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A list member emailed me privately and, after I wrote to her I decided to just send the information below to the whole list, unsolicited. I hope it is helpful. I am willing to describe certain routines for parts of the body if there is interest. These would be as clearly described as I can make them and "doable" for any reasonably able-bodied CG, without a deep knowledge of anatomy -- but I won't be responsible if they are done outside of the descriptions OR if any PWP becomes addicted to massage! I still reccommed Harold Packman's video because it is the next best thing to having a massage therapist there to either do it or teach it. <<The rationale for massage in the case of PD is that, while the massage therapist's hands cannot go into the substantia nigra and muck about to make changes in the outgoing nerve impulses, those hands can help make the muscles more able to respond to whatever correct messages they do get. Both blood and lymph fluid travel in vessels that are surrounded by muscle fibers. Blood is a relatively thin fluid and has a heart to pump it. Lymph, on your best day (and I don't think I've ever had one of those--completely rested, not fighting an infection or overexerting myself, fully hydrated) is the consistency of household glue and has no heart to pump it. The lymphatic system depends upon regular contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers to "milk" the lymph fluid along. The lymph fluid contains constituents of the immune system as well as waste debris from various cellular functions, so it's a good thing to keep the stuff moving along. So, while exercise is the #1 way to push lymph fluid through its vessels, massage is #2. It's a distant #2 -- there's no real substitute for exercise -- but it can be a pretty darn pleasant #2 to utilize. Massage can help decrease edema (swelling). I massage my dad's shanks and feet every night because his COPD contributes to swollen legs. There has been a dramatic improvement since we began that routine. Massage and firm/gentle passive exercise (where the able-bodied moves the recipient's limbs/feet/hands through all possible [comfortable] ranges of motion) can recreate flexibility for the joints. Tips for the massager: 1) All pressure strokes go toward the heart. 2) Start with light pressure. Gradually increase. End with light stroking. 3) If an area is super sensitive (my dad's foot soles were ticklish; his calfs were painfully tender), don't give up. Use light work and try more area or deeper pressure over the course of several weeks. 4) If there is real pain, stop. Pain is not good. Pain is different from productive discomfort, that sensation that "this feels kinda good -- I can tell it'll feel even better after the massage." 5) The deeper you work, the slower you go. This lets the reciepient's tissues "open up" and accept the work better. That makes it easier on both of you. 6) Immediately after a massage is a very efficient time to take any anti-inflammatory medication. The muscles fibers are looser and all fluids can flow through more easily, including the blood, which brings the pharmaceuticals on site and, along with the lymph, carries away wastes and excess fluid (swelling).>> BE CAREFUL ! HAVE FUN ! INSIST ON FEEDBACK REGULARLY (but don't be a complete nag every six seconds) ! Deanne Charlton [log in to unmask]