4/20/16 Beginning Yoga I injured my back carrying heavy boxes of books to my wife’s school classroom in 1996. An MRI revealed several compromised intervertebral discs as well as the inevitable degenerative disc disease that we all manage. That was my official beginning of what has become a lifelong journey of pain management. Twenty years on I still suffer from chronic back pain, but rarely...

3/30/16 Rectus Femoris Trigger Point Patterns and Pain Rectus Femoris is one of the quadriceps muscles and is located superficially on the central anterior aspect of the upper leg. It helps to extend the leg at the knee and to flex the thigh at the hip. It’s the only quadriceps muscle to cross both the hip and knee joints. Its origin attachment is on the anterior inferior iliac spine (AIIS),...

8/26/15 Vastus Medialis Trigger Point Patterns and Pain Vastus Medialis is one of the quadriceps muscles and is located medially in the upper leg, or on the inside of the thigh along the femur. It helps to extend the leg at the knee. The distal fibers of this muscle help to keep the patella (knee bone) in position, countering the influence of Vastus Lateralis on the outside of the leg. This...

©figshare.com 8/26/15 Vastus Intermedius Trigger Point Patterns and Pain Vastus Intermedius is one of the quadriceps muscles and is located deep in the thigh on the large bone (femur) of the upper leg. It helps to extend the leg at the knee. This muscle is deep to the Rectus Femoris, and can be accessed if the superficial muscle is shifted medially to the side. This is necessary when it is...

8/26/15 Vastus Lateralis Trigger Point Patterns and Pain Vastus Lateralis is one of the quadriceps muscles and is located on the outside of the upper leg. Its job is to extend the leg at the knee. The iliotibial band is superficial to vastus lateralis and the two structures may stick (adhere) to each other at times. Stay hydrated! Therapeutic massage may encourage smoother movement between these...

    Background and Training I have been practicing massage therapy since 1997. I completed an 800 hour course of study at The Shiatsu Clinic & School in Iowa City, Iowa. My primary training was in Focused Touch Shiatsu under the tutelage of, and developed by, James Luth. I have extensive additional training in a variety of modalities, but generally use an integrative approach...

Client/Practitioner Expectations I’ll ask you to fill out a brief physical history form at your first session, and speak with you about the reason for your visit. I will ask you questions to help develop a plan for your massage. Your privacy and confidentiality are maintained at all times. During the session, you may remain clothed if you wish. Or, you may undress and be covered with sheets...

1/25/16 Serratus Posterior Superior Serratus Posterior Superior is a muscle of the upper back, deep to the rhomboids. It elevates the upper ribs during inhalation. It may cause deep pain under the scapula or refer pain to the deltoid area, the elbow, or the little finger side of the hand or wrist. Its origin attachments are at the spinous processes of C7 to T3, and it inserts on the posterior...

Anatomy Lab 3 These are the primary muscles we study in the Third Anatomy Lab.  We look at their origins, insertions and actions, and palpate on one another. Erector Spinae Group: Spinalis, Longissimus, Iliocostalis Multifidus Rotatores Intercostals: External, Internal Rhomboids: minor, major Latissimus Dorsi Quadratus Lumborum Abdominals: Rectus Abdominus, Obliques (External, Internal),...

1/13/16 Great Massage Music My latest horoscope from Rob Bresny’s Freewillastrology.com includes a quote from James M. Barrie, who created the Peter Pan stories, “Nothing is really work unless you’d rather be doing something else.” When clients ask how I got into massage therapy I often reply I didn’t want to work anymore.  I feel like I quit working 19 years ago...