PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION RESOURCES

Blogs and articles.

Explore practical articles, clinical insights and educational resources for massage therapists, manual therapists, rehabilitation professionals, athletic trainers and other healthcare practitioners.

ANATOMYMuscles, movement and functional relationships
CONDITIONSCommon pain patterns, injuries and presentations
TECHNIQUESMassage, manual therapy and rehabilitation approaches
PRACTICEEvidence, professional development and self-care

Blogs and Articles

Piriformis Stretch for Trigger Point Release
Are You Suffering from Piriformis Trigger Points?
If you’ve ever felt an unexplained pain deep in your buttocks or a sharp, radiating ache down your leg, the culprit might be your piriformis muscle. Though small, this muscle... Read more...
Trigger Points in the Piriformis Muscle: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Trigger Points in the Piriformis Muscle: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
Trigger points in the piriformis muscle are often an overlooked but significant cause of pain in the lower back, buttocks, and legs. These hyperirritable spots can create a host of... Read more...
Understanding Bowen Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide
Understanding Bowen Therapy: A Comprehensive Guide
Bowen Therapy, also known as the Bowen Technique, is a form of gentle bodywork that originated in Australia in the 1950s, developed by Thomas Ambrose Bowen Bowen has since gained... Read more...
Benefits of Stretching for Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome
Benefits of Stretching for Sciatica and Piriformis Syndrome
Sciatic Pain - Dr. Elizabeth Wagner DPT demonstrates stretching exercises for the Piriformis and Gluteal muscles  A number of studies have shown the benefits of manual therapy and stretching for... Read more...
Trigger Point Therapy - Treating Quadratus Lumborum
Trigger Point Therapy - Treating Quadratus Lumborum
Lower Back Pain (LBP) and especially chronic LBP is often associated with trigger points in the Quadratus Lumborum (QL) muscles. Quadratus lumborum (QL) is a muscle located in the lateral... Read more...
Sciatic Pain
Sciatic Pain - Trigger Point Release
Sciatic Pain     A number of studies have shown the benefits of manual therapy for treating sciatica Sciatica is a symptom of an underlying medical condition, such as a... Read more...
Trigger Points and Sciatic Type Pain - Gluteus Minimus
Trigger Points and Sciatic Type Pain - Gluteus Minimus
Gluteus Muscles   Gluteus Minimus Trigger Points - Dr. Jonathan Kuttner   Video Notes In the video above, NAT Presenter Dr. Jonathan Kuttner shows how to locate trigger points in... Read more...
Piriformis Syndrome | Sciatic Nerve | Self Help | Manual Therapy
Piriformis Syndrome | Sciatic Nerve | Self Help | Manual Therapy
Piriformis syndrome is a result of impingement of the sciatic nerve by the piriformis muscle Incorrect form or improper gait often leads to tightness and inflexibility in piriformis. The condition... Read more...
Sacrum | SI Joint Massage Treatment - Sciatica
Sacrum | SI Joint Massage Treatment - Sciatica
  Sciatica typically occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed by a herniated disk or bone spur, but releasing muscle tension can often bring relief  The sciatic nerve is the... Read more...
Low Back Pain - Slump Test and Nerve Flossing
Low Back Pain - Slump Test and Nerve Flossing
The Slump Test is Performed in a Series of Steps   Paul Townley (PT) Describes the Slump Test and Nerve Flossing     The Slump Test:   The Slump Test... Read more...
Sacrum | SI Joint Massage Treatment for Sciatica and Hip Pain
Sacrum | SI Joint Massage Treatment for Sciatica and Hip Pain
    Treating Tight Calf Muscles Sciatica typically occurs when the sciatic nerve is compressed by a herniated disk or bone spur, but releasing muscle tension can often bring relief ... Read more...
What is Appendicular Sciatica?
What is Appendicular Sciatica?
    With "Appendicular Sciatica", both the root cause and our approach to treatment are different than would be the case with "Axial Sciatica" This is because in Appendicular sciatica,... Read more...
Treating Sciatic Pain - The Slump Test
Treating Sciatic Pain - The Slump Test
  Assessing Sciatic Pain - Stuart Hinds   Assessing Sciatic Nerve Pain - The Slump Test As a general rule, we apply the Slump test as a follow up to... Read more...
Treating Sciatic Pain - Pace Test
Treating Sciatic Pain - Pace Test
  Pace Test - Stuart Hinds   Piriformis Syndrome Sciatic pain comes in many forms and often involves a number of muscles. The Pace test (for Piriformis) is a good... Read more...
Trigger Point Therapy - Sciatica Overview
Trigger Point Therapy - Sciatica Overview
Piriformis Syndrome - Stuart Hinds   Sciatica is not a diagnosis in itself, it is rather a symptom of an underlying problem Sciatica is an umbrella term given to any... Read more...
Trigger Point Therapy - Piriformis Syndrome
Trigger Point Therapy - Piriformis Syndrome
  Treating Piriformis Trigger Points - Dr. Jonathan Kuttner   Ischemic Compression Technique Trigger Point Therapy Course   Piriformis syndrome is a result of impingement of the sciatic nerve by... Read more...
Trigger Point Therapy - Treating Gluteus Medius and Minimus
Trigger Point Therapy - Treating Gluteus Medius and Minimus
     Trigger Point Therapy - Treating Gluteus Medius (and Minimus)   Gluteus Medius This muscle is mostly deep and is therefore obscured by the gluteus maximus, but appears on... Read more...
Common Painful Conditions that can be addressed with Trigger Point Therapy
Common Painful Conditions that can be addressed with Trigger Point Therapy
   How Often To Treat Trigger Points?   What are the most common chronic pain syndromes that respond well to trigger point therapy? Trigger points are associated with most painful... Read more...