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 […]
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 […]
Modern society requires a great deal of repetitive thumb use, especially from texting on mobile devices. A recent study investigated the frequency of text messaging among university students and found that close to half these students were sending an average of 50 text messages per day.(1) Many of them were experiencing thumb pain and tested […]
Have you ever heard the term, Trigger Finger, and wondered what is really occurring? The condition gets its name for the locking and snapping motion of the finger that is caused by finger tendons binding against an adjacent retinaculum. Tendons in the hand and fingers must bend around sharp angles in the numerous joints they […]
One of the unique mechanical properties of our musculotendinous structure is the presence of a retinaculum (plural: retinacula) around many of the body’s joints. A retinaculum is a band or membrane that holds an organ or part in its place. It may also be defined as a thickening of the deep fascia in distal portions […]
