.
That sense of pressure is transmitted to the other person through your hands. Hands that are tense end up creating tension somewhere.

I think now that the lesson here was indeed, "Don't think. Feel."

Hands convey a person's state more honestly than words.
That is exactly why I think hands are amazing.

When I gently placed my hand on my daughter's back

And in my own parenting, I have been helped by the power of hands many times.
My daughter doesn't really like to sleep. Even though she must be sleepy, she resists it. She rolls around on the futon or suddenly starts singing.
One night, I gently placed my hand on her back. I didn't do anything special. I just placed my hand there.
Then—she drifted off to sleep.

It was mysterious.
But I am sure that the warmth of my hand helped calm her down.
Come to think of it, when I was a child, my own parents used to pat my back to help me fall asleep.
Warm adult hands and a steady rhythm. For a child, that might be the ultimate sign that says, "I am here. You are protected, so you can sleep in peace."

Hands can even deliver that kind of peace of mind.

What I learned from small hands

Conversely, there are things I have realized from my daughter's small hands.
When my daughter was three or four years old, she would massage my shoulders. I think it was just an extension of playing house.
It was closer to "clutching" than "massaging." And yet, it felt incredibly good.
It was somehow warm and comforting. It was a strange sensation.

Since then, I always feel relieved when I hold my daughter's hand.
Part of it is that I worry less about her running off, falling, or doing something dangerous.
But it's not just that.
For some reason, I am the one who feels calmer from the hand I am holding.

Even small hands have real power. My daughter taught me that.

People have been using their hands to heal since long ago

In rehabilitation. In moments of self-care. And in parenting.
What I feel is common to all three is that "even though hands are just touching, they mysteriously calm the heart and ease pain."

When you think about it, humans have naturally been doing this for a long time.
When your stomach hurts, you gently place your hand on it. When someone you care about is feeling down, you place a hand on their back.

It's not about logic; I think our bodies just know. That there is power in touch.

Thank you for your hard work today as well

Finally, just one thing.
When you are struggling. When you are tired. When words cannot convey what you feel.
At times like that, if you'd like, please try touching gently with your hands.
Your own shoulder, or your stomach. Or perhaps the back of someone you care about.
You don't need any special techniques. Just gently place your warm hands there.
With just that, something might start to change for the better.
I believe that hands have that kind of power.

Thank you very much for all your hard work today.
Your hands have worked very hard for you today, too.

Thank you for reading until the end.
I would be very happy if you felt even a little bit that "this might be true." I would be encouraged if you could leave a like or follow. Please feel free to leave a comment as well.

I also make LINE stickers. Please take a look if you'd like.

[Qualifications and Background]
Physical Therapist (10 years of clinical experience)
Certified Respiratory Care Specialist (3-Society Joint Certification)
Completed Bobath Adult Advanced Course
Completed Bobath Pediatric Basic Course
Bodyworker

#palm #powerofhands #selfcare #momshealth #parentingmoms #bodywork #physicaltherapist #puttingbabytosleep #touchcare #bodycare