Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/68175
ESSENTIAL SKILLS 20 degrees to the left. Over the course of several days, she straightened out dramatically. (This practitioner now sees that same woman as a client; the bend in her spine has been reduced to roughly 4 degrees, and the rotation is virtually gone.) Another practitioner, Kathy Shadrick, was impressed by the healing of her own injury. Her carpal tunnel pain had become so intense that it was waking her up in the middle of the night, and she had begun to worry that she'd have to give up doing massage. She attended a fi ve-day AIS workshop, and Mattes treated her at his clinic, between clients. By the end of the workshop, her pain was gone. Of course, most musculoskeletal problems will not resolve quite so rapidly. It's important for clients to keep doing AIS work regularly until the healing is complete. However, once they have received instruction from a skilled therapist, they can often do much of this work on their own. This is particularly benefi cial for individuals who cannot afford to come for frequent sessions. So long as they are compliant—consistently doing the stretches and strengthening exercises they've been taught—they can go a long way toward healing themselves. In our minds, the ability to empower clients in this way is one of the greatest assets of AIS. Other practitioners we spoke with feel the same way. In Shadrick's words: "It proves it's not about me as a therapist; it's about the work. It's AIS, not me. That keeps me humble." education and sports medicine. He is founder of the Muscular Therapy Institute. Benjamin has been in private practice for more than 45 years and has taught communication skills as a trainer and coach for more than 25 years. He teaches extensively across the country on topics including orthopedic massage, Active Isolated Stretching and Strengthening, SAVI communications, and ethics, and is the author of Listen to Your Pain, Are You Tense? and Exercise Without Injury, and coauthor of The Ethics of Touch. He can be contacted at 4bz@mtti.com. who specializes in physiatry, a branch of medicine focused on restoring optimal functioning and quality of life to people with physical impairments or disabilities. Haggquist completed his residency training in physical medicine and rehabilitation at Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, his osteopathic internship at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, and his medical education at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He teaches widely on fl exibility and neuromuscular reeducation, and is a national specialist on Active Isolated Stretching. He has trained elite athletes and is the medical director of the Flexibility, Sports, and Rehabilitation Clinic in Washington, D.C. Prior to his medical training, he practiced as a neuromuscular massage therapist for more than two decades. Jeff rey P. Haggquist, DO, is an osteopath Editor's note: Massage & Bodywork is dedicated to educating readers within the scope of practice for massage therapy. Essential Skills is based on author Ben E. Benjamin's years of experience and education. The column is meant to add to readers' knowledge, not to dictate their treatment protocols. Ben E. Benjamin, PhD, holds a doctorate in It's important for clients to keep doing AIS work regularly until the healing is complete. connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 97