reblogged from

touchistherapeutic:

Recurrent symptoms commonly treated by massage therapists, such as tension, pain, poor alignment and movement problems, can be caused by body memory - a phenomenon in which stress from past experiences is held in the body. Although the body memory phenomenon was discovered years ago, it has only recently been validated by science.

The Evolution of Body Memory
Historically, it has been the brain alone which has been considered the source of the body’s memory and intelligence. However, pioneers in biophysics and cellular biology have recently discovered that every cell is like a mini-brain - capable of receiving, storing and transmitting thoughts, emotions and sensations – the building blocks of human experiences.

Since the early 1900’s, scientists, physicians and therapists speculated on the concept of body memory. Only recently, has science validated its existence. Earlier references for body memory were cellular memory, tissue memory, somatic memory, energy cysts and frozen time conglomerates.

Recent Scientific Discoveries
In the 1990’s, world renowned neuroscientist and pharmacologist, Dr. Candace Pert, conducted break through research which provided evidence that chemicals, called neuropeptides, attach to cells and deliver encoded messages of emotion. In 1999, her book “ Molecules of Emotion” revealed that feelings are not localized in the brain but are chemically present within and around the cells of the body.

In 1992, former medical school professor and research scientist, Dr. Bruce Lipton, discovered that the cell’s membrane (outer layer), functions like an organic computer chip equivalent to a mini-brain. In the lab, he removed all the inner organs of the cell and observed that the cell membrane continued to function - revealing a brain-like intelligence in the membrane itself.

At the turn of the 21 st century, Stuart Hameroff, MD, a professor at the University of Arizona and authority on cellular consciousness, produced compelling research that further revealed that the cell membrane receives stores and transmits human experiences with the aid of a specialized protein called collagen.

The Body: A Living Matrix
In his book “ Energy Medicine in Therapeutics and Human Performance,” Dr. James Oschman compiled an unprecedented anthology of historical research from multiple disciplines. He describes how connective tissue completely interconnects all the cells of the body, penetrates the cell membrane and interfaces with the genetic material (DNA). Dr. Oschman refers to this vast web-like continuum, composed primarily of hydrated collagen, as a living matrix that communicates human experience via charged subatomic particles (electricity), vibration and light.

Connective tissue intimately surrounds and interconnects every other structure in the body, including cells. Collagen is the primary ingredient of connective tissue. When connective tissue is hydrated by the body’s fluids, it becomes a crystalline semi-conductor of energy. According to recent scientific discoveries outlined by Dr. Oschman and others, this crystalline matrix is capable of storing, recalling and processing consciousness and memory throughout the entire body.

Collagen consists of microtubules, smaller proteins which are suspected to be the information keepers of the body. The theory is that microtubules arrange themselves in specific sequences that encode and store the many facets of human experience. When microtubules disassemble, memory from past experiences is recalled and released through the body.

The Freeze Response
When an experience exceeds a person’s unique threshold for sensation, emotion or psychological acceptance, the body’s fight or flight response is activated. First, the body is triggered to take action by dealing with the stressor head-on, i.e. fight; or by getting away from the stressor, i.e. flight. When the person is unwilling or unable to confront or escape the threatening or overwhelming experience, they freeze.

The freeze response is triggered due to a perceived or actual state of helplessness. Similar to the “deer in the headlights” effect, when the body freezes it becomes tense and immobile. While in the protective state of the freeze response, experience is stored within the body and remains stored until the person comes out of the freeze response.

Studies indicate that most animals come out of the freeze response immediately after a threatening event is over at which time the shake as the energy of stress (electricity) is discharged through their body.

In his book, Waking the Tiger, Phd psychologist Peter Levine notes that human beings can and often do remain in the freeze response long after a stressful event has passed and therefore can accumulate body memory for years. This may be one important reason why so many individuals suffer from the same reoccurring pain, tension and stress.

Effects of Body Memory
The effect of long term body memory is body armor – a palpable and visible protective posturing and hardening of the body. Years of unresolved experiences create hardened tissues that fixate movement and pull the body out of its natural alignment. Common deviations are a forward head, elevated shoulders, rounded upper back, increased lumbar lordosis, protruding abdomen, unbalance hips and rotated shoulder and hip joints. Body armor is evident in people of all ages, including children and the elderly.

