The Thinking Practitioner

Whitney Lowe talks with Cal Cates, executive director of Healwell. They tackle the challenging issues of how to recognize advanced training and the challenges of integrating massage into the healthcare system.  Episode topics include:  Why is advanced credentialing important for us?  What are some of the big challenges we face when attempting to be part of the healthcare system?  Who is ultimately responsible for advanced credentialing?  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources and references discussed in this episode:  Healwell: https://www.healwell.org/  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Til Luchau and Whitney Lowe discuss the most famous (yet, unreplicated) illustration in neuroscience, the sensorimotor homunculus, which purports to show the proportion of the brain dedicated to each body part. Is it accurate?  Episode topics include:  Is the cortical homunculus a map, or the territory?  How did it come about? Penfield's methods and limitations.  How might this all apply to manual therapy and massage?  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources and references discussed in this episode:  Catani, Marco. 2017. “A Little Man of Some Importance.” Brain 140 (11): 3055–61. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awx270.  Schabrun, Siobhan M., Edith L. Elgueta-Cancino, and Paul W. Hodges. 2017. “Smudging of the Motor Cortex Is Related to the Severity of Low Back Pain:” SPINE 42 (15): 1172–78. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000000938.  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  Episode image from a sculpture by Sharon Price-James (public domain image).  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Til Luchau talks with Polish physical therapist, Anatomy Trains teacher, and manual therapist Wojtek Cackowski about his innovative Zoga Movement method, and how it can help manual therapists not only with their clients, but with their own embodiment and self care.  Episode topics include:  What is Zoga? How does it relate to manual therapy and massage?  Fascial shearing and gliding, vs fascial “stretching”  Til and Wojtek’s collaborative online courses combining Zoga and Advanced Myofascial Techniques  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Zoga online courses with A-T (from $20, plus save 15% with coupon “TTP”)  Zoga video clip (scroll down)  Wojtek Cackowski’s site: Zoga-Movement.com  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com   Sponsor Offers:  Next Zoga course with A-T: from just $20, plus save 15% by entering “TTP” at checkout at a-t.tv/zoga-amt-headaches/  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Whitney and Til discuss the controversies, disagreements, considerations, and their own views on the infamous psoas muscle in manual therapy and massage. Download the handout with detailed episode notes, techniques and tests, and a special chapter from Til’s book from http://a-t.tv/ttp-psoas/  Episode topics include:  Psoas: Holy Grail muscle, or wholly irrelevant?  Psoas and back pain, leg length, etc.;  Safety considerations;  What Til and Whitney actually do (and don’t do) in practice. Get the full transcript and handout at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Free Episode Handout with extras  Book: Yoga Biomechanics (Mitchell 2018)  Blog: ‘Psoas, So What’ (Ingraham 2015)  Study: Psoas and lumbar disability (Wagner et al 2018)  Video: Whitney Lowe demonstrates a modified Thomas test  Video: Til Luchau demonstrates a hands-on psoas technique  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Episode image copyright Primal Pictures, used by permission  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Whitney and Til share a treasure chest of foot-pain ideas and techniques, packed full of assessments, anatomy, concepts, and hands-on tools. Download the free (optional) handout and follow along as Til and Whitney give an audio preview of their upcoming Plantar Foot Pain collaborative webinar (part of the ABMP CE Summit).  Get the full transcript and handout at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Free Episode Handout  Whitney & Til’s Foot Pain Webinar at the ABMP CE Summit, Oct 20 2020  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Episode image from Advanced Myofascial Technique Vol 1, under license from Primal Pictures.  References:  Insert comparisons: Bonanno, Daniel R., Karl B. Landorf, and Hylton B. Menz. 2011. “Pressure-Relieving Properties of Various Shoe Inserts in Older People with Plantar Heel Pain.” Gait & Posture 33 (3): 385–89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gaitpost.2010.12.009.  Slow heel raises vs stretching: Rathleff, M. S., C. M. Mølgaard, U. Fredberg, S. Kaalund, K. B. Andersen, T. T. Jensen, S. Aaskov, and J. L. Olesen. 2015. “High-Load Strength Training Improves Outcome in Patients with Plantar Fasciitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial with 12-Month Follow-up: HL Strength Training and Plantar Fasciitis.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports 25 (3): e292–300. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12313.  