Travelling Pain

[Kellie]

Hi Guys,
I have a client that feels pain at the opposite end of her body. For example I was massaging a particularly knotty and tender area (posterior, medial, upper calf) and she felt the pain go right up to the back of her head.

And later as I moved up to her Trapezius area which was also quite tender, she felt the pain travel down to her legs.

In both circumstances I was only using fairly light pressure as the areas were both tender, what is happening here?

Thanks, Fluffy Towels

 

[trorgoseemi]

Hi Fluffy

As Sportstherapy is suggesting it sounds like the myofascia. Another way of looking at the fascia is that the acupuncture meridians flow through them. This may be meridian related, specifically the Bladder Meridian (not to be confused with the bladder organ). It's not unusual for pain to follow such routes. So trigger point techniques, acupunture or tuina massage would be useful. You have to pardon me, I'm very biased towards oriental medicine principles.

The thing about the human body is that it isn't separate bits, but works as entire unit. What binds it together? It's the fascia - a matrix of connective tissue! Think of the body as a series of "tendons" like long interconnecting elastic bands, then you realise how situations which you talk about can occur.

Best Wishes

Massage Pixie

 

[Piorequibre]

I agree with Reiki Pixie,
do a search for Anatomy Trains, by Tom Myers, and you will see how interconnected the whole body is, not just muscles and bones.

 

[McSween]

Hi ST

I do have Tom Myers' book on the Anatomy Trains and it has helped me understand the moving body in my work as a Massage Therapist and Tai Chi Instructor. It seems to bridge the gap between modern anatomy and oriental energywork.

Cheers
RP

 

[snow]

Hi,
just to add I agree with ST and RP, great book, they do a poster edition and it def sounds like myofascia, to understand what fascia is, just think of the membrane that connects the raw chicken breast to its skin( sorry to vegetarians but its a useful analogy to make).
BGFL