The ABMP Podcast | Speaking With the Massage & Bodywork Profession

Every therapist wants to help their clients feel better. Unfortunately, there are many cases of well-meaning therapists who have seriously injured their clients. In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Darren speaks with Dr. Ben Benjamin about guidelines to help prevent these occurrences, taking a thorough client history report, keeping your knowledge current, and maintaining humility about what we...

A client is tapering off her prednisone to treat her polymyalgia rheumatica. She still has persistent pain in her shoulders. Is there anything her massage therapist can safely do to help her? Polymyalgia rheumatica sounds dire. The good news is, it's highly treatable, and massage—with respect for pain and medications—is a great choice for people who are recovering.   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:...

The muscles of mastication are many. But if one goes astray, it can downward spiral into a series of pain responses that no one wants. In this episode, Allison takes a closer look at the Masseter, its intricate attachments, and its similarities to a Lego brick.   Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com                 ...

How can we reverse the growing trends of disconnection to forge meaningful connections in business and life? In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren are joined by Susan McPherson, author of The Lost Art of Connecting: The Gather, Ask, Do Method for Building Meaningful Business Relationships . Susan discusses the difference between connecting and networking, going from FOMO to JOMO...

A client has a neuromuscular disorder that causes prolonged, painful neck spasms. Her treatment led to some further complications. Can massage therapy help?   Not only is the answer yes, but in this episode our contributor gives us a pretty detailed idea of what she did, and how things went. Hmmm, all the key pieces of a case report!   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Bo...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren are joined by David Palmer, commonly referred to as the "father of contemporary chair massage." David discusses what his "aha" moment was when developing seated massage, where the chair massage routine was born out of, keys to success for practitioners, and what the future of chair massage holds. David is the founder and executive director o...

After a lifetime of chronic coughing and throat-clearing, a client is diagnosed with congenital glottic stenosis, and is hoping to have surgery to correct it. Is there a role for massage therapy in this process? This turns out to be a very relevant question for this moment, as acquired glottic stenosis is a fairly frequent complication of being on a ventilator. Listen in for more about this unique...

Heath and Nicole Reed started off like many of us—falling in love with bodywork while in massage school, then having to juggle all the jobs to stay afloat. But they quickly figured out that by incorporating loving kindness into their own lives, their growth extended far beyond the personal level. Heath and Nicole are the passionate owners of LivingMetta.com, where you can find their thoughts, vide...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren are joined by Cal Cates to discuss what it means to stay resilient with masking practices, understanding "mask fatigue" and "COVID fatigue," why the mask you are wearing is the right mask to wear, and how high-risk individuals are more common than you would think. Read Cal Cates's article in Massage & Bodywork magazine here . Cal Cates is an...

A mature woman has new hip and groin pain when she picks up and carries her toddler granddaughter. Her doctor diagnoses femoroacetabular impingement, and approves the idea of massage. Femoroacetabular impingement? What is that? And is massage therapy appropriate?   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com        Host Bio:            ...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Kristin and Darren are joined by Dr. Ellen Vora to discuss something we all do as human beings—sleep. But are we doing it correctly? Dr. Vora discusses the dos and don'ts to successful sleep, how temperature and darkness affect our sleep habits, why blue spectrum light is especially bad for our sleep health, and why some of us wake up in the middle of the nigh...

A client had three major cardiac surgeries within a month. Now, several weeks later, she still has numbness in her legs. What in the world is going on? And can massage help?   Join me for a search for how cardiac surgery and nerve damage intersect, and hear what happens for this lucky client!     Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery....

Any muscle that is named after a geometric shape is bound to have issues. For the rhomboids, this shows up in the same way that a people pleaser tends to spread themselves too thin. They always want to give and don't have the easiest time receiving.    Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              Allison's website:  www.rebelmassage.com                       Allis...

In this episode of The ABMP Podcast , Darren and Kristin sit down with Qiana Thompson to discuss how she cracked the code to a six-figure practice by being herself, becoming a business consultant to help a new generation of massage therapists gain clarity, and how she helps others reimagine their business to reflect their vision and values. Qiana Thompson has been a sports and orthopedic massage t...

I've seen several requests for guidance about working with clients who have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) lately. This genetic connective tissue disease creates symptoms that look like ordinary musculoskeletal injuries, but they're not—this is why some doctors call people with EDS their "zebra patients"—as in, these hoofbeats are zebras, not horses.   For this episode I didn't have a single contrib...

Tell a stranger that you talk to yourself, and you're likely to get written off as eccentric. But the truth is, we all have a voice in our head. When we talk to ourselves, we often hope to tap into our inner coach but find our inner critic instead. In this episode, Dr. Ethan Kross, author of the book Chatter , discusses the role chatter plays in an emotional and physical sense, how we can gain psy...

A client has a history of two heart attacks and a kidney transplant. There's no way they can safely receive massage, right?   Maybe not.   Join us for a short exploration of the miracles of kidney transplant surgery, the pathophysiology of heart attacks, and the surprising number of options this massage therapist has to offer safe, effective bodywork to this client.     Sponsors:      Anatomy Trai...

Paul Kelly is the owner of Temple Human Performance (www.templehp.com) and the creator of the brand Physiokinetics. To an outsider, he makes it all look so easy. But talking with him reveals how grit and the determination to get up and do something every day is what has enabled him to build a successful business.    Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com              All...

How do personal training and massage therapy complement each other? Marisa Savino joins the podcast to discuss how to maintain optimal massage health by improving strength and agility, preventing long-term burnout, how to set a routine (and stick to it), and how nutrition plays a role in your daily massage practice. Marisa is a New Jersey-based fitness professional with a bachelor's degree in exer...

A client has a panoply of health challenges, but the main one for right now is mast cell activation syndrome. Her whole body is primed to have an allergic reaction—to lotion, to smells, maybe even to touch. Is it possible to create a safe way for her to receive massage?   Image of Dermatographism   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscover...

The Feldenkrais Method is named after the Israeli scientist, educator, and martial artist Moshe Feldenkrais, who explored new relationships between the mind and body to improve his own physical movement and functioning. In this episode, Darren and Kristin speak with Chrish Kresge about developing a refined awareness of yourself through simple movement practices, the differences between ATM (Awaren...

A massage therapist notices some changes in the texture of their client's tissues. When they ask about it, the client replies, "Oh! Those are my pellets!"   It turns out he has had testosterone pellets inserted into the tissues of his hip. What kinds of massage therapy accommodations are necessary in this situation? Tune in to find out!   YouTube of implantation procedure: https://www.youtube.com/...

The need to connect is awesome. But the need to protect and feel safe is equally as important. How do we know when to do which? Shin splints find themselves in the middle of this quandary. In this episode, join Allison as she explores the truth of shin splints and how to manage them in a world of prolific uncertainty.    Host:                   Contact Allison Denney:  rebelmt@abmp.com            ...

Cupping was described in the Ebers Papyrus , one of the oldest medical textbooks in the world, which means ancient Egyptians may have been using cupping therapy as early as 1500 BCE. But how does cupping really work? In this episode, Kristin and Darren speak to Dr. Joi Edwards, DPT, about how cupping can create mobility within the tissue to restore function and decrease pain, what kind of cups are...

A client has a skin-picking disorder, and they want to receive massage. Is this really a good idea? How can we make sure they're safe?   Sponsors:      Anatomy Trains:  www.anatomytrains.com       Books of Discovery:  www.booksofdiscovery.com        Host Bio:                     Ruth Werner is a former massage therapist, a writer, and an NCBTMB-approved continuing education provider. She wrote  A...