Intro To Massage

Swedish Massage Overview

  • Swedish Massage is also known as:

    • Swedish Movement
    • Remedial Gymnastics

  • Historical Context:

    • Per Henrick Ling: Regarded as the father of Swedish Massage.
    • Charles & George Taylor: Introduced the Swedish movement to America.

Body Mechanics

  • Key Principles:
    • Maintain a straight back.
    • Relax shoulders.
    • Keep knees slightly bent.
    • Ensure joints are stacked for alignment.
    • Harness strength from the center of gravity.
    • Utilize legs for movement instead of arms.

Basic Terminology

  • Anatomy vs. Physiology:

    • Anatomy: Study of the structure of an organism.
    • Physiology: Study of the function of an organism.

  • Massage Terms:

    • Effleurage: Gliding strokes.
    • Aponeurosis: Connective tissue.
    • Anatomical Position: Standing upright with palms forward.

  • Muscular System:

    • Approximately 650 muscles in the body.

  • Skeletal System:

    • Total of 206 bones in the body.
    • Appendicular Skeleton: 126 bones.
    • Axial Skeleton: 80 bones.

  • Spatial Orientation Terms:

    • Anterior: Front.
    • Posterior: Back.
    • Medial: Toward the midline of the body.
    • Lateral: Toward the side.
    • Superficial: Toward the surface.
    • Deep: Below the surface.
    • Superior: Toward the head, higher.
    • Inferior: Toward the feet, lower.
    • Proximal: Closer to the trunk.
    • Distal: Further from the trunk.
    • Intermediate: Between.
    • Prone: Face down.
    • Supine: Face up.

  • Joint Movement Terms:

    • Flexion: Decreasing the angle of a joint.
    • Extension: Increasing the angle of a joint.
    • Abduction: Moving a limb away from the body.
    • Adduction: Moving a limb toward the body.
    • Elevation: Moving up.
    • Depression: Moving down.
    • Protraction: Pulling forward (e.g., scapula).
    • Retraction: Pulling back.
    • Pronation: Turning the palm down.
    • Supination: Turning the palm up.
    • Inversion: The sole of the foot turns inward.
    • Eversion: The sole of the foot turns outward.
    • Plantar Flexion: Pointing the toes.
    • Dorsiflexion: Pulling toes away from the body.
    • Circumduction: Movement where one end of a bone moves while the other remains fixed.
    • Rotation: Movement of a bone around its axis.
    • Origin: Fixed part of a muscle.
    • Insertion: Movable part of a muscle.
    • Fossa: Shallow depression.
    • Tubercle: Bump on a bone.
    • Trochanter: Large bump on a bone.

  • Muscle Roles:

    • Prime Mover (Agonist): Main/strongest muscle that performs an action.
    • Synergist: Muscle(s) that assist the prime mover.
    • Antagonist: Muscle(s) that perform the opposite action of the prime mover and synergist.

Planes of the Body

  • Frontal (Coronal) Plane: Divides the body into front and back.

  • Sagittal Plane: Divides the body into left and right.

  • Horizontal Plane: Divides the body into upper and lower.

  • Common Acronyms:

    • ITB: Iliotibial Band.
    • TFL: Tensor Fascia Lata.
    • ASIS: Anterior Superior Iliac Spine.
    • AIIS: Anterior Inferior Iliac Spine.
    • PSIS: Posterior Superior Iliac Spine.
    • PIIS: Posterior Inferior Iliac Spine.
    • TLA: Thoracolumbar Aponeurosis.

Types of Joints

  1. Ball-and-Socket Joint:

    • Characteristics: Most Range of Motion (ROM).
    • Examples: Shoulder and hip.

  2. Hinge Joint:

    • Characteristics: Moves along one axis to allow flexion and extension.
    • Examples: Elbow, knee, fingers, toes.

  3. Pivot Joint:

    • Characteristics: Rotates in place.
    • Examples: C1-C2 joint (atlas and axis), radioulnar joint.

  4. Saddle Joint:

    • Characteristics: Shaped like a saddle.
    • Example: Thumb.

  5. Gliding Joint:

    • Characteristics: Flat bones slide over one another.
    • Examples: Carpals, tarsals, acromioclavicular joint.

  6. Ellipsoidal Joint:

    • Characteristics: Oval shape allows angular movement but no rotation.
    • Examples: Wrist (radiocarpal joint), metacarpophalangeal joints.

Muscles of the Back and Their Functions

  • Trapezius Muscle: The most superficial back muscle.

    • Upper Trapezius:
    • Origin: Occiput - C7.
    • Insertion: Lateral ⅓ of the clavicle, acromion process, spine of the scapula.
    • Action: Elevation and upward rotation of the scapula.
    • Middle Trapezius:
    • Origin: T1 - T5.
    • Insertion: Spine of the scapula.
    • Action: Retraction of the scapula.
    • Lower Trapezius:
    • Origin: T6 - T12.
    • Insertion: Root of the spine of the scapula.
    • Action: Depression and upward rotation of the scapula.

  • Rhomboids: Resemble a Christmas tree.

    • Origin: C7 - T5.
    • Insertion: Medial border of the scapula.
    • Action: Retraction, downward rotation, and elevation of the scapula.
    • Common Problems: Overstretched due to poor posture and upper crossed syndrome.

