Blog post

Abducted By Aliens?!

bodywork May 12, 2023

“They come at night, mostly” my client Kim quipped, quoting the famous line from Aliens (one of my top ten movies).

She’s referring to the pains down the side of her left leg that regularly wakes her up at night.

This vicious pain pattern is ubiquitous. Gyms are full of people foam rolling their lateral thigh/ IT bands.

Trigger point referral patterns to the lateral thigh come from quite a few muscles – the main culprits are gluteus medius, minimus and tensor fascae latae. Mmm – all abductors of the hip. There’s a clue here!

These muscles fall into the phasic category and tend to be weak/inhibited. Bursitis and tendonitis of the muscles that attach to the greater trochanter is rampant. (Quadratus lumborum refers right into the greater trochanter often mimicking GT bursitis.)

Here’s a paradigm I’ve used in eliminating and/or reducing that pernicious “aBducted by aliens” painful lateral th

...

Suboccipital Muscles And The Eyes

body work May 12, 2023

The suboccipitals are immensely fascinating. While they move the head and neck, their critical importance lies in the fact that they serve as a sensory system, gauging where the head is in space and coordinating balanced movement throughout the rest of the body.

These muscles are intimately connected to eye movements, and together they support the vestibular system in forming our righting reflex. They contain an unusually large number of muscle spindles which tell the brain the exact position of the head and neck relative to gravity. (The suboccipitals have 36 spindles per gram of muscle tissue whereas, for example, the gluteus maximus has less than 1 spindle per gram of tissue).

Try this on a client: soften the outer muscle layers so that you have contact with the suboccipitals. With your clients eyes closed, ask them to move their eyeballs from side to side without moving their head or neck. You should be able to feel that movement in the sub

...

Trochanter Bursitis – Or Is It?

body work May 12, 2023

A diagnoses of trochanter bursitis is popular these days. But is it bursitis or trigger points? And, what is causing it? What are the perpetuating factors?

To simply calm down the bursa (treat the symptom) is helpful but if the underlying causes are not addressed for the issue, it will be a lengthy course of treatment at best, and at worst, a repeating problem that can effect gait and therefore impart imbalanced forces on the entire lower extremity. A cascade of orthopedic and musculoskeletal issues can then lead to a chronic pain syndrome. A cortisone shot is good for calming it down but that’s not the whole enchilada.

Usually the easiest way to check if it’s bursitis is to gently (and I mean no more than a nickel’s worth of pressure) press on the greater trochanter (GT). If that gentle pressure eleicits pain then it’s probably bursitis.

If not, search for trigger points in G-minimus, G-Medius, TFL, piriformis or any of the othe

...

The Power Of Chapman’s Neurolymphatic Reflexes! Performing A Neurolymphatic Massage

clinical message therapist training May 12, 2023

In this article, you’ll learn how Chapman’s Neurolymphatic Reflexes relate to the lymphatic system, their significance in restoring health, and how to perform a neurolymphatic massage!

To begin, I’d like to share my personal experience using these reflex points in an acute situation to get myself out of pain.

It was a gorgeous Minnesota day. The 68-degree temperature, blue skies, and songbirds beckoned me to quit my work early.

Within minutes, I was out the door driving to one of my favorite nature trails for a walk. I was barely down the path when all of a sudden a shooting pain hit my left knee and it went out on me.

I found myself bent over, anxiously rubbing it to ease the pain. After a few seconds, I stood upright and tried to take a step. I was on the verge of panic with intense pain. As I looked around, I noticed there were no other people in sight.

Oh dear, how was I going to get back to my car? A flash of me crawling

...

Blueprint For Success!

marketing May 12, 2023

Do you have a goal for growth… but you’re struggling to break past the natural cap of a treatment-based business model?

“If you want to achieve success find someone who has achieved the success you want and copy and implement their blueprint.” Tony Robbins”

Click here for a free 30 minute Abundant Bodyworker Consultation.

Working With The Superior Psoas

bodywork May 12, 2023

Her strategy was to approach it from above and press very hard. I tensed, my breath constricted and I felt scared.

