Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68174
ACTIVE ENGAGEMENT TECHNIQUES In a nutshell, AE techniques integrate active motion with other commonly used therapeutic techniques. In this protocol, massage is performed on specific muscles while those muscles are actively shortened or lengthened. These techniques are particularly valuable when working with chronic tension, overuse injuries, deep muscles that are difficult to access, or clients with large and bulky muscles. Using massage along with movement routinely produces faster and longer-lasting results with many types of soft-tissue disorders. With AE techniques, there is greater penetration of massage strokes. When pressure is applied to passive (non-moving) muscle tissue, the pressure is dissipated through the soft tissue. When a muscle is engaged in a contraction—concentric or eccentric— the muscle's density increases, thus applied pressure becomes more direct and penetrates deeper (Image 1). The increase in penetration means deeper myofascial tissues can be accessed with less pressure than in a passive technique. For practitioners working with muscle-dense athletes, AE methods are a clear advantage for the client and the therapist, as the small-statured therapist who works with football players knows well. The cornerstone of any successful active engagement technique is accurately applying joint movements along with a specific massage technique. The most common techniques used with AE include static compression, compression broadening, and longitudinal stripping. Each of these are reviewed in this article. The muscle actions that are used include concentric and eccentric movements. Many of these techniques can also be applied during passive muscle shortening or lengthening, in which case they are called passive engagement techniques. Following, you will find the foundational elements you need to perform an AE treatment and considerations for when and where to use these techniques. BACKGROUND PRINCIPLES The cornerstone of any successful AE technique is accurately applying joint movements along with a specific massage technique. These techniques require the practitioner to understand basic kinesiological principles of muscle actions and how the muscles respond to these actions. There are three different types of muscle contraction: concentric, eccentric, and isometric. Isometric contractions are primarily used just to establish the level of muscular effort prior to engaging eccentric actions in AE techniques; therefore, they (isometric contractions) are not used as much. CONCENTRIC CONTRACTION Here, the two ends of a muscle are brought together and the muscle is actively shortened. An example would be the classic biceps curl, in which the elbow is flexed and the hand is brought toward the shoulder. In this case, it is the elbow flexors, such as the biceps brachii, that are contracting (Image 2). As the muscle shortens in a concentric contraction, Pressure applied during active engagement penetrates more directly under the treatment contact surface. Based on 3D anatomy images from www.primalpictures.com. ©Primal Pictures Ltd. Concentric contraction of the biceps brachii as the weight is lifted in the direction of the arrow. Eccentric contraction of the biceps brachii as the weight is lowered in the direction of the arrow. 34 massage & bodywork may/june 2010