Archive for July 15th, 2009
Palpation A Primary Tool for Massage
15 July 2009When assessing a clients tissue for treatment, palpation is an essential tool a therapist uses. This skill is refined and improved upon as a therapist performs a greater number of treatments. The variety of clients and variations of the tissue quality adds to the refinement.
Displaced nerves is a common condition that is misdiagnosed by many physicians and specialists. This condition is caused by imbalances of muscle tissue and can sometimes stretch the nerve out of its normal notch or groove causing pain. I am fortunate to have a sister who is also a MT with many years experience. She is my dictionary for treatments and symptoms. In one of her CE classes she was taught how to put nerves back into their place. She explained to me how it was done and I have done this for two of my clients with success. One client only needed once, and some couching on how to strip his forearm muscles and stretch his pecs. The other client has had this issue for quite some time, he has relief for a day or two when his ulnar nerve is massaged into place but must come back.
I have done some testing and believe it is a posture issue, kyphosis, hypertonic pecs and forearm muscles. He strips his forearm muscles regularly and is working on rolling his shoulders into proper position, but other then that his doctors wants to operate. This would have his ulnar nerve permanently on the anterior side of the medial epicondyle. He would love to avoid it. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what he can do to keep from having surgery, aside from what I have suggested?