Are you looking for a quick, free, and effective way to help your child feel more organized, calm, and better suited to handle life’s stressors? Try using joint compressions!
What are Joint Compressions?
Joint Compression is providing input into one’s joints (namely at the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and fingers) for proprioceptive input. Proprioception refers to the physical input on the body’s joints, muscles, and bones that then elicit chemical, physiological, and physical changes in the body.
Our bodies need proprioceptive input to improve our body awareness, body organization, postural security; and once the body becomes more secure and organized, then it can relax, calm down, and handle stress in a more efficient manner.
In addition, joint compressions also utilize human touch with has been shown to facilitate the release of dopamine and norepinephrine. Dopamine and norepinphrine are two neurotransmitters that are responsible for mood regulation, motivation, lowering anxiety levels, and lowering depression (Neurogistics, 2015). So, by doing joint compressions with your child, you are actually getting” double the bang for your buck” as you are reaping the benefits of both proprioception and touch combined. If you find this doesn’t help with mood disorders, motivation etc. then in the future you could look down alternative routes such as trying thc infused gummy bears (get information here) or other products or therapies, there is plenty out there to trial and test.
However, trying joint compressions first will not only help your child on a physical and physiological level, but it will also help you and your child to bond as you complete this calming activity together.
How to do joint compressions
Watch this short video and learn how to properly do joint compressions with your child!
*Disclaimer- This video and information from this post are to be used for informational purposes only. This should not serve as replacement for occupational therapy service treatment and a properly trained occupational therapist or physician should be consulted beforehand to ensure proper technique.
When to use joint compressions?
Joint compressions are great to use to help calm your child and can be done multiple times a day if needed. Below are some suggested times to try the joint compressions with your child….
- Before entering a stressful environment such as school, sports, or work
- Before the child goes to bed
- Before the child needs to complete homework
- Before the child has a big test or presentation to give at school
- During a daily sensory diet or plan at home or school
- When your child is overly active and can’t seem to sit still
- When your child is having difficulty focusing
- Proactively to maintain healthy behaviors, motivations, and attention span
Who can benefit from joint compressions?
Children of all ages and abilities can benefit from joint compressions, but especially the following:
Children with ADD, ADHD
Children with Sensory Processing Disorder
Children with Autism
Children with anxiety, behavioral, or emotional difficulties
If you are still not seeing the results you are looking for, there are other options such as therapy for your child. Try checking out a convenient online therapy option at Better Help’s Online Psychologists.
I am definitely going to be trying this out this week. It takes my son hours some nights to turn off his body and mind so he can sleep. The video was super helpful — in fact, I plan on letting him watch it with me because he hates changes to his bedtime routine. Your daughter looked like she was having so much fun, I know it will help him relax with this little change.
Great- I hope they are helpful for him! Use these in conjunction with a calming bedtime routine for best results!
I’m going to try this on my son tonight and hope it helps calm him down.
Thanks for the video!!
You’re welcome!
it seems like you are doing just the joint compressions of the willbarger protocol. where is the evidence of its beneifits.
This activity was introduced to me at a conference (S.A.N.E. – Strategies for Success- Sleep, Activities, Nutrition Environments by Debra Dickson, PT and Anne Cukley-Reen, OTR, RYT). This activity was not presented in conjunction with the WIlbarger protocol but as a separate, solo activity. The activity was presented as a way to provide proprioceptive input to the body. There is a host of research linking proprioception to relaxation….
I will try this massage since I was looking for this long time ago.. Thank you..
Hope you can share more style of massage for an Adhd child
Thank you and God bless
I have older children, can they do this themselves? Or is there a variation that would be effective for them?
If you have any other insight or recommendations for youth with ADD and ADHD on being more calm and focused I would really appreciate it. I have teenagers, so more working side by side or on their own.
Right now I’m struggling with needing to make a decision to use meds for our 12 year old or not and I still can’t pull the trigger. Even though they pulled the school physiologist into our meeting. I’m lost. I see their point, I do. And I agree. But also meds I guess only are good for two years, what then and what has happened to their growing brain with the drugs? It might be a good thing for their brain too, I just don’t know anymore. I just feel like companies are using my kids to make money.
Hi Jennifer- I’m sorry to hear about the predicament you are in…. I know that making decisions about meds can be very tough. There are lots of ways that kids of all ages can get proprioception into their joints and this is just one way. Heavy work activities like jumping, running, wheel barrel races, etc.. are great ways to get heavy work in. There’s another post called “calming cookie dough” https://kidsplaysmarter.com/calming-cookie-dough/ that is a great calming activity for kids and adults of all ages. I would be happy to speak with you more on an individual basis through my online consultation service. Mention that you left this comment and I will take 10% off the 30 or 60 minute session. Hope this helps and feel free to email me at KidsPlaySmarter@gmail.com if you want to speak to me further.
Wow! I have a 3 yr old autistic son and I massage his feet to relax him but didn’t think to try on his upper body, he has been so emotional recently and I haven’t a clue why, I will definitely give this a try!
Thank you
Laura xxx
Thanks for the comment Laura! I hope this helps him relax too! 🙂
My boyfriend has Chronic Fatigue and he loves me to do the gentle pull of the fingers like you do. So I started doing it with my niece and she loves it! She already has a thing about lotion. I will try compressions tomorrow. If they seem to be helpful, I will certainly mention this to her father!
We also have used brushing protocol, but this seems like a simpler quicker tool that could be used by school personnel or when we are out and about. I noticed the video was only one shoulder, elbow and wrist. Do you typically do both sides of upper body and other compression areas (such as in wilbarger) or just one arm? Thanks for sharing this idea.
Great question… Yes, I always do both sides! The video states this, but is not shown on both sides.
I have these built into my son’s Iep. Prescribed by the ot and administered by a trained para professional and monitored daily.
Yes… good points to include indeed.
Does it work on adults too? My husband suffers from anxiety attacks often in the middle of the night.
Yes, it absolutely does!
Wonderful Blogpost Thanks for sharing.
Thank you!!!
Would this be suitable for a 5 yr old with cerebral palsy?
Would this perhaps decrease a child’s impulse to hit/punch?
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Hello Amy- I am a speech pathologist by training and have recently made the switch from working with the adult neurogenic population to early intervention. I am very fortunate to have an excellent OT who shared your information with parents after we did a session together on a little girl who is needing communication support. I watched the OT coach the parents through the process AND I saw the little one smile as a result. It was apparent she enjoyed this!
Just as your little one did, counting along with the parent is a wonderful way to encourage repetitive verbal routines that support the parents primary goal of verbal communication support.
Thank you for your generous contribution to parents, children and those who hope to support them.
This physiological focus “early on” will hopefully establish more integrated sensory and motor pathways:)