Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/1451559
L i s te n to T h e A B M P Po d c a s t a t a b m p.co m /p o d c a s t s o r w h e reve r yo u a cce s s yo u r favo r i te p o d c a s t s 19 VIDEO: "SHOULDER MUSCLE ANATOMY" 1. Open your camera 2. Scan the code 3. Tap on notification 4. Watch! There are an enormous number of factors at play when dealing with shoulder pain. As you engage your clients' muscles and palpate the surrounding tissue, remember that it can be a little like fi nding a needle in a haystack. For example, let's say the supraspinatus is not operating at peak performance. Maybe it is strained from doing too much. Maybe it's weak from doing too little. Maybe it is pinched from a particularly heavy purse strap that seems to think digging in and being awkward is funny. Whatever the case may be, the supraspinatus has antagonists. And these antagonists are going to react in some way. They have not meditated enough not to react. So, because the supraspinatus is in charge of abduction, the antagonists are going to be the muscles that bring the arm back down into adduction. In this case, there are many. To be clear, that list includes the latissimus dorsi, the teres major, the infraspinatus, the teres minor, the pectoralis major, the triceps, and the coracobrachialis. Note: Only two of those seven are rotator cuff muscles. And there is a very good chance that one of those non-cuff muscles is having issues. TRY THIS If a client has a supraspinatus like the one described above, don't join the rotator cuff fan club and limit the possibilities. Methodically work through the list and remain open to the idea that pain and disfunction do not understand the confi nement of human categories. Before your client gets on the table, have them abduct their arm against your resistance while you palpate each of those muscles in cahoots to create adduction. Play around with a slight internal and external rotation with each lift of the arm to give you even more information. And then repeat this process with a resisted adduction. There are an enormous number of factors at play when dealing with shoulder pain. As you engage your clients' muscles and palpate the surrounding tissue, remember that it can be a little like fi nding a needle in a haystack—except you have the gift of time and the patience of holistic touch on your side. Use your sessions wisely. Explain to your clients that what you do takes time. And then use your hands as the nuanced tools they were meant to be. This is exactly why we do the work we do. Allison Denney is a certifi ed massage therapist and certifi ed YouTuber. You can fi nd her massage tutorials at YouTube.com/RebelMassage. She is also passionate about creating products that are kind, simple, and productive for therapists to use in their practices. Her products, along with access to her blog and CE opportunities, can be found at rebelmassage.com. TECHNIQUE