How much easier and gentler it for both client and practitioner to approach the upper psoas laterally; slowly working your way through layers of fascia and going under the rectus abdominus.

Using rocking, deep breathing and active movement by the client allows the tissue to melt, unwind and relax organically without force.

Lions And Tigers And Super-Glued Scapulae, Oh My!

rotator cuff shoulder pain May 12, 2023

Judy is a warm and generous 69 year old quilter who is coming to me for neck and shoulder issues. During the intake she told me she works with a personal trainer once a week. “That’s terrific!” I said. I’m always happy when people are committed to their self-care. I ASSUMED that her trainer had her doing scapulae stabilization exercises.

During our first session I discovered while trying to work with her subscap and serratus anterior that her scapula was so protracted and anteriorly tilted that I could barely palpate either muscle.

After our session I asked her some detailed questions about what exercises she was doing with her personal trainer. I showed her about five examples of scapulae stabilization exercises. “No, she doesn’t have me doing anything like that.” Judy said. “Ah, never assume!,” I thought to myself.

Below are some issues that arise when the scapulae are glued to the thorax:

The scapulae are not able to glide on the thorax putting too much pressure on the shoulde

Quadratus Lumborum And Latissimus Dorsi – An Intricate Relationship

rotator cuff May 12, 2023

Ellen, an experienced and skilled bodyworker for over 10 years sent me an email recently: “What’s the connection I feel between my hip and shoulder?”

I love that question and the answer is both for your clients and you! I’ll begin with a case history from a recent client:

Janet came to see me for painful flexion and external rotation in her right shoulder. She could flex to 180 degrees but it was painful.

One of the tests I did was for a high iliac crest. Her right hip was higher in both standing and seated. Before I did any work on her shoulder muscles, I corrected that misalignment with an MET technique. I retested her flexion and her pain decreased by 50%.

Let’s dig a wee bit deeper….

QL attaches to the anterior layer of the thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) and the iliac crest. The diaphragm, and psoas major exhibit fascial connects to this layer also. The giant latissimus dorsi connects to the thoracolumbar fascia and the iliac crest. The thoracolumbar fascia is important in stab...

Soften The Psoas With Thoracic Mobilizations / Bodywork, Clinical Massage Therapist Training, Education for Massage Therapists, Iliopsoas, Massage Therapy Training / By Peggy Lamb

bodywork May 12, 2023

Recently a new client came to me with a complicated pain pattern: right hip, low back, and SI joint.

Several months ago she had an ovarian cyst burst; she was in the Emergency Room for over 12 hours with 10+ pain. She was convinced she was dying – even gave all her passwords to her boyfriend. She did get her surgery and is fine now – except for the pain.

When I hear a story like that many thoughts go through my mind but the three biggies are:

Iliopsoas: (When our nervous system is in sympathetic arousal it activates the psoas muscles – as it is the psoas’ job to jump into action to curl your bodies up into a ball and freeze, flee away in fear or fight to the death.)
Tread lightly
Possible neuroplastic pain (her brain/nervous system still thinks she is in danger and hasn’t regulated yet so pain is what the brain produces to keep us safe.) The body reflects our subconscious.

I knew that creating safety for her was the most important thing I could do. When I assured Lin that he...

1 2

Stay connected with news and updates!

Author

Peggy Lamb

Author

Peggy Lamb, LMT, BCTMB, MA is the founder of Massage Publications/The Abundant Bodyworker providing resources for massage therapists with continuing education courses, books, videos and business coaching. Her coaching and course work empower LMT’s so abundance and prosperity flows into their lives. Although a bit of a "reluctant businesswoman" she nevertheless has built multiple streams of income through her various projects. Peggy brings her eclectic and extensive background into her teaching for an interesting, enjoyable and enlightening learning experience. In addition to her extensive training in massage therapy, Peggy holds a master’s degree in Dance from American University in Washington, D.C. She has volunteered for over 10 years with “Truth be Told”, teaching creative movement and writing to incarcerated women. When she’s not working, Peggy can be found dancing, swimming in Austin’s Barton Springs, hiking or even dog sledding.

50% Complete

Enter your information below to sign up for tips, tricks, and valuable content related to bodywork.