Signs & Symptoms
Anywhere in the body that is tense, tender, painful or hard is a likely indicator of body memory, especially if it has been that way for a long time. The most common symptoms of body memory are movement problems, spasm, pain, fatigue, mal-alignment of the spine and joints, headaches, stress, phobias and recurrent emotional challenges. Fatigue is often experienced because it takes energy to suppress body memory, especially unresolved emotional energy. Michael Ryce, Ph.D., author of, “Why is This Happening to Me Again,” believes that as much as 90% of our personal energy is used to suppress body memory. The question isn’t if massage clients have body memory, but how much and to what degree.

Treating Body Memory
For the past fifteen years, I have specialized in body memory transformation. I have learned that body memory is a natural byproduct of life and should be released regularly to maintain health, movement and vitality.

As a massage therapist, your touch can bring awareness of the freeze response and begin to release body armor. With training, you can deepen your therapeutic effectiveness to include body memory. Below is a five step hands-on protocol I teach at the Body Memory Recall seminars which I developed in 1997. This protocol has proven over the years to provide consistent results facilitating body memory transformation in all systems of the body.

Step 1: Lay your hands on the body, chakra or energy field first. Contact only establishes trust and begins the release of the freeze response. It also gives you time to become aware of the resistances or barriers to movement under your hand.

Step 2: As the body softens, add pressure & stretch in the direction of ease until you engage another movement barrier. Movement barriers can be subtle to obvious and are present within the human energy field, muscles, fascia, joints and bones.

Step 3: Maintain pressure and stretch at the movement barrier without force over time until increased movement is felt.

Step 4: Gently and slowly add pressure and stretch in the direction of increased movement until another barrier is felt.

Step 5: Repeat the protocol from step 2.

Be aware that body memory cannot be forced to release, only supported. The presence of body memory indicates that a person is still actively protecting them self from a past, feeling, sensation or awareness. Underlying protection is fear. Even with the best intentions, force causes the body to protect even more. Begin with contact only, then lighter sustained touch that deepens gradually as the body softens and releases.

A Call for Education & Training
I have discovered that 95% or more of my massage clients have never heard of body memory. Although they may exercise, eat well and receive good massage care, they still suffer from recurrent tension and pain that I have found to be rooted in unresolved body memory.

Clearing body memory is crucial for individuals to achieve a healthy, vital pain-free body.

Jan 23, 2012

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Make the Most of Your Massage

Using your yogic awareness during bodywork can lead to a more profound experience.

By Timothy B. McCall, M.D.

At the beginning of my second session of myofascial release—a type of bodywork that involves coaxing connective tissues to open—I got to talking with the physical therapist, Rachel Berger of Brookline, Massachusetts, as she worked on me. When we finally quieted down 20 minutes later, I did what I’d done during my first visit: I closed my eyes and tuned in to my body and breath. As Rachel lifted my neck, I focused on the sensations and used slow, deep breathing to help release my muscles.

Later, she told me that until we had stopped talking, my body hadn’t been responding as in the first visit, when we both were quiet and which we thought had been a big success. In that first session, I felt like I had been facilitating her subtle work by bringing yogic awareness to the treatment table. It turned out my intuition had been correct.

In fact, I’d wound up in Rachel’s office due to the awakening of intuition and awareness of my body that I link to yoga. In a recent practice session, I’d become aware of what yogis would call an “energetic blockage” in the area connecting my right upper neck to the back of my head. My sense was that my inability to create anatomical space and alignment there was rippling downstream through my right chest and abdomen, all the way down to my right calf. My intuition told me that a good bodyworker might be able to help the area open. A few calls to some friends yielded Rachel’s number, and I set up an appointment.

Many physicians and scientists say there is no science behind healing practices like myofascial release and craniosacral therapy, another modality that Rachel employs. And they are right: There are virtually no studies that prove their effectiveness. But that does not mean these therapies are necessarily ineffective.

