Class Observation

The shoulder complex, made up of the clavicle, scapula and humerus, is the most highly mobile area of the body.  As such, it sacrifices stability and is thus highly susceptible to injury.  There are many structures in place to protect the soft-tissues in this area from wear and tear and injury:  Bursae provide a protective layer between muscle and bone and synovial sheaths surround tendons that must move through bony structures.  Inflammation and pain start to happen when these protective structures are overused.  Being able to properly evaluate between muscular, trigger point referral pain and true injury will help a therapist effectively collaborate for patient healing and rehabilitation.

The shoulder complex, made up of the clavicle, scapula and humerus, is the most highly mobile area of the body.  As such, it sacrifices stability and is thus highly susceptible to injury.  The two joints most commonly injured in this area are the acromioclavicular joint and the glenohumeral joint.  There is a wide variety of injury and grades of injury that can happen, so understanding thorough and proper assessment techniques is key.  Being able to differentiate between muscular, trigger point referral pain and true injury will help a therapist properly collaborate for most effective patient rehabilitation.

Whiplash is a common injury that destabilizes the cervical spine.  From mild to severe, whiplash injuries can cause strain to muscles, sprain to ligaments, misalignment of cervical vertebrae, nerve root injury and more.  Collaboration with other healthcare professionals who can properly diagnose the extent of injury will be crucial prior to any neuromuscular strategy being created.  Working closely with doctors, physical therapists and others will ensure a balanced approach to rehabilitation to protect the patient.

Headaches are one of the most common physical complaints in the human experience.  In fact, up to 90% of adults have at least one headache per year! In actuality, there are over 250 different types, all with interchangeable symptoms, causes, and treatments, so collaboration with a very wide variety of healthcare professionals can be required for each patient who experiences headaches: chiropractors, dentists, psychiatrists, craniosacral therapists, physical therapists, allergists and more.  In the ANMT Program, we focus on the 4 most common types of headaches: tension, migraine, cervicogenic and myogenic.  The good news is that neuromuscular therapy can be an effective, collaborative component of patient care for each type discussed.

The abdominal muscles form a multi-directional, cylindrical matrix around the torso of the body. They provide protection to internal organs where the body has no bony structure to do so; they balance and stabilize the gravitational and ground forces experienced by the body; they produce movement in and across multiple planes.  With so many “responsibilities,” it can be difficult to identify if pain and dysfunction in this area is caused by muscles (somatovisceral) or caused by disease in organs (viscerosomatic).  As with most pain and dysfunction in the body, a neuromuscular therapist must work in collaboration with other healthcare professionals for optimal patient care and recovery.

The Sacroiliac Joint, or SI Joint, is a synovial joint that has very little movement, but is incredibly important for the transition and absorption of gravitational forces coming down from the upper body and ground forces coming up through the legs. The small amount of movement at the SI joint supports also the mobility needed by both the lower extremities and upper body.  To support its multiple functions, the SI Joint relies on multiple tissues, muscle, tendon, fascia and ligament, around the torso, hips and legs.  With so much responsibility at the body’s center, it is no wonder that the SI Joint can slip into dysfunction!

As they say, “everything is connected”!  Evaluation of leg and foot pain must begin all the way up at the lumbar and sacral area of the back, as this is where nerve and blood supply into the leg and foot originate.  Learn about nerve pathways and dermatomal pain patterns.  See how dermatomal pain can be differentiated from muscle, or trigger point referral pain.  And finally, learn about medical conditions that need to be considered in order to properly collaborate to resolve leg and foot pain.

The focus of this class is causes of injury and pain of the knee.  We all know physical activity is good for the body, but what happens when structures or mechanics of the knee are unbalanced or overused?  Learn to assess a variety of complex pain and injury issues of the knee, and how to create a collaborative treatment plan that safely supports patient healing.

The wrist is a complex joint and, much like the rest of the body, pain and injury can be caused by a variety of factors. For instance, evaluation of this pain should begin at the neck, checking for impingement of the radial nerve or trigger points in muscles of the shoulder.  Faulty wrist mechanics and/or overuse of muscles that move the thumb can cause inflammation.  It all comes down to selecting the proper tools to assess and evaluate, and understanding that each patient is unique.

These two conditions are more commonly known as Golfer’s Elbow and Tennis Elbow respectively.  And, don’t let the fact that they are “common” fool you!  These conditions require skill and attention to evaluate properly. We will build off of what is learned in the Core Program about these conditions and expand the evaluation toolkit.

Each module of the ANMT Program has a class where teachers share detailed Cadaver dissection videos to help students review the anatomy of focus from that segment. These videos reinforce knowledge of the many layers of tissue within each area of the body and support understanding of how these layers work together to support and move the body. Join an ANMT group for this experience in their Upper Extremities module!