Click on Vitruvian man’s body part to see most common pain patterns (in black) and associated Medical Massage protocols.
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Medical Massage = The right technique for a specific tissue used to address a problem at the true source
Are You Willing to Gamble with Your Clients or Do You Want Results and Precision?
The Science of Massage Institute Library is a collection of simple, science-backed protocols for more than 65 somatic pathologies. Our approach is to do only the exact therapy required to address a pathology and promote healing. No more, no less. When a therapist can work with that level of precision, the body receives a clear message on how to react to the massage work.
Why Jump from Modality to Modality Learning the Latest Novel Technique When You Can have a Reliable Toolbox?
Medical Massage is more than a single technique or modality, it is an approach with a specific set of science-based methods:
1. SEGMENT-REFLEX MASSAGE (SRM)
SRM is the first method of MM to have been developed. In 1936, Professor A. E. Sherbak, MD, of Russia formulated the general concept, and in 1955, Dr. O. Glezer and Dr. V.A. Dalicho (1955) of Germany perfected the diagnostic procedure and therapeutic protocols. SRM is the most integrative method of medical massage because it addresses all types of soft tissues during a single session. A similar approach is used only by Neuromuscular Therapy.
2. CONNECTIVE TISSUE MASSAGE (CTM)
CTM was developed by physical therapists E. Dickle (1979) and Professor W. Kohlrausch MD, (1953) from Austria. CTM targets skin, fascia and aponeurosis.
3. PERIOSTAL MASSAGE (PM)
PM was developed by two German physicians, Dr. P. Vogler, MD, and Dr. H. Krauss, MD, (1953). PM targets pathological changes in the periosteum.
4. NEUROMUSCULAR THERAPY (NMT)
The basic concept of NMT was developed by S. Leaf, but it is Dr. L. Chaitow, DO, (1984), of the United Kingdom who must be credited for the modern NMT protocols.
5. MYOFASCIAL RELEASE (MR)
MR was developed in the USA by Barnes, PT (1990). The primary target of MR is connective tissue structures, with skeletal muscles being affected secondarily.
6. POSTISOMETRIC MUSCULAR RELAXATION (PIR)
The brilliant idea of American physician F.L. Mitchell, DO, (1948) was further developed by his son Dr. F.L. Mitchell Jr. (1995) and Dr. K. Lewit, MD (1997), and Dr. V. Janda, MD (1979) of the Czech Republic. The combination of trigger point therapy and PIR is the most effective way to quickly and efficiently eliminate hypertonus and trigger points in the skeletal muscles.
7. ROLFING (RF)
RF was developed by I. Rolf (1989), who based her method on the concept of osteopathic medicine. RF targets skin, connective tissue, and the superficial layer of muscles.
8. CYRIAX’S PROCEDURE (CP)
CP was developed by J. Cyriax, MD (1985) of the United Kingdom. This method targets the tendons and ligaments around major joints. The combining of CP and PM is most effective in quickly and efficiently eliminating pathological abnormalities in the periosteum (e.g., Tennis Elbow).
9. STRETCHING MASSAGE (SM)
SM was developed by Russian physician A. Manakov, MD (Flerova, 1955), and it is applied in cases of contractures in the major joints and peripheral vascular disorders.
10. VIBRATION MASSAGE (VM)
The basic concept of VM was developed by G. Taylor, MD (1879) and Snow, MD (1917) in the U.S. Professor Ya. Kreimer, MD (1989) from Russia developed MEDICAL MASSAGE PROTOCOLs for VM basing his recommendations on extensive experimental and clinical studies conducted at the Neurology Department of the Tomsk Medical School.
The primary goal of VM is the patient’s central nervous system. For the practitioner, the correct application of VM is a therapeutic tool of great clinical importance. It allows the practitioner to control the patient’s pain-analyzing system and can be made to have either a stimulating or an inhibiting impact on the local activity of the autonomic nervous system.
11. LYMPH-DRAINAGE MASSAGE (LDM)
LDM was developed by French physical therapist E. Vodder (1936). LDM is the best treatment option for addressing peripheral and post-traumatic edema. LDM is also the first critical step in the application of visceral massage.
12. VISCERAL MASSAGE (VMS)
VMS is used in cases of inner organ disorders in the abdominal and pelvic cavities. Because VMS has a local therapeutic impact it should always be combined with massage methods that have a reflex effect upon the function of the inner organs: SRM, CTM, NMT (Loginova, 2000).
VMS as a local therapeutic procedure includes three equally important components (Bashnyak, 1993): preparation of the abdominal wall, application of LDM to increase venous and lymphatic drainage from the affected inner organ, and actual visceral manipulations.
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