Pathology

There are numerous causes of anterior knee pain, some more common than others. Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is not a very common condition. It is, however, something that the massage practitioner should be aware of as a possible cause for knee pain. Osteochondritis dissecans is most often seen in younger patients, generally between 13 and 21 years old … Read more

The majority of ankle injuries involve sprains to the supporting ligaments of the ankle. Most occur to the ligaments on the lateral side of the ankle and are generally referred to as inversion ankle sprains because it is excessive inversion that causes the sprain. There are two other ankle regions that are also susceptible to ligamentous sprain: … Read more

The shoulder (glenohumeral) joint has the greatest range of motion of any joint in the body. Yet, the joint’s bony architecture provides very little stabilizing support. Consequently, the majority of shoulder stability comes from soft tissues that both guide and limit movement at the shoulder. This joints enhanced mobility leaves it vulnerable to problems, in … Read more

Tightness and trigger points in the cervical muscles, and especially the sub-occipital muscles, often cause muscle tension headaches, so these are vital muscles to address in many of our massage treatments. There are a number of ways to access the cervical muscles, but there are also certain essential precautions when treating the neck. One of … Read more

Nerve compression injuries are a common cause of pain and discomfort. When there are multiple locations of compression on a nerve it is called a double or multiple crush injury. A common double crush combination involves symptoms of thoracic outlet syndrome existing along with those of carpal tunnel syndrome. Double crush can occur in the lower … Read more

A look at neurovascular compression by the pectoralis minor muscle (pectoralis minor syndrome), a common variation of thoracic outlet syndrome. Nerve entrapment can occur in a number of locations in the upper extremity. Nerve compression symptoms can be similar from these various sites, which is why identifying the specific location of the entrapment is challenging. … Read more

Introduction We tend to look at anatomy and structure as something that is constant and unchanging, but the truth is there are a number of anatomical variations and many of the structures shown in anatomy books can be somewhat different among individuals. Adding to this complexity, a client’s anatomical structure can significantly change with age, … Read more

The practice of massage therapy helps develop outstanding palpation skills for the practitioner. One of the great advantages of improved palpation skills is the ability to identify structural abnormalities under the skin before the client might be aware of a problem even existing. Many of these structural abnormalities will not be painful, but sometimes they … Read more

The muscles in the anterior neck can become hypertonic or develop myofascial trigger points as a result of injury, poor posture, or simple overexertion. Some anterior cervical muscles are superficial and easily accessible, while others are deep and difficult to access with soft-tissue therapies. Because of sensitive neurological and vascular structures in the neck, it … Read more