The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

A man has a stroke at age 35. He fully recovers, but is put on a lifelong prescription of anticoagulants. What is going on, and will he ever be able to receive the deep massage he wants? In this episode of "I Have a Client Who …" we look at a common anomaly called patent foramen ovale. We discuss its connection to cryptogenic stroke (and we even dive into migraine for a hot second). Finally, we talk about some variables that inform the safety of massage therapy for clients taking anticoagulant drugs. Links: YouTube animation of PFO repair YouTube animation of PFO repair From the Cardiovascular Research Foundation: Complete PFO Closure May be Key for Migraine Reduction From the American Headache Society: PFO Closure for Migraine Prevention From Stroke: "Frequency of Patent Foramen Ovale and Migraine in Patients with Cryptogenic Stroke" "And Now for Something Completely Different: Patent Foramen Ovale," Massage & Bodywork magazine, October/November 2007

Zeel Co-Founder Alison Harmelin and Zeel Senior Director of Public Health and Workplace Safety Amir Hemmat discuss the current state of PPE for massage therapists, including how to prioritize which products to use and which partners to trust, how to plan ahead so you're not caught unprepared in your practice, and what steps Zeel is taking to ensure the safety of their therapists and clients. This episode is sponsored by: Anatomy Trains Links: Zeel How to test PPE (blog post) How Zeel is keeping its community safe while delivering in-home services (blog post)

A client who was recently in a motor vehicle accident was "cleared for massage" by her primary care provider. But it turns out she had no X-rays and that hid the fact that she sustained a fracture to her sternum. What is the responsibility of the massage therapist when a client has been "cleared for massage"? Ruth has some thoughts. Interesting links: Despite deaths, injuries and recalls, air bags still save lives Risk of thoracic injury from direct steering wheel impact in frontal crashes Causes and risk factors of a broken sternum Sternal Fracture Breastbone Fracture - Sternal Fracture This podcast sponsored by: Books of Discovery Anatomy Trains Host: Ruth Werner

Author and educator Cathy Ryan joins the pod to discuss her love of fascia and how her work has been informed and changed by research over her 30-year career. We discuss Cathy's approach to working with scar tissue, deep dive into the wound-healing process, and talk about the possibility of facilitating change in both mature scars and those soon after insult. This episode sponsored by: Yomassage Anatomy Trains Guest For more information about Cathy Ryan: Massage Therapy Without Borders podcast From Massage & Bodywork magazine: "Scar Tissue: Not Breakable, But Changeable," From the ABMP CE Center: "Scar Tissue Management,"

An older long-time client is on the table, midway through her massage. When the MT undrapes her leg, she finds a string of red blisters from the client's buttock down the leg. "Oh, yeah, it's kind of itchy," says the client. In this episode, we talk about undiagnosed skin lesions, and how carefully we need to talk about them. Then, we take a deeper dive into shingles: what causes it, what the risks are, and whether massage therapists might catch it from clients. It's a juicy one! This podcast sponsored by: Books of Discovery Yomassage Anatomy Trains Host: Ruth Werner

Is it possible that mouth breathing has contributed to, and exacerbated, numerous health conditions? New York Times bestselling author James Nestor wants to convert you into a nose breather. He spent years in laboratories and ancient burial sites, working with researchers at Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and other institutions to figure out what went wrong with our breathing—and how to fix it. This episode sponsored by: Yomassage Anatomy Trains Guest: James Nestor FAQs and breathing advice Breathing videos

A client complaining of seemingly uncomplicated shoulder pain has a very complicated issue indeed—the wrong choices here could have led to very serious repercussions. Pathology educator Ruth Werner shares one of her own "I Have a Client Who …" stories involving a neighbor, her garden, and her mysterious, stubborn shoulder pain—that turned out not to be shoulder pain. Are you interested in referred pain? Here are a couple of short, fun videos: Referred Paid: Gallbladder | Anatomy Slices Abdominal Dermatomes and Referred Paid This podcast sponsored by: Books of Discovery Yomassage Anatomy Trains Host: Ruth Werner

The sacrum is held with a reverence because of its energetic, structural, and nervous system significance. Working to create positive change in this area can help balance your clients. Listen as Massage & Bodywork columnist Cindy Williams equips MTs with the information needed to foster a safe working environment for both MTs and clients, removing fears of working in this area. This episode sponsored by: Yomassage Anatomy Trains "The Sacred Sacrum, Part 1" "The Sacred Sacrum, Part 2"

A beloved long-time client is already affected by heart disease and diabetes. Now his hands have begun shaking too. Is there a safe way to help him, given his medical history? In this episode, pathology educator Ruth Werner addresses the complex overlap of conditions that this client lives with, with special attention to his latest challenge: essential tremor, a common, sometimes debilitating problem that is poorly understood and difficult to treat. How do we balance all the variables in this situation to offer safe, effective massage? What kinds of work might be most helpful? What, if anything, does the research say? You might be surprised. Case report: Riou, N. "Massage Therapy for Essential Tremor: Quieting the Mind." Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies 17, no. 4 (2013): 488–94. doi:10.1016/j.jbmt.2013.03.007 This podcast sponsored by: Books of Discovery Yomassage Anatomy Trains Host: Ruth Werner

How do emotions affect our biology? What determines how we interpret an experience? How do we navigate a heated exchange? How can understanding emotional intelligence help us? Listen as we wrap up our three-part mini-series on communication skills with Angie Parris-Raney, a 20-year MT who also has certification in Chopra Center meditation. Conscious communication means stopping during an altercation, taking deep breaths, observing from innocence, and proceeding with compassion. This episode sponsored by: Yomassage Anatomy Trains Guest website: Angie Parris-Raney