Introduction Do you ever recall sitting in a classroom in school and thinking that one or two students were getting the lion’s share of attention when others had things to contribute as well? It seems the world of soft-tissue pain and injury problems shares this metaphor. Take nerve entrapment for example. As soon as you […]
Archive | Massage Education
Exploring Synovial Plica of the Knee
Massage is great for many soft-tissue pathologies. However, sometimes various conditions exist that seem like a common pathology, but then don’t respond to the treatment. In some cases an undiscovered problem may exist. In this post we’ll take a look at the synovial plica, a cause of knee pain that can easily mimic other common […]
The Role of Continuing Education for Massage Therapists
Overview Unlike other healthcare fields, such as physical therapy or occupational therapy, massage therapy is actually two primary “tracks.” The first track is geared towards the use of massage as a personal care service, with a focus of general relaxation and wellness enhancement. While massage performed for personal care can enhance health, the focus of […]
Certificate vs. Certification: Credentialing Terminology Matters
There is a great deal of confusion in our profession (as well as many others) about the terms certificate and certification. We have an abundance of marketing and promotional materials in our field which advertise for “certification” in particular modalities or technique methods. However, this illustrates a common misunderstanding about the distinction between a certificate […]
Central Sensitization and the Benefits of Massage
About a year ago Melissa was involved in a car accident where she sustained a moderate whiplash injury. She had pretty serious pain in her neck for several weeks, but then it subsided. Recently she’s been having a very similar pain sensation, although she has not had any recent injury that would appear to aggravate […]
Confronting the Challenges of a Major Paradigm Shift
I’m not sure when it really happened. I guess these things don’t often happen with a sudden event, but with a gradual period of change when you look around and notice that things look different than they used to. For me I think it began several years ago when I started running across some articles […]
The Potential and Challenge of Online Learning
Introduction In the last decade, the popularity, availability, and complexity of internet-based learning increased dramatically. The most noteworthy and significant changes are in the educational and technological strategies created by developers working in advanced online education platforms. While the massage profession may be slow to adopt advanced forms of online learning, the influence of online […]
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Nerve pain in the hand is a common complaint for clients but can also be an occupational challenge for massage practitioners. The most common cause of nerve compression symptoms in the upper extremity is carpal tunnel syndrome. However, other upper extremity nerve compression problems exist and are frequently overshadowed by it. One such problem that […]
Flexor Hallucis Longus Dysfunction
Soft-tissue foot pain is widespread, especially in active populations. Problems such as plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, or tarsal tunnel syndrome are commonly reported causes of chronic pain and disability. However, another muscle in the foot should be considered when investigating medial ankle or plantar surface foot pain. Disorders of the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) are […]
What Massage Technique Should I Use?
Open up any trade publication or listing of continuing education courses and you will see a vast array of different techniques you can learn. Many of these technique approaches claim to be new “inventions” and completely revolutionary. While there are clearly novel approaches to bodywork treatment, many of these techniques are simply variations on traditional […]