The SMTO Conference 2010 was presented by Ralph Stephens,, USA
entitled 'Medical Massage for the Abdominal Wall & Shoulder
Girdle'. A
brief synopsis of the Seminar can be found below.
The recipient of the Nick Carter Memorial Salver for Services to
Massage Therapy was Susan Mollison from the sumo Falkirk School of Massage
(seen here with SMTO Chairman, Maggie Brooks-Carter).
Training summary:
Where it hurts is where it ain't - Ida Rolf. The front
of the back is where it's at! Learns powerful medical massage techniques for
assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of the entire torso. Emphasis will
be placed on developing precise palpatory skills, quality of touch, correct
therapist body-mechanics, and effective patient communications. This work
helps you resolve stubborn complaints from the neck to the pelvis.
You will learn how to treat conditions such as:
| Low Back Pain |
Psoas Problems |
| Postural Distortion |
Rotator Cuff Injuries |
| Abdominal Complaints |
Frozen Shoulder |
| Thoracic Outlet Syndrome |
ROM Limitations |
| Mid & Upper Back Pain |
and Much More!! |
With safe, simple, pain-free techniques
Day 1 - The Abdominal Wall
Unlocking the torso. Anterior and
lateral portions of the abdominal wall - superficial and deep will be
discussed and examined. Techniques will be correlated with postural analysis
to improve your efficiency. This is the missing work that few therapists
know to do, yet most patients with low back pain need. You will learn how
the abdominal musculature is also involved in neck-shoulder complaints and
injuries.
Day 2 - Shoulder Girdle
This includes assessment tests for the
rotator cuff, a complete Active Isolated Stretching - Mattes Method
stretching routine for the shoulder, precise palpation of each muscle of the
shoulder joint, and demonstrations of exercises for shoulder health.
About the Instructor
Ralph Stephens LMT NCTMB [2008
Inductee - Massage Therapy Hall of Fame!] is an internationally recognized
instructor, therapist and author, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, who has been
practising massage since 1986.
One of a few master instructors in the profession, Ralph
clearly presents what you need to know to help people in a way that you can
take it home and use it immediately. He is known for making complex
anatomical concepts easy to understand and fun to learn.
Ralph has worked with many world class athletes and was
Sports Massage Team leader for the 1990 World Disabled Skiing Championships.
He’s produced 16 training videos, a textbook [Therapeutic Chair Massage]
and many articles. He presents advanced continuing education seminars in
Sports, Medical and Chair Massage, helping people like you help more people.
In 1997 he was awarded the AMTA National Meritorious Award for commitment
and dedication to the profession.
