This workshop concentrates on the two most common causes of pain and tension in the lower back and pelvis - the piriformis (and other deep lateral rotators) and the sacro-iliac ligaments.
Many times therapists focus on the low back muscles, but often it is the ligaments that are the actually injured tissues! The muscles respond to ligamentous sprain by going into protective spasm, called self-splinting. Often therapists treat these spasming muscles, but don't address the ligaments. It is no surprise then that low back sprain, when the ligaments aren't addressed, may become chronic and/or recurrent! In this workshop you will learn how to work with these sacro-iliac ligaments.
In addition, the piriformis itself is a fascinating muscle which becomes distinctly less fascinating when it is inflamed! The sciatic nerve, which affects the entire posterior leg and sole of the foot, runs either just over, under or, one-third of the time, actually through the piriformis! The piriformis, with the iliopsoas, is one of the only muscles directly connecting the spine to the leg, affecting the alignment of the sacrum and the hip. Thus, a solid knowledge and technical basis for addressing the piriformis and the other deep lateral rotators is super important for every therapist.
In this clinical massage workshop you will learn about:
- The causes of sciatica
- Repetitive stress issues with the I.T. band
- The role of the sacro-iliac joint and ligaments in low back pain
- Anatomy of the muscles and ligaments most relevant to these problems
- Traditional treatments
The soft tissue manipulations you will learn and practice will be closely supervised with instructor guidance on the techniques and body mechanics:
- Assessment for lower back, gluteals, and thigh
- Myofascial release for lower back, gluteals, and thigh
- Deep transverse friction for the sacro-iliac, ilio-lumbar ligaments and iliotibial band
- Deep Massage and deep tissue techniques for gluteus maximus and hamstrings
- Deep longitudinal stripping of hamstrings and lateral thigh
- Piriformis and TFL pin and stretch
- Active release techniques for the low back and piriformis
- Trigger point deactivation for the TFL and quadriceps
For many therapists this will be the first time to really have a thorough set of powerful techniques to dramatically help people with these frequently encountered dysfunctions.
Add this important, essential and valuable new skill level to your work!
