The world of Massage Therapy is full of old-wives’ tales, health claims which are not true, and modalities which have no science behind them. When I entered this world of manual soft tissue therapy (yes, I hate the term “massage”), I did so from the clinical/medical side. So, it would not surprise anyone who knows me to hear I just finished the most wonderful 6-days of intense anatomy education any manual soft tissue therapist could ever want – hands-on cadaver dissection.
I’m writing this on my flight back home, exhausted from the past week. For six days, I have been peering into a fresh-tissue cadaver, bringing together my anatomy and physiology knowledge with what I am observing right in front of me. Yes, I had my hands under the skin, between the muscles and inside the abdominal cavity. There was something new to learn with every touch!
Before I tell you more, I first want to thank my “teacher” – we called him Adam. He was a 78-year old man who donated his body for research. Without his kind offering, I would not have had this opportunity to learn. I am forever grateful.
Second, I want to thank the Institute of Anatomical Research in Colorado Springs, CO (www.anatomicalresearch.org) for hosting this class. They are a non-profit group, accepting direct donations from people who are interested in offering their body in the interest of research. They host many lab opportunities such as the one I took, organized by Dr. Joe Muscolino, DC (www.learnmuscles.com).
The past six-days of real anatomy discovery has given me a new perspective of the human body. As an EMT, I often see blood, damaged tissue, and the occasional broken bone. As a manual soft tissue therapist, I only ‘see’ tissues through touch. This week was significantly different – complete sensory learning. Adam was a fresh-tissue donation, which means it is as real as it gets.
On the first day, I picked up the scalpel and hemostat making my first cut into the left hamstring. It was time to learn!
Initially, I was interested in knowing more about the lower body – navel to knees, front and back. What I didn’t know is how much time it would take me to pick through the skin, fat, muscles, fascia, tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, visceral organs, and bones to do this. With each cut made, a new opportunity to see, touch and study emerged.
So as it was, for the next week, I showed up each morning with enthusiasm to explore another interesting area, and each evening, I left with my head full of sights, sounds, smells, and touches giving me an exceptional understanding of that part of the human body. It was simply fascinating!
As a manual soft tissue therapist, I now have a deeper understanding and renewed appreciation for the complexity of our body. I am certain my treatment techniques will elevate to a much higher level which means my clients will benefit from the investment made to attend this class. No longer am I working on muscles from the outside-in, completely blind; for in my minds-eye, I can now see the tissue from the inside-out!
Thank you, Adam.