BASIC TECHNIQUES – Broadening

The broadening stroke is a combination of muscular compression and a lateral gliding pressure that generates a stronger manual stretch. Broadening is normally performed in three different ways:

• Heel of the palm of the hands
• Thenar eminence
• Elbow

1. For larger muscles, the palm heels are placed in the middle of the muscle belly/group with the palmar side of the wrists facing and almost touching each other.
2. Body weight is applied by leaning over the hands, allowing the palms to slowly push and glide laterally on the muscle bellies.
3. The fingertips gently lift the treated muscle between each pushing motion. Care is taken not to hyper extend wrists during this stroke.
4. For smaller muscle groups, the thenar eminence of the hand is used instead of the palm heel

For more developed and massive muscles, two elbows can replace the hands. The hands are held together and the part of the elbows inferior to the olecranon serves as the contact point.