As with yoga itself, the real proof of bodywork is in the direct experience. And the more yoga you do—especially if you complement it with various forms of bodywork—the deeper your ability to sense your inner experience becomes. Yoga practitioners frequently discover that they develop finer and finer perception in areas of the body where they previously felt little. B.K.S. Iyengar calls this phenomenon awakening intelligence in the body.

With that in mind, here are some suggestions for using the wisdom of yoga to get the most out of bodywork.

Cultivate silence. Taking some time for information exchange and explanation is fine. Just don’t spend half your session as I did, chatting as you might with someone cutting your hair. Your awareness—and that of the practitioner working on you—can be more profound when you are both quiet. In some situations, music can facilitate relaxation, but if it in any way distracts you from internal sensations, it’s best to forgo it.

Be mindful of sensation. If you find yourself going over your day, resentments, or fantasies for some future happiness, try to return to the present. Tune in as finely as you can to the effect of every stroke of the practitioner’s hands. Examine how what’s happening in your body is reflected in your breath, your sense of warmth, and other bodily sensations. Notice any unnecessary tightening: Check for tension in your jaw, your tongue, the space between your eyes; especially pay close attention to any areas of the back or neck where you chronically get tight.

Find the connections. In yoga practice, we learn to sense the ways that different parts of the body influence one another. In standing poses, for instance, creating space between the toes helps us open through the legs and into the hips. In Savasana (Corpse Pose), letting go of the jaw facilitates release of tension in the tongue and throat. During a bodywork session, can you notice whether your chest relaxes a notch as the practitioner works on your neck? Or can you find a perhaps more unexpected connection, like sensation in your right hip when your left shoulder is being massaged?

Use your breath. Your breath can do more than help keep you in the present moment; it can also help get you through some of the moments when bodywork becomes especially physically intense. I’m not sure that I could have tolerated some Rolfing and neuromuscular therapy sessions I’ve had without using deep Ujjayi breathing.

Take what you find back to your yoga practice. If you’ve paid attention during your bodywork sessions, you may have found opening or awareness in areas where you didn’t have it before. During your next yoga practice, see if you can find that opennness again and perhaps go even deeper.

Don’t sweat the theories. Some people shy away from certain types of bodywork because they doubt the explanations practitioners give for how those modalities work. Articles in medical journals, for example, ridicule the contention of craniosacral therapists that they adjust the skull bones, insisting this is impossible since these bones are fused early in life. But how something works is not as important as whether it works. And my experience suggests that many forms of bodywork (including craniosacral therapy) can be very effective.

Stay open-minded. If you are interested in exploring bodywork, be open to trying multiple styles. Be guided by word of mouth, particularly from people whose yoga practice or other experience has given them good body awareness. It would be great if there were more scientific evidence of effectiveness, but most bodywork methods have never been formally studied. There is also something ineffable that talented bodyworkers of all persuasions do that can’t be captured in study results. If you wait for the kind of proof most doctors look for, you won’t be able to take advantage of most bodywork styles in this lifetime.

Timothy McCall is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and Yoga Journal’s medical editor. He can be found on the Web at www.drmccall.com.

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I’d like to add that, as a massage therapist, I have never once heard anyone describe Craniosacral Therapy as having anything to do with ‘moving cranial bones’! I don’t practice it myself but have had a little practiced on me once and it makes you very serene. I’ve heard it more described as ‘manipulating’ the flow of CSF. In fact, I think I’ll post about that next.

(Source: yogajournal.com)

Dec 17, 2011

50 notes

Borrowed this from a coworker to improve upon my manual skills and muscular knowledge :-)

Dec 16, 2011

32 notes

Self-Myofascial Release: oh the pain (w/ free ebook link and demo videos)

Sep 22, 2011

18 notes

ATTENTION ALL!

If anyone seeing this post has something they would like to submit or a link to a great site with interesting material that is appropriate for this blog, please message me with a link or something. I’m looking for stuff I’ve never seen or read before. But remember, it must be related to things like massage/bodywork, yoga, natural & holistic health, wellness, nutrition, naturopathy or fitness, meditation, etc. You get the drift!

