Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/87297
READER FORUM AARON MATTES— THE MAN AND HIS WORK I have the privilege of knowing the man [Aaron Mattes] and his work. Thank you for your article ["Aaron Mattes: Up Front with the Founder of Active Isolated Stretching," September/October 2012, page 74]. I would like to add one more piece: the man and his work are extraordinary. I brought my son to Aaron for Active Isolated Stretching [AIS] seven years ago. My son was born with a fused vertebra and a "hemi" in T6–T8, along with a single ventricle. Doctors told us that there was nothing to be done for his spine, to expect a curving and pain. We used chiropractic, hippotherapy, massage, and more, but by age 10 he had a 35 percent curvature. At our fourth appointment, after the strengthening and stretching exercises, my son was ready for the technique Aaron developed to straighten the spine. Aaron marked each vertebra with a marker and then my son, the staff, and Aaron went to work. When my son came off the table, the results were dramatic and verifiable. It was clear to see how the new marks showed that the curvature was less than 10 percent. It is impossible to describe the reaction of all involved. It felt like a miracle. I have been on the table and "survived" Aaron Mattes Massage Software Featuring: Your clients schedule with you online 24/7 New: Online Scheduling with appointment optimization New: Your own Micro-Site Client Management (CRM) Record Sessions Track Gift Certificates Generate Reports (income/expenses) TRY IT FOR FREE! BodyworkBuddy.com 74 massage & bodywork september/october 2012 Visit the newly designed ABMP.com. Log in. Explore. Enjoy. 75 www.abmp.com. See what benefits await you. 11 for my own issues. The shifts took place on three levels: body, mind, and the unseen. Aaron has an amazing gift for teaching. I watched him teach one-on-one, and it was the same as when he was teaching a room of 50 students: his awareness of exactly what needs to be corrected in order to learn the work is another one of his gifts. The science of AIS can be verified by the elite athletes, the senior citizens in wheelchairs, and my son, who are all equally treated with the same attention, compassion, and expertise. Just as tangible as the visible results is the unseen part of ourselves that Aaron uses in his work. It is a privilege to witness and be a recipient of his beautiful work. He uses science in the way spirit intended. Thank you Aaron Mattes. GERRY MEAGHER NEW JERSEY 70th birthday of Aaron Mattes in October 2012, as well as his contributions to the field of massage and bodywork. Aaron Mattes This interview celebrates the of Active Isolated Stretching By Jason Erickson Up Front with the Founder Active Isolated Stretching (AIS) is a method of muscle lengthening and fascial release practiced by massage therapists, physical therapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, and trainers of all kinds. Olympic and professional athletes have benefited from AIS stretching and strengthening, and the US Olympic sports medicine staff for the 2012 games in London included an AIS practitioner. However, the number of nonathletes who benefit from AIS on a daily basis—from Parkinson's and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients, to office workers and children with back and neck pain—is truly impressive. The development of AIS has been led by one man—Aaron Mattes. Top massage educators, such as Ben Benjamin and James Waslaski, recommend and praise Mattes and his work as a clinician. In this interview, Mattes sheds some light on his career, his work, and the profession today.