  • Levator Scapulae:

    • Origin: C1 - C4 (transverse process).
    • Insertion: Superior angle of the scapula.
    • Action: Elevation and downward rotation of the scapula.
    • Common Problems: Headaches.

  • Erector Spinae (Paraspinals):

    • Origin: Occiput.
    • Insertion: Sacrum via thoracolumbar aponeurosis.
    • Action: Bilateral extension of the spine and unilateral lateral flexion of the spine.
    • Components: Spinals, Longissimus, Iliocostals.
    • Common Problems: Scoliosis and muscle tightness.

  • Common Postural Issues:

    • Kyphosis: Exaggerated thoracic curve (humpback).
    • Lordosis: Exaggerated lumbar curve (often seen in pregnant women).

Latissimus Dorsi

  • Overview: The most superficial lower back muscle, often referred to as the "swimmer's muscle."
  • Origin: Thoracolumbar aponeurosis.
  • Insertion: Bicipital groove of the humerus (medial lip).
  • Function:
    • Adduction, shoulder extension, and medial rotation of the humerus.
  • Common Activities: Engaged during the pulldown portion of exercises.

Teres Major

  • Origin: Lateral border of the scapula.
  • Insertion: Bicipital groove of the humerus (medial lip).
  • Function: Adduction, shoulder extension, and medial rotation of the humerus.
  • Attributes: Shares insertion and action with latissimus dorsi but has a different origin.

Serratus Anterior

  • Structure: Characterized by a jagged edge, running through the armpit and inserting on the front side of the scapula.
  • Origin: Ribs 1-8 (anterior).
  • Insertion: Medial border of the scapula (front side).
  • Function: Protraction of the scapula.
  • Importance: The strongest muscle responsible for scapula protraction.

Rotator Cuff

  • Function: Stabilizes the humeral head; crucial during shoulder dislocation to prevent injury.

  • Tendons Forming the Cuff: Each muscle's tendon converges on the humeral head.

  • Components:

    • Supraspinatus:
    • Origin: Supraspinous fossa.
    • Insertion: Greater tubercle of the humerus.
    • Action: First 5 degrees of abduction.
    • Infraspinatus:
    • Origin: Infraspinous fossa.
    • Insertion: Greater tubercle of the humerus.
    • Action: Lateral rotation and shoulder extension.
    • Teres Minor:
    • Origin: Lateral border of the scapula.
    • Insertion: Greater tubercle of the humerus.
    • Action: Lateral rotation and shoulder extension.
    • Subscapularis:
    • Origin: Subscapular fossa.
    • Insertion: Lesser tubercle of the humerus.
    • Action: Medial rotation.

Gluteal Muscles

  • Gluteus Maximus:
    • Origin: Lateral sacrum, iliac crest.
    • Insertion: Iliotibial band (ITB), gluteal tuberosity.
    • Action: Forceful hip extension and lateral rotation of the femur.
    • Common Issues: Not typically associated with many injuries due to size and strength.
  • Gluteus Medius/Minimus:
    • Origin: Posterior ilium.
    • Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur.
    • Action: Abduction and extension of the hip.
    • Common Issues: Tightness from crossing legs or changes due to weight gain and pregnancy.

Tensor Fascia Lata (TFL)

  • Characteristics: Most lateral hip muscle.
  • Origin: Iliac crest behind the ASIS.
  • Insertion: Tibia condyle via IT band.
  • Action:
    • Abduction (similar to glutes).
    • Stabilizes the knee by pulling up the ITB.
    • Flexion of the hip (antagonistic to glutes).
    • Medial rotation of the femur/hip.

Piriformis

  • Key Issue: Sciatic nerve runs either below or between the piriformis muscle; tightness can lead to pain.
  • Origin: Anterior sacrum.
  • Insertion: Greater trochanter of the femur.
  • Action: Lateral rotation of the femur.
  • Notable for: Serving as one of the six deep lateral rotators of the hip; associated with muscle tightness leading to sciatic pain.

Hamstrings

  • Muscle Components:

    • Biceps Femoris (most lateral):
    • Origin: Ischial tuberosity (long head), Linea aspera (short head).
    • Insertion: Head of the fibula.
    • Action: Knee flexion, hip extension, lateral rotation of the hip.
    • Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus:
    • Origin: Ischial tuberosity.
    • Insertion: Tibial condyle.
    • Action: Knee flexion, hip extension, medial rotation of the hip.

  • Common Problems:

    • Tears commonly occur either around the mid-thigh or near the ischial tuberosity due to forceful extension.
    • Tightness and postural problems arise due to prolonged sitting and other activities leading to muscle tension.

Adductor Muscles

  • Adductor Magnus: Largest and strongest adductor muscle.

    • Origin: Pubic bone, ischial tuberosity.
    • Insertion: Linea aspera, adductor tubercle.
    • Functions of Adductors: Adduction, forceful hip extension, and lateral rotation of the hip.

  • Adductor Hiatus: Gap in the adductor magnus allowing the femoral artery and vein to pass.

Calf Muscles

  • Gastrocnemius:

    • Origin: Medial and lateral epicondyles of the femur.
    • Insertion: Calcaneus via the Achilles tendon.
    • Action: Plantarflexion of the ankle and knee flexion.

  • Soleus:

    • Nickname: "The Heart of