Let me know if you’d like to be credited with the find and you’ll be mentioned in the resulting post :D

Aug 30, 2011

37 notes

What Happens When We Stretch?

What exactly happens when we stretch? We all know something gives. The longer we reach for our toes, the easier it is to grasp them.

What we’ve learned through science is that it isn’t just one thing. Stretching is actually pretty dang complicated.

First the Anatomy

Each muscle fiber is wrapped up in fascia, a material a little like the plastic wrap you could see surrounding a leftover chicken leg in the fridge. Each individual muscle fiber wrapped up in its fascia is then collected into a group with another coating of fascia holding the group together. Then several of those groups of muscle fibers are bundled together in one big group of muscle surrounded by a bigger, thicker layer of fascia.

As the muscle nears a bone, it thins and becomes tapered. The fascia covering each fiber as well as that surrounding the groups of fibers continues and becomes a tendon that forms the connection of muscle to bone. Scientists call this entire structure the muscle-tendon complex. It’s considered one unit because muscle and connective tissue (fascia and tendons) are so intimately connected and intertwined that studying only one or the other is difficult. Having said that, they’ve been able to tease out what is happening to each of them when we stretch.

The Muscle Component

Stretching muscle causes a reflex mechanism in the spinal cord– sort of like the reflex a doctor elicits when she taps your knee and your leg jerks. Sensitive receptors known as muscle spindles are located throughout the length of the muscle. Muscle spindles note a change in muscle length during a stretch as well as how fast the stretch has occurred. They send this information to the spine. That triggers the stretch reflex which attempts to resist the change in muscle length by causing the stretched muscle to contract. The more sudden the change in muscle length, the stronger the muscle contractions will be. (And that is one reason you want to go slowly into a stretch without any rapid sudden movement.) This reflex helps to maintain muscle tone and upright posture and to protect the body from injury. The longer you hold an asana and stretch the muscle, the less the muscle spindles can do their job. They only work for a short while. After time, their effect goes away. When that happens, you get a little more length during the stretch because the muscle stops contracting.

Reflex Mechanisms of Massage Therapy, Part II

Massage Today
November, 2001, Vol. 01, Issue 11

By Ross Turchaninov, MD

Editor’s note: Part I of this article appeared in the October 2001 issue of Massage Today, available on line at www.massagetoday.com/archives/2001/10/05.html.

Why do stimuli from the stomach that are delivered to the central nervous system (CNS) radiate to somatic structures, and why in turn are the stimuli from reflex zones activated by the flow of motor impulses to the stomach? The phenomenon of convergence is responsible for this effect. The number of afferent sensory neurons delivering information from peripheral receptors to the spinal cord is greater than the amount of spinal neurons in the posterior horns of the spinal cord. The posterior horns accept and primarily process this information (see figure 2).

In other words, there is more than one sensory neuron in contact with each spinal neuron in the posterior horns of the spinal cord. In this instance, the information brought to CNS by sensory neurons from the stomach excites the entire neural plate of the spinal neuron. The sensory information delivered by sensory neurons from the peripheral receptors in the skin or skeletal muscles also excites the entire neural plate of the same spinal neuron. This stimulation by sensory stimuli from the stomach or reflex zones activates the lower motor cells in the anterior horns of the spinal cord. They generate motor input not only to the location of the original abnormality (the stomach, in our example), but also to the somatic structures innervated by the same segment of the spinal cord.

Figure 2. Convergence of sensory neurons on the neural plate of spinal neuron.
Simpler mechanisms of reflex zone formation are applied in cases of somatic abnormalities. This mechanism is responsible for the reflex zones’ formation along the pathway of irritated or compressed peripheral nerves. For example, the chronic irritation of the sciatic nerve by overtensed piriformis muscle will produce pathological symptoms through the entire lower limbs. In this manner, irritation of peripheral nerves in the upper part of the body will cause the formation of reflex zones in the lower extremities, supported by the affected peripheral nerve.

