Massage Therapy Journal Spring 2024

28 • Massage Therapy Journal

AMTA Continuing Education

What is Orthopedic Massage Therapy? Orthopedics is a branch of medicine that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of conditions and injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic massage therapy (OMT) is therefore a type of massage therapy that involves the use of a variety of techniques to help decrease or manage pain, increase range of motion and encourage the healing process. Massage therapists who wish to offer OMT should be well educated in musculoskeletal anatomy and physiology. For instance, having knowledge of where the joints are, their respective ranges of motion and how they function will be of great importance in helping clients with these conditions. Similarly, understanding where the muscles are located, where their attachment sites are and the movement patterns or actions of each muscle is crucial; this extensive knowledge and understanding of how the body moves and functions is at the core of a well-trained orthopedic massage therapist. In the workplace, these therapists are likely seeing clients who have conditions that include chronic pain, injuries and postural imbalances. As a result, massage therapists who use orthopedic massage techniques with clients will often need to work with other health care professionals, such as chiropractors and physical therapists, who are part of the client’s broad health care team. During an orthopedic massage session, the massage therapist commonly performs an assessment of posture, movement patterns and areas of tension or pain for each client. Specific orthopedic assessments are also used to gain more precise information on a client’s specific condition. Based on the results of the assessments, the therapist will then develop a tailored massage session plan that may include a combination of approaches to address the client’s condition. This course takes a deep look at the anatomy of the joints, muscles and nerves. Based on this knowledge, specific orthopedic assessments can help assess specific conditions to determine if massage therapy can help. The therapist must

then utilize a variety of massage techniques to help with conditions clients may encounter. We will discuss orthopedic conditions and the differential diagnoses later in this course. Massage therapists should not use the differential diagnosis to diagnose their clients. Instead, they should use it to educate themselves on possible diagnoses that their clients may have received from a physician. Joints of the body, also known as articulations, are areas where two or more bones come together. They provide the necessary flexibility and movement required for various activities. Joints are organized based on their structure and the types of movements they allow. The main classifications of joints include: Structural classification organizes joints based on the type of connective tissue that holds the bones together and whether it has a joint cavity present. There are three types: 1. Fibrous Joints: A type of joint where the bones are held together by dense fibrous connective tissue. These joints allow very little to no movement. Examples include sutures in the skull and gomphosis, where the teeth articulate with either the mandible or maxilla. Another example is a syndemosis, a type of immoveable joint where bones are joined by connective tissue, such as the tibiofibular joint. 2. Cartilaginous Joints: As the name implies, these joints are connected by cartilage. These joints allow limited movement. Two subtypes are present in the body: • Synchondroses: These joints are linked by hyaline cartilage. Some examples are the epiphyseal plate in growing bones, the first sternocostal joint and the spheno-occipital synchondrosis. • Symphyses: These joints are connected by fibrocartilage. Some examples are the pubic symphysis, manubriosternal joints and the intervertebral joints. Joints, Movement and Terminology: Structural Classifications of Joints

DISCLAIMER As a reminder, before practicing any new modalities or techniques, check with your state’s massage therapy regulatory authority to ensure they are within the state’s defined scope of practice for massage therapy.

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