ADVANCED POSTERIOR TECHNIQUE:
Back, Glute & Leg (Right Side Only)

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1.  Back Stroke:

• Practitioner Position: 

Stand at S1 facing the foot of the table at a 45-degree angle towards the left with your standing foot against the recipient’s shoulder/upper arm. Standing foot right, working foot left.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Harness / Double or Single Shoulder Wrap. 

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics: 

Begin at the upper trapezius with your toes facing the head of the table and “grasp” the trapezius tissue with the pad of your foot/toes. Follow a slight crescent shape around the medial border of the scapula. At the lower angle of the scapula, your toes will begin to face the foot of the table at a 45-degree angle towards the left. Continue over the lumbars until the top of the foot reaches the sacrum. At this point use your medial heel to engage the lateral border of quadratus lumborum. Finish with a slight pivot, extending through your heel to gently traction the sacrum.

• Target Tissue:

Trapezius, rhomboids, erector group, quadratus lumborum, thoracolumbar fascia.  

• Considerations & Contraindications: 

Do not apply direct downward pressure on the secondary curve of the lumbar spine, especially if the recipient has lower back considerations (See Bolstering & Recipient Body Positioning). Bolster appropriately if the recipient has large breasts or breast implants. 

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2.  Back Stroke flow into Glute & Upper Leg, Distally:

• Practitioner Position:

Stand at S1 facing the foot of the table at a 45-degree angle towards the left with your standing foot against the recipient’s shoulder/upper arm. Standing foot right, working foot left.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Harness / Double or Single Shoulder Wrap.

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics:

Instead of finishing at the sacrum, continue leading with the ball of your foot over the posterior iliac crest and into the tissue between the lateral edge of the sacrum and the greater trochanter. Drop into the gluteal fold, leading with your heel, then continue down the upper leg, targeting hamstrings with the pad of your foot/toes and the lateral IT band with your medial heel. Finish before the knee (your forefoot may cross the knee, but with little to no pressure). 

• Target Tissue:

Trapezius, rhomboids, erector group, quadratus lumborum, thoracolumbar fascia, gluteal tissue, deep hip fan, hamstrings, IT band.

• Considerations & Contraindications:

Do not apply direct downward pressure on the secondary curve of the lumbar spine, especially if the recipient has lower back considerations (See Bolstering & Recipient Body Positioning). Bolster appropriately if the recipient has large breasts or breast implants.​

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3.  Glute & Upper Leg, Distally flow into Lower Leg, Distally:

• Practitioner Position:

First S2, then S3. Stand at S2 facing the foot of the table at a 45-degree angle towards the left. Standing foot right, working foot left.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Harness / Double or Single Shoulder Wrap.

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics:

Lead with the ball of your foot over the posterior iliac crest and into the tissue between the lateral edge of the sacrum and the greater trochanter. Drop into the gluteal fold, then continue down the upper leg, targeting hamstrings with the pad of your foot/toes and the lateral IT band with your medial heel. Instead of finishing at the knee, drop your left heel to the table (proximal side of the knee joint) and make sure that you have a very firm grasp on the opposing end of your Sarga Strap. Transition your bodyweight into the left heel, being careful not to drop too much pressure into the back of the recipient’s knee! Then carefully and smoothly transition your right standing foot from S2 to S3. Continue down the lateral lower leg, tracing the fibula with your medial arch and ending at the Achilles tendon (or over the heel and into the arch of the recipient’s foot if you have enough reach).

• Target Tissue:

Thoracolumbar fascia, gluteal tissue, deep hip fan, hamstrings, IT band, gastrocnemius, Soleus, Achilles tendon, plantar fascia. 

• Considerations & Contraindications:

​Do not apply pressure directly on the knee joint.

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4.  Glute Frog:

• Practitioner Position:

Stand at S2 facing the foot of the table at a slight angle. Standing foot right, working foot left.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Double or Single Shoulder Wrap / Double Hand Twine.

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics:

Start at recipient’s iliac crest, with the pad of the foot/toes facing the foot of the table, working in between the edge of the sacrum and the greater trochanter, aiming towards midline and distally. Variation: begin the stroke with the toes facing the head of the table and rotate the foot as you work between the greater trochanter and the edge of the sacrum.

• Target Tissue:

Gluteus maximus, medius & minimus, lateral hip rotators.

• Considerations & Contraindications:

Hip replacements, arthritis in the hip, sciatica.

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5.  IT Frog:

• Practitioner Position:

Stand at S3 facing the foot of the table. Standing foot right, working foot left.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Same as “Glute Frog” above. 

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics:

Start above the greater trochanter, more laterally than “Glute Frog”, continue down the IT band and finish with a slight pivot into the back of the knee with gentle pressure, leading with the lateral edge of your foot. Throughout the entire stroke, slowly mobilize the recipient’s leg at the hip with your Sarga Strap. 

• Target Tissue:

Deep hip fan attachments, glutes, hamstrings.

• Considerations & Contraindications:

​Be mindful of knee & hip injuries and/or replacements. Omit stroke entirely if necessary. Never apply pressure directly on the knee joint!

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6.  Full Lateral Leg, Proximally:

• Practitioner Position:

Stand at S5 facing the head of the table at a 45-degree angle towards the left. Standing foot left, working foot right.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Double or Single Shoulder Wrap.

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics:

Begin with work along the lateral arch of the recipient's foot with your big toe/pad of the foot. Move to recipient’s Achilles’s tendon with the base of your 1st metatarsal and fade into your medial arch on recipient’s calf tissue at a slight oblique angle. Gently glide over the popliteal fossa with little to no pressure and drop into the hamstrings with the pad of your foot. Continue up the leg while pivoting your torso and your standing foot towards the foot of the table. Your working foot will naturally pivot so that the pad of your foot leads into the gluteal fold.

• Target Tissue:

Lateral soleus, lateral gastrocnemius, lateral IT band, lateral hamstrings.

• Considerations & Contraindications:

​Be sure to always bolster the recipient’s leg appropriately so that the ankle is not over extended and the leg is not laterally rotated at the hip. Never apply any pressure directly on the knee joint! Varicose veins may be a consideration depending on recipient’s history.

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6.  Full Lateral Leg, Proximally:

• Practitioner Position:

Stand at S5 facing the head of the table at a 45-degree angle towards the left. Standing foot left, working foot right.

• Sarga Wrapping Technique:

Double or Single Shoulder Wrap.

• Stroke Direction & Foot Mechanics:

Begin with work along the lateral arch of the recipient's foot with your big toe/pad of the foot. Move to recipient’s Achilles’s tendon with the base of your 1st metatarsal and fade into your medial arch on recipient’s calf tissue at a slight oblique angle. Gently glide over the popliteal fossa with little to no pressure and drop into the hamstrings with the pad of your foot. Continue up the leg while pivoting your torso and your standing foot towards the foot of the table. Your working foot will naturally pivot so that the pad of your foot leads into the gluteal fold.

• Target Tissue:

Lateral soleus, lateral gastrocnemius, lateral IT band, lateral hamstrings.

• Considerations & Contraindications:

​Be sure to always bolster the recipient’s leg appropriately so that the ankle is not over extended and the leg is not laterally rotated at the hip. Never apply any pressure directly on the knee joint! Varicose veins may be a consideration depending on recipient’s history.

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