Finally, reflex zone formation can be caused by direct compression of the spinal nerve by a herniated disc. As a result of irritation or compression of the spinal nerve, various areas of pathological excitement develop in the spinal cord, especially in the lower motor centers in the anterior horns. Abnormal impulses flow from the spinal cord to the inner organs, and to other parts of the body that are innervated by the affected spinal nerve. Further development follows the same pattern of relation between reflex zones and inner organs or parts of the body as mentioned previously.

Let’s now look at another important issue, and ask another important question: “What local events lead to the formation of reflex zones?” First, let’s briefly review the physiology of excitation and the conduction of nerve impulses. A nerve impulse or “action potential” is a propagated electrical disturbance originating in the peripheral receptors or in the upper nervous centers; it is conducted through afferent, ascending sensory or efferent, descending motor neurons. Both ascending information to the central nervous system about any kind of peripheral receptors activation, and descending motor commands from the central nervous system, are delivered as a series of action potentials. Any single action potential is the result of changes in the conductance of sodium and potassium through the membrane of the nervous cells. Every action potential has a threshold. A threshold is the firing level of the action potential. This means that if applied stimuli are weak, they are unable to evoke an action potential. In this case, full action potential is replaced by a local response.

A local response is a weak electric excitement that stays within the stimulated receptor, rather than propagating along the neuron. As soon as the stimuli are strong enough, the action potential is generated and conducted through the neuron. This mechanism protects the nervous system from overflow with useless information. Normally, the threshold activation of peripheral receptors has stable electrical magnitude. The continuous radiation of motor impulses to the reflex zones in skin, connective tissue, muscles, or periosteum evokes unusual phenomena in these tissues. The magnitude of the threshold is reduced in all receptors located in these areas. As a result, receptors start to generate action potentials as a response to even the weakest stimulus, even those that normally had subthreshold levels and have never produced action potentials. (Korr, 1947). This phenomenon is called hyperirritability. The affected soft tissues respond by building up tension, especially in contractile elements. Vasoconstriction and local edema are formed, further diminishing blood circulation and decreasing tissue metabolism.

The decrease of the threshold of peripheral receptors, i.e. the condition of hyperirritability, is the starting point of reflex zone formation (Korr, 1947; Glezer, Dalicho, 1955; Kunichev, 1985; Shterngertz, Belaya, 1994; Loginova, 2000). Figure 3 shows how the action potentials are generated, both in the receptors of the normal parts of the body and in the areas of reflex zones.

Figure 3: Formation of action potentials in receptors in normal areas of the body and in reflex zones. In 1947, in a series of brilliant clinical experiments, Prof. I. Korr showed that hyperirritability is a key to understanding reflex zone formation. In his experiments, Korr inserted microelectrodes in muscles with clinical symptoms of hypertonic abnormalities, then exposed his subjects to different types of stimulation: physical activity, decreased and increased temperature, loud sounds, bright light, etc. When subjects were exposed to each of these stimuli (even visual and auditory) the skeletal muscles in the area of reflex zones reacted with increased tension, which was detected by electromyography. This caused the additional decrease of peripheral circulation in already-affected areas. Thus, as Prof. I. Korr showed, any type of sensory stimulation of the CNS causes the further development of reflex zones in the tissue which are no longer protected from theactivation of peripheral receptors by subthreshold stimuli.

A number of clinical abnormalities can be found found in the areas of reflex zones in the skin, connective tissue, skeletal muscles and periosteum. During diagnostic examination, the practitioner should detect all abnormalities and record them on prepared diagrams of the body. At the end of the diagnostic examination, the practitioner will have a complete picture of somatic abnormalities for the patient. Such an approach to diagnostic examination allows the practitioner to formulate the optimal treatment protocol.

I. Cutaneous Reflex Zones

A. Visual examination of the skin. Have bright light in the room for visual inspection of the cutaneous reflex zones. Look for areas revealing the following symptoms:

Local hyperemia, paleness or pigmentation. Hyperemia is sign of overactivity of the sympathetic of the part of the autonomic nervous system, insufficient venous drainage, or chronic inflammation. Paleness is sign of overactivity of the parasympathetic nervous system or insufficient arterial supply. Pigmentation usually accompanies skin aging. However, in some cases the excessive local pigmentation is a pathological symptom. The best example is pigmentation on the lower 1/3 of the leg in the patients with varicose veins.

