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Advanced Concepts


We have looked at the importance of building a strong foundation of basic massage techniques. While those techniques can be applied across any massage treatment, they are typically used in Swedish massage or as complements to other types of manual therapy.

In the area of clinical massage, we as massage therapists must have an advanced level of skill. In order to provide effective treatment, a therapist must be able to identify varying aspects of the client's condition, as well as properly incorporate advanced manual therapy methods into a plan of care. In this chapter, we discuss several advanced techniques that will also be applied as part of a treatment sequence later in the book.




At the conclusion of this chapter, the reader will understand:
  • components and functions of fibrous connective tissue
  • difference between loose and dense fibrous connective tissue
  • how and why connective tissue changes in response to stress
  • history, theory, and application of the connective tissue massage techniques discussed
  • history of myofascial trigger points
  • normal contraction cycle of a muscle fiber
  • causes and characteristics of myofascial trigger points
  • pathophysiology of a trigger point
  • how to treat a trigger point using noninvasive techniques
  • how and when to perform the advanced strokes discussed
  • uses and benefits of stretching, and reasons people don't stretch
  • what research says about stretching
  • theory and application of the stretching methods discussed







Clinical Massage Therapy, 1eOnline Learning Center

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