MASSAGE THERAPY JOURNAL
A promising Approach to Pain Relief. MTJ, Fall, 2019, 30-35
A very good reference source on pain management, the opioid crisis and the role of MT in our society in defeating it.
Massage Therapy and Autoimmune Disease. MTJ, Fall, 2019, 41-47
This article discusses general information about autoimmune disease, what the therapist who practices regular MT may encounter and what the limitations of the therapy are. From this perspective, it is useful information, but the clinical aspects of MT are not discussed at all.
Scar Tissue and Massage. MTJ, Fall, 2019, 53-72
An excellent article about scars and their management with MT!
MASSAGE MAGAZINE
Medical Massage. The Role of Massage Therapy in Compassionate Palliative Care for Oncology Patients. Massage Magazine, 281, October, 20-23
This article is on an important subject. However, it is an extremely basic piece written more for laymen than for fellow therapists, to introduce them to this valuable part of the MT profession. Also, the therapists who are already practicing Oncology Massage are not going to learn anything new from an educational or clinical perspective. Yes, the article covers the psychological aspects of Oncology Massage, and they are indeed very important, but they alone are not enough to assist cancer patients. At the beginning of the article, the authors describe the modalities they practice, but critical information about their regimen or integration is completely absent. We hope to read something more substantial in the future.
Active Engagement Techniques in Orthopedic Massage. Massage Magazine, 281, October, 36-40
The article describes the clinical application of the active engagement technique, which therapists can use as part of somatic rehabilitation.
Are Scars the Root Cause of Chronic Pain? Massage Magazine, 281, October, 36-40
This article also covers scars and the role of MT in their management. The same topic was covered by Pete Whitridge in Massage Therapy Journal, and we reviewed it above. Unfortunately, this piece is a very pale shadow of Mr. Whitridge’s article from a theoretical and clinical perspective.
Myofascial Techniques for the Diaphragm. Massage Magazine, 282, November, 38-42
A very good article which covers rarely mentioned MT techniques for working with the diaphragm.
MASSAGE TODAY
Awakening From A Deep Sleep. Massage Today, September, 2019
Myofascial Release is a very helpful method from the arsenal of Medical Massage Techniques, especially when it is used in combination with other modalities. In this article, its author shares his thoughts about the theoretical foundations of Myofascial Release.
It is a good piece, but defining Myofascial Release as a combination of Newtonian and Quantum Physics is nonsense, and it can’t be used in regard to ANY clinical modality, including Myofascial Release!
Hands Anatomy 101. The Three Major Joints of Your Fingers. Massage Today, September, 2019
A very good review of the fingers’ anatomy.
Hands Anatomy 101. Six Assessment Tests For The Joints of the Fingers. Massage Today, December, 2019
An informative article on examining ROM in the joints of the fingers.
The Paradoxical Piriformis: Stretching For the Hips. Massage Today, December, 2019
A good article on the anatomy and function of the piriformis muscle as well as a way to stretch it.
MASSAGE AND BODYWORK MAGAZINE
When You Can’t Catch Your Breath. COPD and Massage Therapy. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
A very good article on COPD that also reviews recent studies on how massage helps COPD patients.
Medial Pterygoid. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
It is an informative article on the anatomy and action of the medial pterygoid muscle. However, when it covers the palpation part, a very important component is missing.
During the palpation suggested in the article, the therapist will palpate and compress the pack of submandibular lymph nodes first, and the results of the palpation are going to be misleading.
Proper palpation requires first mobilizing the skin downward to allow downward displacement of the skin and soft tissues together with the pack of lymph nodes, which gives direct access to the very small part of the medial pterygoid muscle that is now accessible for direct palpation.
Stretching The Piriformis. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
An excellent article on the topic.
Life in the Bones. Exploring Zero Balancing’s Skeletal Side of the Musculoskeletal Equation. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
Yes, the bones that form our skeleton do much more than support our shape. They are critical components in the maintenance of body homeostasis. The article is absolutely correct here. The author is also correct that bones are a missing part of massage therapy.