Areas of hairless skin. In the areas of reflex zones, the practitioner can detect regions with lesser amounts of hair on the skin surface. The classical example of this symptom is areas of hairless skin on the legs of patients who suffer from thromboangiitis obliterans (i.e., Buerger disease).

Stretch marks. Long-lasting somatic abnormalities in the areas of cutaneous reflex zones can cause stretch marks. This symptom has limited clinical value when estimated alone. In the majority of cases, stretch marks do not have any direct connection with cutaneous reflex zones; rather, they are a result of accelerated growth during puberty, cellulite or pregnancy. However, stretch marks may play role in the diagnostic procedure when they are examined along with other local abnormalities in the areas of cutaneous reflex zones. They have more clinical value when detected in unusual locations or when the patient is male.

Glossy skin. Glossy skin is a symptom of peripheral edema.

B. Palpatory examination of the skin. Palpatory examination of skin is always conducted after visual examination. Conduct the palpatory examination after placing the patient in comfortable position. Let the patient relax for two-to-three minutes. The palpatory examination of the cutaneous reflex zones must be conducted in comparison to the opposite side of the body, if the process is unilateral, and in comparison with neighboring parts of the body if the process is bilateral. All palpatory examination of the skin must be done with light touch or pressure, because the practitioner examines the most superficial layer of soft tissues.

Coarse superficial epithelium. This is very valuable symptom. The sensation of skin roughness often accompanies the cutaneous reflex zones. In some cases, this roughness matches exactly the borders of cutaneous reflex zones. Patients, especially female patients, even complain about this symptom during consultation, noting that topical lotions did not bring any improvement.

Edema. Insufficient venous blood and lymph drainage will cause an accumulation of fluid in the subcutaneous tissue and skin.

Hyperthermia or hypothermia. See above, in the section on visual inspection.

Sudomotor reactions. Sudomotor reactions are increased or decreased sweat production in the areas of cutaneous reflex zones. A decrease in sweat production can be also detected in the areas of coarse superficial epithelium.

Hyperaestesia. Hyperaestesia is a condition in which a quick but light stroke over the skin surface is felt as a sharp pain. This is a clinical sign of neurological abnormalities in the skin.

Hyperalgesia. Hyperalgesia is a condition in which light pressure causes severe pain. This is also a clinical sign of neurological abnormalities in the skin.

Cutaneous trigger points. Cutaneous trigger points are one of clinical examples of hyperalgesia.

Paraesthesia. Paraestesia or a tingling sensation is a classical sign of neurological abnormalities in the skin.

Numbness. Numbness is also clinical sign of neurological abnormalities in the skin.

II. Connective Tissue Zones (CTZ)

Connective tissue zones are also examined by palpation. Several diagnostic techniques target the CTZ in the each level. In general, the practitoner is looking for following abnormalities in the areas of CTZ:

A. Connective tissue zones in the dermis of skin (1st level of CTZ)

Increased tension

Local swelling

Depressions in the subcutaneous tissues

B. Connective tissue zones in the fascia and aponeurosis, which cover superficial muscular groups, e.g., fascia between skin and superficial muscular group (2nd level of CTZ)

Decreased elasticity and mobility of skin folds.

C. Connective tissue zones in the deep fascias, located between superficial and deep muscular groups (3rd level of CTZ)

Decreased mobility of superficial muscular group compared to deep ones.

III. Reflex Zones in Skeletal Muscles

Reflex zones in the skeletal muscles are examined by palpation and direct compression. The moderate compression of muscular tissue elicits sharp pain in the area of hypertonic muscular abnormalities. Patients show the so-called “jump symptom.” Sharp pain elicited during moderate compression is another example of hyperalgesia.

A. Hypertonus: Areas of increased tension in the skeletal muscle. In large muscles, the hypertonus usually involves several muscular bundles, but small muscles can be affected entirely.

