Page 95 - Massage Therapy School Program

Forearm, Wrist & Hand Treatment – Presentation Outline
7.
It is important to restore normal muscle resting lengths to the tight muscle groups that shorten in normal day to day activities. This includes the forearm, wrist and hand flexors, the flexor retinaculum, and the pronator teres. When you lengthen the shortened flexors, you relax the weak extensors. This balance of opposing muscle groups will help eliminate conditions such as tendon pain, joint inflammation, arthritic joint pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
8.
This balance of opposing muscle groups will help eliminate conditions such as myofascial pain, trigger point pain, tendon pain, joint inflammation, arthritic joint pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
9.
People that do massage and work on the computer have short wrist flexors that are often pronated. To restore balance in the forearm, wrist and hand, work on the forearm flexors and pronators first to relax the antagonistic extensors and supinators.
10.
To enhance the benefits of myofascial release to the forearm muscles, apply Prossage Heat sparingly using only a few drops. This will minimize glide to hook the deep investing fascia. Enhance the warming effects of the menthol by rubbing your hands together with rapid palmer friction for about 2-3 seconds.
11.
Apply the Prossage Heat to the forearm, wrist and hand first. Use palmer friction for about 3-5 seconds to enhance the effect of warming the superficial tissues for better myofascial release.
12.
With deep, pain free myofascial spreading, work the forearm flexors from origin to insertion (elbow to hand) at 45 degree angles to create normal muscle resting length. Prossage Heat’s ideal viscosity will prevent too much sliding on the skin and have a much better effect in mobilizing the deep fascial layers.
13.
Due to the incredible viscosity of Prossage Heat, you can expand the retinaculum to give the tendons, nerves and blood vessels more space in the carpal tunnel of the wrist. The unique viscosity, or texture, of this lubricant hooks the deep fascial layers better.
14.
Continue to hook the deep investing fascia as you open the hand and move the bones of the hand to work the deep soft tissue layers from the inside out. Traction the wrist to decompress the carpal bones.
15.
Do deep myofascial spreading to release the fascial layers of the strong muscle groups that attach to the thumb. You may need to apply another drop or two of Prossage Heat to the hand.
16.
Slide distal on each finger applying slight traction to decompress each joint. The unique viscosity of Prossage Heat allows you to minimize glide and decompress the articulating cartilage of each joint. This could aid in eliminating joint pain of the wrist and hand.
©March 2012, P05507, Rev. 0