Pathology

Introduction As the population of the country ages, massage practitioners should be aware of various diseases and conditions that are increasingly common in an older age group. One such condition is a connective tissue disorder that affects the palmar fascia of the hand, called Dupuytren’s contracture. The primary structure affected in Dupuytren’s contracture is the … Read more

Introduction Cultural colloquialisms develop from real world experiences. When something is very difficult or annoying we characteristically refer to it as a real “pain in the butt”. And, well that is the perfect description for this syndrome. Sciatica is a poorly defined condition that generally refers to any pain sensation felt in the gluteal region … Read more

Background Calcific tendinitis (also referred to as tendinopathy) in the shoulder is a soft-tissue pain condition involving calcium deposits in the rotator cuff tendons. The condition can present as acute or chronic. It is easily mistaken for other shoulder pathologies due to having symptoms similar to several other conditions (such as shoulder impingement, rotator cuff … Read more

Observations from clinical practice have indicated that one of the most significant detrimental effects of disuse on the body is muscular atrophy. Disuse atrophy may occur from an injury that forces the individual to keep an area immobilized for a prolonged period. It may also occur in situations where bed rest or non-weight-bearing is mandated … Read more

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 warrants … Read more

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 … Read more

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 … Read more