B. Trigger Point: The area of hypertonus with the most intensive pain sensation felt by the patient.

C. Myogelosis: The scientific term for “nut-like” structures in the skeletal muscles. Myogelosises are formed mostly in the muscles which perform substantial isometric work. One of the most common examples of this hypertonic muscular abnormality is myogelosis in the horizontal portion of the upper part of trapezius muscle.

IV. Periostal Reflex Zones

The periosteum is the thin connective tissue membrane covering all bones. It supports bone metabolism and remodeling. The periostal reflex zones are available for diagnostic examination only in the areas at which bone structures are covered by skin only. Examination of periostal reflex zones is conducted by palpation and direct compression.

A. Structural abnormalities in the periosteum: roughness, depressions. The structural abnormalities are the first sign of periostal reflex zones, before even the periostal trigger points are formed and the patient feels any pain.

B. Periostal trigger points: The areas at which the degenerative process in the periosteum has reached maximum and pain receptors are activated.

Following diagnostic examination, the practitioner will able to formulate the proper protocol of medical massage therapy. The formulation of a correct protocol is of course key to successful treatment. As mentioned, this protocol is a combination of different methods and techniques. For example, connective tissue massage is the best way to work on the connective tissue zones, but it is useless in the areas of periostal reflex zones, where periostal massage is the most effective therapy. The practitioner must utilize the particular methods and techniques created for the treatment of particular type of reflex zones. For example, if the patient does not have abnormalities in the periosteum, periostal massage techniques must be excluded from the protocol. However, if one measures the clinical validity of different methods of medical massage, I believe that segment-reflex massage is as appropriate as all known methods of Western medical massage therapy. The major advantage of segment-reflex massage is its integrative approach to treatment.The modern protocol of segment-reflex massage includes therapeutic massage, connective tissue massage and periostal massage, as well as its own therapeutic techniques and approaches. This unique combination allows the practitioner to target the reflex zones precisely and deliver an effective therapeutic impact to the affected areas of the body. In any case, the protocol of medical massage therapy must be individually adjusted to each new patient, because there are no two identical cases.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize that reflex mechanisms of massage therapy allow the massage practitioner reach a completely new level of professional expertise. At first, the clinical application of reflex mechanisms of massage therapy is a challenge. However, the professional benefits are far more rewarding than the time spent by the practitioner to achieve this level of expertise.

Bibliography

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Eisenberg DM, Davis RB, Ettner SL, Appel S, Wilkey S, Van Rompay M, Kessler RC: Trends in alternative medicine use in the United States. 1990-1997. Results of a follow-up national survey. JAMA, 280(18): 1569-1575, 1998.
Glezer, O, Dalicho, VA: Segmentmassage. Leipzig, 1955.
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Korr IM: The neural basis of the osteopathic lesion. JAOA, 47(4), 191-198, 1947. Kunichev, LA: [Massage Therapy], “Medicina,” Leningrad, 1985.
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Aug 23, 2011

26 notes

Massage Today: “High-Risk Pregnancy”

January, 2001, Vol. 01, Issue 01 — By Kate Jordan, NCTMB

Many massage therapists are confused and uncertain about the appropriateness of accepting pregnant clients who are in high-risk pregnancies. Who can be harmed? Can massage therapy and bodywork be useful and beneficial in a high-risk pregnancy? Are there techniques to avoid?

A high-risk pregnancy is one in which the mother or baby has a greater chance of injury or death.

About 5-10% of all pregnancies in the U.S. fit in this category.

Prenatal care for women in this situation may include more extensive testing, more frequent prenatal visits, medications, and bed rest.

A woman may be identified as high risk because of her age (under 15 or over 35), family history, medical condition, or complications that develop in her pregnancy. Therapists should include a question about risk status in intake forms for pregnant clients, or in initial phone contacts. If a client indicates that she is considered to be high risk, it is essential to communicate with, and secure a release from, her prenatal health care provider, who will be a doctor, nurse-midwife, or lay midwife. Such a release asks the health care provider to approve massage therapy, and also list any precautions or limitations in massage procedures. I find it easiest to fax a release form to the doctor’s office, or ask my client to hand-deliver it on her next prenatal visit.

