(Part 3) Top products from r/massage

I think you should find out exactly what he is, if you can get your hands on a business card that would be great, or if you can search him on the internet. There are many different practices that are similar to chiro.

Most of the careers involve a good length schooling program, they aren't just something you can go an apprentice in.

And if you can go somewhere with a longer/heavier course load, the better. Body work is one profession where I think it really pays off to get as much information as possible.

If you're really interested about going down this path, whether its dealing with muscles, bones, soft tissue, energy patterns.. whatever, I recommend you get a book and start to get familiar with your human anatomy. If you can have a firm grasp on high school cellular biology.. that is great too.. if you suck at bio, maybe get some tutoring or just brush up on it.

Here are 2 good little books that can help to build your knowledge base, i recommend getting them :) They aren't filled with a bunch of medical language so they are easy to interpret. They are good for newbies

Book #1 - helps to understand human anatomy, and a good grasp on some medical terminology

Book #2 - explains all the systems in the body - their structures fuctions ect. As well as great pictures

I don't know about the MBLEx, but Orthopedic Physical Assessment by McGee, and Clinical Massage Therapy by Fiona Rattray are fantastic. Grey's anatomy is always excellent for another anatomy reference if you need it, and the Netter Atlas and flashcards is what saves my butt time and time again.

Even if you don't need those books for your exams, they fantastic references to have in practice.

Yes! These are the absolute Bible of trigger point therapy. They're pretty expensive, but they go muscle by muscle and show you the trigger point locations, where they refer, the effects of the trigger point, exactly how to deactivate them, and ways to prevent them from flaring up again. If you can afford them (Vol 1 is upper body, Vol 2 is lower), they are wonderful.

If the cost is prohibitive, an Amazon search will give you a lot of options. There are everything from wall charts, small booklets, pamphlets, notebooks, to giant tomes.

I don't always know the precise referrals (it's a lot of material) but if I'm finding an area where I feel like I'm spending too much time and not making much progress, that's usually a sign I'm not working efficiently and should look for the real source elsewhere. Good ones to memorize are one in the triceps that affects the front of the shoulder, there's a big trigger point in the quads that tends to release a lot of nearby ones, and there are a couple of major ones in the pecs and biceps that are like off-switches for muscle tension.

Yeah, some tai chi teachers focus too much on the effortlessness part. If you were to do Push Hands with them, you'd find they actually don't have much power. Effortlessness without power is impotence. Power with effort = strain and drain. Power without effort = Tai Chi Chuan ("grand ultimate fist")

For the obliques, Pilates can help you learn to activate them. Also, Thomas Hanna's "cat stretch" has done me wonders for learning to use my obliques:

(Do this!) Full body "Cat Stretch" demonstrated by Eleanor Criswell-Hanna: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0ZY-2uGj70

(Optional theory) Thomas Hanna explains the cat stretch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cWnoZqJZ8g



The KEY to these exercises (and pretty much any therapeutic exercise) is to do them much more slowly than would be your natural tendency. You should experience no pain while doing them, or afterwards. Only move as far as you can without pain, even if it's a very tiny movement. If you feel pain that you can't relieve, stop doing the exercises and give your doctor a call.

The exercises might seem "too simple" at first glance, but trust me, it's the cat's meow, pun intended! If you want to read more about how and why it works, Thomas Hanna's book is a very good read. The first 75-or-so pages are the essential pages to understand his methods. https://www.amazon.com/Somatics-Reawakening-Control-Movement-Flexibility/dp/0738209570

Those exercises are a great start. You can also search youtube for videos for exercises, this video series seems to do a good job. I would also highly suggest looking up rotator cuff stretches and exercises (second most common injury site for MT's besides the hands). You can also ask your teachers for some suggestions.

If you don't mind spending a little money, the hand workout I personally use are taken from this book by Aaron Mattes active isolated strengthening, and the exercise handout that came along with this product. Aaron Mattes also has a very thorough book on isolated stretches.

Also this is a helpful free website on self-massage if any particular muscle group starts to ache you should start massaging it routinely before the tension level increases any further.

Feel free to PM me if you need any more help on the subject.

I like some of the books you have, but I'm kinda surprised at some of the ones that you're missing. Maybe this is a smaller distributor? If you're looking to carry more books, I have some suggestions.

Rattray

McGee

Netter

Hertling and Kessler

Kendall

If I could have no other books in the world, I would have these. The Travell trigger point manuals that you carry are awesome though, I really enjoy those.

This is the newest edition of the text I used in school. It was very clearly written and great for a solid, basic knowledge of massage, anatomy, and physiology.

anatomy trains is a really good postural analysis book
Assessment and Treatment of Muscle Imbalance the title says it
but i use these books a lot they are really good

I don't really know, sorry. This book sounds like it would meet your needs - http://www.amazon.com/Basic-Clinical-Massage-Therapy-Integrating/dp/0781756774.

Here is the lww.com link, (http://www.lww.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_Basic-Clinical-Massage-Therapy_11851_-1_9012054_Prod-9780781756778_50011771). You can use that link and apply the discount I've posted on /r/medicine to get 20% off + free shipping.

I don't have a ton of product knowledge for massage, I just know a few books that are appropriate to practitioners. I'll ask people who work in that area and get back to you if they give me any insightful feedback.

The book you posted is from the 70s and is 192 pages while the book I posted is from 2006 and is 443 pages. Both sound like they are an appropriate fit but I would think the LWW book would have more detail. Check out the product reviews, i'd base your purchase off of those.

this is the book I believe SirRamen was spaking of. You can find it cheaper if you look hard enough. I ended up finding it for $90 brand new somewhere a few years back. this is also a fun book if you're into this sorta thing

I think this book would work well for you: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0966119630/ref=dbs_a_w_dp_0966119630