Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/70065
VIEW THE DIGITAL EDITION AT MASSAGEANDBODYWORK.COM TO SEE A VIDEO CLIP DEMONSTRATING THIS TECHNIQUE. Posturally, activities requiring prolonged positioning with the elbow bent and palm down creates shortness or tightness in pronator teres. This is common with computer mouse or keyboard use, driving with both hands on the steering wheel, and playing the piano. Look for difficulty achieving a full palm up (supinated) forearm position and movement limitation in elbow extension. You may also notice difficulty maintaining relaxed arms at the sides with the thumbs facing forward during standing postural assessment. The elbow will appear bent and forearms turned in so the knuckles face forward instead of the thumbs. Massage therapists also experience shortening of pronator teres, since this work demands strong, repetitive use of these muscles. Practitioners should participate in self-care activities to avoid dysfunction, nerve entrapment, circulatory limitations, and overuse injuries. PALPATING PRONATOR TERES Positioning: client seated or supine with forearm supinated 1. Passively flex the elbow and pronate the forearm to slack tissue. 2. Locate the medial epicondyle with your thumb. 3. Slide your thumb distally and laterally onto the belly of pronator teres. 4. Resist forearm pronation to ensure proper location. therapist, certified athletic trainer, and certified strength and conditioning specialist. Her private practice focuses on injury treatment, biomechanical analysis, craniosacral therapy, and massage for clients with neurological issues. She is the author of Functional Anatomy: Kinesiology and Palpation for Manual Therapists (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009). Contact her at functionalbook@hotmail.com. Christy Cael is a licensed massage Client Homework— Seated Arm Stretch 1. Sit comfortably on the floor. 2. Extend both arms and place your palms flat on the floor. 3. Turn your arms so your fingers are pointed away from your body. 4. Keep your elbow extended but not locked. 5. Roll the shoulders back—without moving your hands—until you feel stretch in your shoulder, elbow, and forearm. Editor's Note: The Client Homework element in Functional Anatomy is intended as a take-home resource for clients experiencing issues with the profiled muscle. The stretches identified in Functional Anatomy should not be performed within massage sessions or progressed by massage therapists, in order to comply with state laws and maintain scope of practice. 86 massage & bodywork november/december 2010