Book excerpt: This best-selling text teaches massage therapy students and practitioners the essentials of body mechanics they need to know in order to care for themselves while practicing massage therapy. The text is written in a practical, playful, and friendly manner and integrates kinesthetic, cognitive, and environmental elements. Each chapter starts with a brief narrative explanation of a movement, followed by hands-on exercises, self-observation exercises, self-care and injury prevention tips, and client education tips. Appendices discuss successful body mechanics for spa therapy, transferring clients, and floor work, and present troubleshooting and preventive strategies for common repetitive stress injuries.