Orthopedic   Massage

Massage Therapy - Technical Terms

In order to interpret the information in this book, you will need to understand certain terms. I will use technical words when necessary, but my intent is to make it as painless as possible. I have attempted to write this book so that you can understand what is happening to you.

Muscles, Ligaments, Tendons, Bones:

When talking about pain, we must distinguish the tissues involved-

Ligament

A strong band of fibrous tissue serving to bind bones together.

Muscle

Contractile tissue (ability to shorten) that produces movement in the body.

Tendon

firm, white, fibrous inelastic cord which attaches muscle to bone.

Superior

closer to the head

Distal

farther from the head

I won't be dealing with ligaments in this book. If you have a major ligament tear, you will have to see a surgeon. Sometimes we can survive minor tears by strengthening the surrounding muscles but that will have to be determined by your doctor.

I will be talking about muscles and tendons. Tendons are the outer coverings of muscle tissue that continue after the muscles stops, as the covering of a hot dog is tied at the end of the dog. The ends of these tendons are attached to bone on opposite sides of a joint. The brain sends a message to the muscle and it shortens, moving the joint. It's that simple. Tendonitis is the inflammation of tendons. In most of the cases I see, it is relieved by reducing the tightness of the muscle.

Read Our Healing Stories for examples of the power of massage to alleviate muscle and tendon injuries.

It is my hope that this book will give you information that is not readily available elsewhere. The healing process starts and ends with you. You have to be willing to make the time to do what is necessary. It is not always easy. The choice is yours.