Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/135515
table lessons Update! Douglas Nelson spoke with Mr. V.'s class recently, and, in his words, "It went extremely well. Mr. V. was very pleased." Nelson said Mr. V. was very supportive and said many kind words before the class began. "I think that his students will have a very good impression of the field of bodywork after that class," Nelson added. not pick up his condition (in which case, why should we use them?), or Mr. V. did not have patellofemoral syndrome. I decided to act quickly, choosing to treat Mr. V. as if he had patellofemoral syndrome anyway. Examining carefully his vastus lateralis, I was surprised to find nothing overtly remarkable in it or the iliotibial band. I then examined his vastus medialis, thinking that perhaps a trigger point had created motor inhibition, but found no trigger points. I asked him to stand again, and Mr. V. tried a small squat. "Still there," he said. "No change." "Well, that was remarkably unsuccessful," I said, stating the obvious. "Lie down again and let's try a different approach." For the next 20 minutes, I kept adding muscles that might account for his pain, only to discover that none of them helped his ability to squat. Just as I was running out of options, I added treatment to the articularis genu muscle and asked Mr. V to stand up and squat one last time. Squatting, his face brightened, then a return to straight legs, then another squat. "Oh my goodness," Mr. V. exclaimed. "I can't believe it! This is great. I can squat with no pain!" I couldn't resist teasing him a bit. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't act so surprised. We are supposed to get results. That's the point!" "I can't help it," he said. "I'm really surprised. I didn't think this therapy would help. I, um, teach at the university." There was that comment again. This time I had to ask. "What does teaching at the university have to do with this?" I asked. "Well," he said, "I teach a class on community health, and one of the modules is on quackery." I continued to look confused as he was saying this. "Massage therapy is in that module." It took a moment for that last statement to sink in before I asked, "Quackery? Seriously?" Mr. V. looked a little sheepish, which was perfectly appropriate given the present pain-free state of his knee. "How old is the text you are teaching from? Actually, never mind," I said. "I have a better idea. If you'd like, I'd be happy to come speak to your class about the science behind massage therapy." Mr. V. happily agreed to have me speak to his class, and he left my office with a big grin on his face and a bounce in his step not present when he arrived an hour earlier. Douglas Nelson is the founder and principal instructor for Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars and president of the 16-therapist clinic BodyWork Associates in Champaign, Illinois. His clinic, seminars, and research endeavors explore the science behind this work. Visit www.nmtmidwest.com or email him at doug@nmtmidwest.com. www.abmp.com. See what benefits await you. 39