Massage & Bodywork

March/April 2012

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2 body, rather than perpendicular to it. Just being put into this "baby crawling" (Image 2) or "bullfrog" position often gives a therapeutic stretch to the hip joints; however, while we are here, we can increase hip mobility by releasing the gluteals. While stabilizing your client's leg with your own, use the flat of your forearm to gently release the medial attachments of the gluteus maximus just below the iliac crest (Images 4 and 5). Tendinous attachments have concentrations of Golgi tendon organs, so you'll get the best results by waiting with slow, nearly static pressure here, rather than sliding or moving your touch. Use moderate pressure, with a slight vector of pressure toward yourself, in order to ease or nudge the gluteus away from its boney attachments on the ilium. Gently sustain this pressure until you feel the tissue respond with a subtle softening or easing; then release your pressure and move to the next segment of gluteal attachments. PUSH BROOM "B" (EXTERNAL ROTATION) While still in the leg-up position of the Push Broom "A" Technique, drop your client's lower leg off the table, as in Image 6, page 116. Roll the femur into external rotation by lifting the adductors toward you with both hands. This also allows you to prevent any pressure the edge of the table might otherwise put behind your client's knee. At the same time, use your leg under the table to augment the femoral rotation by gently pressing your client's foot toward the head of the table. Your client should feel Image courtesy Advanced-Trainings.com. no strain on the knee or anywhere else; only a stretch and release around the hip joint. Omit the pressure on your client's foot if it produces any discomfort. Stay comfortable and upright in your own body. Invite your client to breathe easily and relax into the stretch. Sustain this positional technique until you feel a response—softening, easing, or relaxing. Usually this takes at least 3–5 breaths. 3 The A variation of the Push Broom Technique. Once the hip is flexed with the lower leg on the table, use your forearm to release the medial attachments of the gluteal muscles. Images 3 and 4 courtesy Advanced-Trainings.com; Image 5 courtesy Primal Pictures; used by permission. 4 PUSH BROOM "C" (INTERNAL ROTATION) Internal femoral rotation is one type of hip mobility that has been shown to be negatively correlated with back pain (that is, the freer someone's internal rotation, the less chance of back pain), particularly in men.3 Although 80 percent of people are said to experience back pain at some point in their lives, most people can benefit from increased internal adaptability, whether they have low-back pain or not. From the external rotation "B" variation, we go right into internal rotation with Push Broom "C." Instead of dropping the lower leg below the level of the table as in "B," 5 Celebrate ABMP's 25th anniversary and you may win a refund on your membership. ABMP.com. 115

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