Arch height and other biomechanical factors: Warren, B. L. 1984. “Anatomical Factors Associated with Predicting Plantar Fasciitis in Long-Distance Runners.” Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 16 (1): 60–63.  Plantar fascia core/sheath anatomy: Zhang, Jianying, Daibang Nie, Jorge L. Rocha, MaCalus V. Hogan, and James H.-C. Wang. 2018. “Characterization of the Structure, Cells, and Cellular Mechanobiological Response of Human Plantar Fascia:” Journal of Tissue Engineering, October. https://doi.org/10.1177/2041731418801103.  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Mark Bishop’s research shows that clients who think treatment will help benefit more than those who don’t expect much relief. What is more, practitioners who expect their modality will help actually get better results than practitioners who are less certain. What’s up with that?  In this episode, Til and Whitney interview manual therapist, physiotherapist and researcher Mark Bishop about his fascinating investigations into how expectations can shape results; the role of client preferences in treatment success; and how practitioners can most effectively leverage these effects.  Mark Bishop PT PhD FAPTA is a physiotherapist with more than 30 years of clinical and research experience in the area of rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain disorders. His work has focused predominantly on the mechanisms underpinning the efficacy and effectiveness of conservative interventions for pain, especially manual therapy and exercise. He is currently a faculty member in the Department of Physical Therapy with affiliations in the Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health, and the Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence at the University of Florida.  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Center for Pain Research and Behavioral Health  Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence  “Patient Expectations of Benefit From Interventions for Neck Pain and Resulting Influence on Outcomes” (Bishop et al, 2013)  Spinal stiffness study mentioned by Dr Bishop (Fritz et al, 2011)  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.   About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Anatomist Gil Hedley discusses fascial debacles, debates, and dissection with Til Luchau.    In this episode,  Gil Hedley’s Fuzz Speech: facts, fantasies, and furor;  Sexuality in the dissection room;  Conspiracies: pattern of meaning, or menace?  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Gil Hedley’s Fuzz Speech on YouTube  Gil Hedley’s site: gilhedley.com  Til's “patternicity” reference: Finding Meaningful Patterns in Meaningless Noise: Why the brain believes something is real when it is not (Michael Shermer)  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.   About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Whitney and Til discuss a very common (but poorly researched) complaint: upper thoracic spine pain, and what to do about it.    In this episode,  Does posture drive upper back pain? Does psychology?  Breaking the Upper-Cross-Syndrome rules (and what “PhD” doesn’t really stand for).  The Over-the-Edge technique for upper back pain.  Get the full transcript and handout at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Free Episode Handout  Thoracic spine pain in the general population: Prevalence, incidence and associated factors in children,  adolescents and adults. A systematic review. (Briggs et al 2009)  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

Whitney and Til discuss assessment and treatment considerations unique to working with the neck and cervical region; how their respective training programs are adapting to the challenges of COVID-19; and much more.    In this episode,  Neck issues: shifting from tissue fault to nociceptive driver  Can we treat the neck in isolation?  Thoughts on “text neck,” and more.  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  The Relationship Between Forward Head Posture and Neck Pain: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (Mahmoud et al 2019)  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

How do we manage risk, in a world where we don’t even agree about what the risks are? Pathology writer Ruth Werner joins Til and Whitney for a lively conversation about risk, risk tolerance, and ethical decision making in massage and manual therapy, in the face of both COVID-19, and in the differences in how we perceive the risks involved.  In the Thinking Practitioner series, join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences, with Whitney Lowe and Til Luchau.  Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!  Resources discussed in this episode:  Ruth Werner’s site: ruthwerner.com  Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com  Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com  Sponsor Offers:  Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.  ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.  Handspring Publishing: save 20% by entering “TTP” at checkout at handspringpublishing.com.  About Whitney Lowe  |  About Til Luchau  |  Email Us  (The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)