Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/738894
48 m a s s a g e & b o d y w o r k n o v e m b e r / d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 FUNCTIONAL ANATOMY Palpating the Vastus Lateralis Positioning: client supine with knee slightly flexed. 1. Standing at the client's side facing the thigh, locate the greater trochanter with your palm. 2. Slide your palm distally onto the lateral thigh. 3. Palpate the oblique fibers of the vastus lateralis anterior and posterior to the iliotibial band. 4. Resist as the client gently extends the knee to ensure proper location. Client HomeworkâStanding Quadriceps Stretch 1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. 2. Keeping your spine straight and knees slightly bent, shift your weight to your right foot. 3. Bend your left knee, bringing your heel toward your buttock, and grab your foot with your left hand. 4. Gently pull your heel toward your buttock, being sure to keep your spine straight, glutes tight, and hip forward as you stretch the front of the thigh. 5. Lower your foot and repeat on the other side. In addition to strength imbalances between the vastus lateralis and medialis, it is common for the iliotibial band to become adhered to the myofascia of the underlying vastus lateralis. This may contribute to patellar tracking problems and subsequent chronic and acute knee pain. Adhesion between the iliotibial band and the vastus lateralis can also contribute to inflammatory conditions associated with friction over the greater trochanter and lateral condyle of the femur. Bodywork techniques that separate the fascial layers and elongate shortened muscles are essential to the treatment and prevention of these conditions. Christy Cael is a licensed massage therapist, certified strength and conditioning specialist, and instructor at the Bodymechanics School of Myotherapy & Massage in Olympia, Washington. 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: Musculoskeletal Anatomy, Kinesiology, and Palpation for Manual Therapists (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2009). Contact her at functionalbook@hotmail.com. 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.