However, the conversation started in the article wasn’t finished or wasn’t properly worded, since the author mentioned bones but for some reason completely disregarded the periosteum, which is the main structural component of each bone responsible for its proper function. Many of the aspects discussed in this article are actually functions of the periosteum rather than the general term ‘bone’ used in the article.
Thinking About Integration and Completion. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
A very good article which promotes an integrative approach to the patient’s therapy.
Current Views on Lateral Epicondylitis. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
A good article on Lateral Epicondylitis (LE). However, here is where the article falls short:
- There are three scenarios of LE rather than the one presented in the article: periostitis of the epicondyle, tendinitis of the extensors and a combination of both. Each has its own treatment options.
- Mild irritation of the radial nerve may weaken the periosteum of the epicondyle, and LE becomes secondary to that. In such cases, the initial treatment should be conducted in completely different parts of the body, since the trigger is, let’s say, in the anterior shoulder or anterior neck. This very frequent clinical scenario wasn’t even mentioned.
- As a treatment option, the author suggests cross-fiber friction, and yes, it is a valuable clinical tool, but it is a grave mistake to use it by itself, because therapists must decompress all layers of soft tissues on the dorsal forearm first before doing anything to the inflamed tendon. Applying cross-fiber friction alone is walking in circles, since tension is going to be reactivated.
- Periosteal Massage is the main clinical tool to deal with LE as a result of periostitis. Again, that wasn’t even mentioned in the article.
Healing the Hip’s Rotator Cuff. Assessing Hip Bursitis and Tendinopathy. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Sept-Oct, 2019
A very informative article on the subject.
Action-Specific Pain Provides Clues to Actionable Treatment Plans. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2019
A good clinical case.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. This Time It’s Zebras, Not Horses. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2019
A very good article about the nature and clinical picture of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
Acromioclavicular Joint. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2019
A very informative piece on the acromioclavicular joint.
Understanding Assessment Biomechanics. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2019
A great article on biomechanics assessment.
Testing for Meniscus Tears. Expand Your Assessment for Accuracy. Massage & Bodywork Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2019
The article is dedicated to the examination of a damaged meniscus. Three tests are described: the Modified McMurray, the Apley Compression Test and the Joint Line Pain Provocation Test. While these tests are indeed presented in orthopedic textbooks, they have very low specificity (the Modified McMurray has a little bit more clinical value). In other words, these tests can be positive in patients with meniscus damage and in patients with knee osteoarthritis or even ligamental instabilities.
Technically speaking, the only 100% informative test is a knee MRI; however, direct examination of meniscus mobility has the highest clinical sensitivity as a test for possible meniscus damage. Trauma to the meniscus damages the ligaments that stabilize the meniscus within the joint. These small ligaments give the meniscus the normal mobility necessary to slide slightly between the tibia and femur during walking and running. The first sign of meniscus damage is an increase in its mobility within the joint due to weakening or tearing of its ligamental support, with subsequent loss of its stability. The new extra mobility of the meniscus can be easily detected, and this test has much higher clinical sensitivity.
To conduct the test, the therapist sits low in front of the patient while the patient’s legs are dangling from the table. The therapist places both thumbs against the anterior horn of the medial meniscus and applies horizontal pressure first. With an inflamed joint and a damaged meniscus, the patient is going to feel acute pain under the thumb on the affected side. If there is no acute pain, the therapist should proceed to the second part of the test to examine the pathological mobility of the meniscus.
The therapist asks the patient to elevate both knees while he or she continues to maintain the same pressure with both thumbs. Damage to the meniscus can be suspected if the patient can’t elevate the affected leg to the same degree due to pain or if the therapist feels a strong push against the thumb from the damaged meniscus, which now has extra mobility. The therapist detects this extra mobility as a stronger counter-resistance force between the femoral and tibial condyles at the end of full knee extension. A damaged meniscus is going to push the thumb completely out of the joint, and the difference can be clearly detected when compared with the unaffected side.
The video below illustrates the meniscus examination, and the viewer should notice that the therapist’s right thumb is visibly pushed out of the joint more pronouncedly by the damaged left medial meniscus.
Category: Good Apples, Bad Apples
Tags: JMS 2019 Issue #4
