A new study shows that our fingertips lose sensitivity as we age. What are the implications for massage and bodywork practitioners? Tune in and listen as Til and Whitney think it through, and along the way, share fascinating tidbits about tactile sensitivity training, and its relevance to actual practice. 

•Introduction and Sponsor Message (00:00 - 01:30)

•Discussion of Tactile Sensitivity Study (01:30 - 03:30)

•Decline in tactile sensitivity, especially in fingers with age

•Importance of glabrous skin (hairless skin) in mechanoreception

•Mechanoreceptors and Aging (03:30 - 06:00)

•Von Frey monofilament test used to measure sensitivity

•Examples of exercises to improve tactile sensitivity in manual therapy

•Proprioception and Sensory Discrimination (06:00 - 09:00)

•Importance of spatial discrimination in manual therapy

•Stiffness testing for practitioners

•Tactile Acuity and Practice (09:00 - 12:00)

•Training methods for developing tactile sensitivity, including touch games and exercises

•Aging and Mechanoreceptor Deterioration (12:00 - 16:00)

•Impact of aging on nerve function and tissue hydration

•Central processing changes in the brain affecting tactile perception

•Implications for Clients and Practitioners (16:00 - 23:00)

•Loss of sensitivity and its effect on daily activities and manual therapy

•Correlation between pain and reduced tactile sensitivity

•Qualitative vs Quantitative Touch in Therapy (23:00 - 30:00)

•Debate on whether tactile acuity is essential for effective manual therapy

•Importance of qualitative touch and attentiveness in client care

•Social Grooming and Pleasant Touch (30:00 - 38:00)

•The role of pleasant touch in therapy, linked to brain processes

•Sensitivity in non-fingertip areas (forearms, cheeks) and its significance

•Takeaways on Tactile Sensitivity and Aging (38:00 - 45:00)

•Summary of findings on aging and tactile sensitivity

•Importance of listening and touch quality in manual therapy

Get the video and full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites! 

• Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com 

• Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com 

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Samain-Aupic, Léonard, Mariama Dione, Edith Ribot-Ciscar, Rochelle Ackerley, and Jean-Marc Aimonetti. “Relations between Tactile Sensitivity of the Finger, Arm, and Cheek Skin over the Lifespan Showing Decline Only on the Finger.” Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience 16 (July 2, 2024): 1387136. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnagi.2024.1387136.

Sponsor Offers: 

• Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com. 

About Whitney Lowe  | About Til Luchau  |  Email Us: [email protected]

(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)