November/December 2015

Stomach sleepers often recount waking one morning unable to turn the head left without triggering upper neck and head pain—this pain can be rooted in neurovascular tension or compression from mechanical strain.

The iliocostalis is the most lateral of the erector spinae muscles. Its fibers run from inferior to superior and medial to lateral, extending from the vertebral column out to the ribs like the branches of a tree, and help to stabilize the vertebral column.

Here are some tips on how to take inspiration and lessons from how athletes set goals, train, and win, and apply them to setting goals (and winning!) in your own practice.

Seven years ago, I opened my own massage practice in Portland, Maine. Now, seven years later, running my own practice means a lot more than just the hands-on, paid work.

The growth of occupational licensing is easily recognizable, especially when you consider massage regulation. In 1959, seven states regulated massage therapy; today 45 states do.

Language is a potent tool that can be used within our scope of practice as bodyworkers to encourage greater awareness. But like any tool, it needs to be used appropriately.

Nowadays, nearly all the big retailers sell gift cards online, with these sales growing by 29 percent each year. How does this impact the MT in private practice?

There's a slew of biomechanical deviations known as miserable malalignment syndrome (MMS). Here, we'll look at a few treatment strategies that can help alleviate pain and help those with this disorder.

My book—the book that I wished I’d had while I was a student—A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology first came out back in 1998. Years later, I've gotten to witness the evolution of our profession, its teachings, and new tools.

Read this issue's energy work column in Massage & Bodywork.

When Darcy Neibaur graduated from massage school in 2007, not only was a massage therapist born, but so was a charitable spirit.

With mounting evidence showing that massage helps with pain reduction, it's likely that more chronic-pain sufferers will turn to massage for pain management.

Doug Nelson works with a 14-year-old client—whose mother and copious number of health-care providers are stumped by her systems. Doug uses this session to explore soft-tissue possibilities safely.

When we finally graduate and have that license in hand, the financial challenges of setting up our own practice can seem daunting. And taking on debt to start a business can seem impossible.