When a client presents with a set of familiar symptoms it is easy to jump to the conclusion that we know what is going on. However, we can often be led astray. As clinicians, we must always consider there may be several possible causes of symptoms that are presented by our clients. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease […]
Helping client’s manage pain is an important role for soft-tissue therapists. Consequently, many look to adjunctive treatments or products for assistance in this pursuit. Some of the most common adjunctive treatments used by massage practitioners and recommended to clients are topical analgesics. Analgesics are substances or agents that relieve pain without causing a loss of […]
I have been having some interesting conversations with industry leaders in the last couple of weeks about continuing education and advanced credentialing. I’ve also participated in some lively social media discussions around these same subjects. There are certainly some strong feelings and opinions about continuing education requirements in our field. More than once I have […]
What’s this bump on the back of my heel and why does it hurt so much? This is sometimes called a pump bump and is caused by several key mechanical factors. Let’s take a look… The Achilles tendon is the largest and strongest tendon in the body. It has to be this strong because of […]
The human hand is critical to our daily activities, especially as massage practitioners. Yet, rarely do we stop and consider what an engineering marvel the hand actually is. The human hand is capable of fine precision movements as well as generating large forces during grasping activities. The skeletal structure of the hand and fingers is […]
Over the last 100 years, a number of technological innovations took place which forecasters predicted would radically shake up the education world. First it was radio, then television, then videotape recording. In each instance, a revolution of the education environment never materialized. Now many of the same things are being said about online education and […]
Take a look through any of the popular trade publications in our field and you’ll find a wealth of advertising for courses that are teaching you new techniques. The extravagant claims for methods that provide “permanent pain relief” or “immediate results in one or two treatments” can certainly pique your interest and make you think […]
Back pain is one of the most pervasive causes of disability and a frequent reason for people to visit massage therapists. Many causes of back pain have no specifically identified tissue pathology and therefore get labeled “non-specific” low back pain. However, sometimes there is a primary tissue dysfunction present that just doesn’t get evaluated properly. […]
One of the more common nerve entrapment problems affecting the lower extremity is Morton’s neuroma. The term, neuroma, is a bit of a misnomer because this condition generally does not involve a true neuroma, which is essentially a nerve cyst or tumor, and instead involves nerve impingement in the forefoot region. In most cases it […]
Introduction An extensive network of nerves courses throughout virtually every tissue in our bodies. Yet, if you look up information on nerve injuries in medical resources you will find most of the attention on the pathologies associated with the large nerves, such as the sciatic, median, or ulnar nerves. However, there are many small nerves […]