When working with a high-risk pregnant client, it becomes even more important to observe basic precautions and contraindications for bodywork in pregnancy. Some clients may have been restricted by their health care providers in the positions they are allowed to take. This can include no sitting or prone or supine positioning, or lying on either the left or right sides. When no specific restrictions have been given, side-lying positioning is the safest, offers the greatest comfort, and increases blood flow to the heart. Side-lying is also the most common position a high-risk client on bed rest will be asked to assume.

Therapists should also modify bodywork modalities used on the legs in pregnancy. Fibrinolytic changes in pregnant women’s blood makes blood clots more likely to develop. These clots can develop in both superficial and deep veins in the legs, and are not always detected by common tests. Therapists should avoid using techniques that involve deep pressure and friction on the legs. This includes, but is not limited to, deep acupressure, shiatsu, cross-fiber friction, deep tissue massage, and all percussive movement. In addition, all techniques on the legs, except for the lightest effleurage, should be directed toward the heart, since hormonal changes in pregnancy weaken the valves in veins.

Therapists should restrict abdominal massage with high-risk pregnancies to light touch, and should avoid touching the abdomen entirely in the first trimester. Since 80% of miscarriages occur in the first trimester (1-13 weeks), it is wise for a therapist to avoid even the appearance of possible contribution to the loss of a baby.

When a mother knows that her pregnancy is high risk, or develops a complication that puts her in that category, she may experience anxiety, fear, and guilt. This increased stress can further endanger the successful outcome of her pregnancy.

Massage therapy is especially appropriate for the high-risk mother, since it promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety, supports the physiology of the pregnancy, and can relieve the discomfort and muscle strain that develop when a mother is placed on bed rest. Recent research has shown that massage in pregnancy decreases the incidence of prematurity or other complications in labor.

When in doubt about the appropriateness of specific techniques for a high-risk pregnancy, therapists should consult experts in that modality, or err on the side of caution. Observing guidelines on client positioning and use of modalities will enable the therapist to provide the high-risk pregnancy client with a safe, enjoyable, and therapeutic bodywork experience.

There is a need to understand and address the unique health concerns of women. This column will continue to explore issues of particular interest in massage therapy and bodywork for women, including reproductive health, sexuality, body image and eating disorders, pain syndromes, osteoporosis, and aging.

Jul 17, 2011

17 notes

Massage Today: “Chronic Pain”

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Massage Today - January, 2001, Vol. 01, Issue 01 - By Ben Benjamin, PhD

Question: What is the secret of treating chronic musculoskeletal pain?

Answer: The secret of successfully treating chronic pain problems is identifying the exact source of the pain and then matching the appropriate treatment in order to eliminate the pain.

In most cases of chronic pain, the culprit is adhesive scar tissue formation, whether the pain is in the low back; the neck; the shoulders; thighs; knees; calves; ankles; and so forth.

Adhesive scar tissue is indeed responsible for the majority of chronic pain in the musculoskeletal system. When scar tissue forms in random patterns or adheres inappropriately to adjacent structures, pain usually results. The scar tissue is like glue poured into the wrong places, causing independently moving structures to stick together. Movement that pulls, stretches or compresses the area where adhesive scar tissue has formed causes pain.

If you can identify the source of the client’s pain, which is frequently adhesive scar tissue in a particular muscle, tendon or ligament, and have the skill to eliminate it, successful treatment will have been accomplished.

For example, an injured hamstring muscle tendon unit is identified by the appropriate anatomical testing procedures; then, through palpation, the precise areas of adhesive scar tissue are located in the belly of the muscle and at the attachment to the ischial tuberosity; now successful treatment can be administered. Once all of the adhesive scar tissue has been eliminated by manual therapy or other means and full movement is restored, pain will be gone and normal strength can be rebuilt.

Jul 16, 2011

9 notes

Make the Most of Your Massage

Using your yogic awareness during bodywork can lead to a more profound experience.

By Timothy B. McCall, M.D.