Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1256819
N e w ! A B M P P o c k e t P a t h o l o g y a t w w w. a b m p . c o m / a b m p - p o c k e t - p a t h o l o g y - a p p . 89 3 4 5 Assess hip joint play restrictions. The therapist flexes the client's left hip and knee to 90 degrees, and places the leg on his left shoulder. Using his hands to secure the proximal thigh near the femoroacetabular joint, the therapist slowly leans his body weight back to bring the client's hip capsule to its first restrictive barrier. Without letting up on his grip, the therapist distracts and jostles the hip joint, assessing for joint play restrictions. Correct hip joint play restrictions. The therapist flexes the client's hip, allowing his left hand to "snake" under the client's left knee. The therapist's right hand braces the client's anterior thigh, and his left hand grasps his own forearm. The therapist adjusts his body weight so he can distract, compact, abduct, and internally/externally rotate the client's femur to restore joint play. Assess cervical joint play restrictions. The therapist's fingers come under the client's cervical spine and gently push into the lamina groove starting at C2–3 and moving down through C7–T1 to assess for joint play restrictions or loss of cervical curve. Good clinical assessment and the application of appropriate soft-tissue massage techniques for pain reduction, as well as relevant exercise advice for strength, endurance, and motor control, can be used as a management strategy. In order to find a more permanent solution, remember to look for the "cause of the cause" of the client's dysfunction. Note 1. John M. Mennell, Joint Pain: Diagnosis and Treatment Using Manipulative Techniques (Boston: Little Brown & Company, 1964). Erik Dalton, PhD, is the executive director of the Freedom from Pain Institute. Educated in massage, osteopathy, and Rolfing, he has maintained a practice in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, for more than three decades. For more information, visit www.erikdalton.com. 6 Correct cervical joint play restrictions. The therapist uses a pillowcase (or hands) to gently distract the client's cervical spine. The therapist grips the ends of the pillowcase and places his thumbs on the client's forehead. The therapist slowly leans his body weight back to gently decompress joints and connective tissues. Watch "Femoroacetabular Joint Play" assess each vertebral segment from C2–3 down to C7–T1. If I discover a specific joint that does not spring like the rest, I secure the bones and connective tissues above and below the restriction, then repeat the gentle springing maneuver (Images 5 and 6). SUMMARY Emphasis is typically placed on muscle disorders when assessing for functional motion loss in traditional bodywork trainings. This emphasis encourages us to focus on relieving muscle hypertonicity or retraining muscle inhibition. However, a vicious cycle of undesirable effects often occurs with musculoskeletal problems. It's important to note that some of the fault may lie in the synovial joints. Mennell argued that joint disorders are often the cause of secondary muscle changes, particularly atrophy and spasm. Therefore, restoration of joint play should be considered an essential contributing factor for improved brain-body functioning and optimal performance. If the prime fault can be corrected, sensory input and motor output are enhanced. This helps calm central nervous system noise, relieves protective muscle guarding, and reduces reflexogenic pain-spasm-pain cycles.