ZZZZZC.) Evaluation and Treatment of Shoulder Injuries and Deep Tissue Techniques for the Shoulder Girdle: Both Days

Saturday: Evaluation and Treatment of Shoulder Injuries

A lot of our clients suffer from chronic rotator cuff injuries that seem to stubbornly persist using conventional massage techniques. Learn precise and specific techniques to identify and successfully treat some of the most common injuries to the subscapularis, long head of the biceps, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, and teres minor. The class will include:

• a review of the rotator cuff anatomy
• assessment techniques for each of the muscle/tendon groups
• palpation review of the rotator cuff and related shoulder structures
• treatment techniques to both improve the injured soft tissue and to improve the range and quality of motion of the gleno-humeral joint

Sunday: Muscle-Specific Deep Tissue Techniques for the Shoulder Girdle

The shoulders are meant to float freely on the ribcage, held in elegant suspension by 16 muscles, but very often they are restricted, stuck down and in pain. In the morning, you will learn to effectively liberate some of the major anterior structures of the shoulder girdle (such as the pectoralis minor, subclavius and subscapularis), and help to give your clients a feeling of ease and freedom in their shoulders that reaches all the way around to their back. We'll finish the morning with a simple but powerful seated shoulder protocol for the trapezius, rhomboids and levator scapulae.

In the afternoon, we will work with the shoulder girdle from the side-lying position. Besides being deeply comforting and relaxing, skilled side-lying work gives you excellent access to the structures of the shoulder. You will learn specific, effective, and potent techniques for releasing the muscles of the shoulder girdle, including the trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi, serratus anterior, levator scapula, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, subscapularis, pectoralis minor, and the surrounding fascia. We sometimes think of side-lying work as primarily for pregnant women, but almost all of your clients can benefit from skilled side-lying work in this area, and it feels wonderful.

The day will focus on straightforward, muscle-specific techniques that can be immediately applied in practice. Body mechanics will also be a focus of this class, as well as proper use of fingers and elbows to save wear and tear on joints.