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Deltoid

Biceps brachii, Long and Shortheads

Coracobrachialis

Brachioradials

O: Clavical, Scapula... I:Deltoid Tuberosity... A: Flexes, Extends,

O:Supraglenoid tubercle, Cococoid process... I:Radial Tuberosity

O: Coracoid process of scapula... I: Shaft of Humerus... A: Flexes,

O: Lateral Supracondylar ridge... I: Styloid process of radius... A:

Deltoid

O: Clavical, Scapula... I:Deltoid Tuberosity... A: Flexes, Extends,

Biceps brachii, Long and Shortheads

O:Supraglenoid tubercle, Cococoid process... I:Radial Tuberosity

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anatomy Flashcards and Study Sets | Quizlet

The go-to anatomy reference app for healthcare professionals, students, and professors. Offers limitless views inside the human body.

Comprehensive 3D gross anatomy of the male and female

Select microanatomy of the senses and tissue types

Cadaver slices and MRIs that are paired with 3D models

3D moving models of muscles and bones

Selectany model to access definitions, pronunciations, and disease descriptions. Create views into the human body. Rotate and zoom into body regions. Dissect anatomy.

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Visual 3D gross and micro anatomy atlas - Human body

EXCLUDESTARTRequirements for Program Entry

REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM APPLICATION

Completed application.

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REQUIREMENTS FOR PROGRAM ENTRY

To be admitted to this program, learners must achieve a prior cumulative high school or college grade point average of 3.0 or higher OR a satisfactory academic skills assessment score. College grade point average must be based on 15 credits or more. To learn more about starting this program, please contact an academic advisor at (920) 498-5444 or (888) 385-6982.

Upon successful completion of the Academic Skills Assessment, students will take the Health Educations Systems Inc. (HESI) A2 Exam. The HESI can only be taken after students have met the required program benchmarks as stated above. Test topics include Math, Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, and Reading. The comprehensive HESI benchmark for the Dental Hygienist program is 75 or higher. To learn more about these assessment scores, please contact an admissions specialist at (920) 498-7159 or (888) 385-6982.

Attend mandatory spring Program Orientation and Welcome Week.

Complete a dental examination within three months before entering the program.

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Anatomy, a field in the biological sciences concerned with the identification and description of the body structures of living things. Gross anatomy involves the study of major body structures by dissection and observation and in its narrowest sense is concerned only with the human body. Gross anatomy customarily refers to the study of those body structures large enough to be examined without the help of magnifying devices, while microscopic anatomy is concerned with the study of structural units small enough to be seen only with a light microscope. Dissection is basic to all anatomical research. The earliest record of its use was made by the Greeks, and Theophrastus called dissection anatomy, from ana temnein, meaning to cut up.

Comparative anatomy, the other major subdivision of the field, compares similar body structures in different species of animals in order to understand the adaptive changes they have undergone in the course of evolution.

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morphology: Anatomy

The best known aspect of morphology, usually called anatomy, is the study of gross structure, or form, of organs and organisms. It should not be inferred however, that even the human body, which has been extensively studied, has been so completely explored that nothing

This ancient discipline reached its culmination between 1500 and 1850, by which time its subject matter was firmly established. None of the worlds oldest civilizations dissected a human body, which most people regarded with superstitious awe and associated with the spirit of the departed soul. Beliefs in life after death and a disquieting uncertainty concerning the possibility of bodily resurrection further inhibited systematic study. Nevertheless, knowledge of the body was acquired by treating wounds, aiding in childbirth, and setting broken limbs. The field remained speculative rather than descriptive, though, until the achievements of the Alexandrian medical school and its foremost figure, Herophilus (flourished 300 bce), who dissected human cadavers and thus gave anatomy a considerable factual basis for the first time. Herophilus made many important discoveries and was followed by his younger contemporary Erasistratus, who is sometimes regarded as the founder of physiology. In the 2nd century ce, Greek physician Galen assembled and arranged all the discoveries of the Greek anatomists, including with them his own concepts of physiology and his discoveries in experimental medicine. The many books Galen wrote became the unquestioned authority for anatomy and medicine in Europe because they were the only ancient Greek anatomical texts that survived the Dark Ages in the form of Arabic (and then Latin) translations.

Owing to church prohibitions against dissection, European medicine in the Middle Ages relied upon Galens mixture of fact and fancy rather than on direct observation for its anatomical knowledge, though some dissections were authorized for teaching purposes. In the early 16th century, the artist Leonardo da Vinci undertook his own dissections, and his beautiful and accurate anatomical drawings cleared the way for Flemish physician Andreas Vesalius to restore the science of anatomy with his monumental De humani corporis fabrica libri septem (1543; The Seven Books on the Structure of the Human Body), which was the first comprehensive and illustrated textbook of anatomy. As a professor at the University of Padua, Vesalius encouraged younger scientists to accept traditional anatomy only after verifying it themselves, and this more critical and questioning attitude broke Galens authority and placed anatomy on a firm foundation of observed fact and demonstration.

From Vesaliuss exact descriptions of the skeleton, muscles, blood vessels, nervous system, and digestive tract, his successors in Padua progressed to studies of the digestive glands and the urinary and reproductive systems. Hieronymus Fabricius, Gabriello Fallopius, and Bartolomeo Eustachio were among the most important Italian anatomists, and their detailed studies led to fundamental progress in the related field of physiology. William Harveys discovery of the circulation of the blood, for instance, was based partly on Fabriciuss detailed descriptions of the venous valves.

The new application of magnifying glasses and compound microscopes to biological studies in the second half of the 17th century was the most important factor in the subsequent development of anatomical research. Primitive early microscopes enabled Marcello Malpighi to discover the system of tiny capillaries connecting the arterial and venous networks, Robert Hooke to first observe the small compartments in plants that he called cells, and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek to observe muscle fibres and spermatozoa. Thenceforth attention gradually shifted from the identification and understanding of bodily structures visible to the naked eye to those of microscopic size.

The use of the microscope in discovering minute, previously unknown features was pursued on a more systematic basis in the 18th century, but progress tended to be slow until technical improvements in the compound microscope itself, beginning in the 1830s with the gradual development of achromatic lenses, greatly increased that instruments resolving power. These technical advances enabled Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann to recognize in 183839 that the cell is the fundamental unit of organization in all living things. The need for thinner, more transparent tissue specimens for study under the light microscope stimulated the development of improved methods of dissection, notably machines called microtomes that can slice specimens into extremely thin sections. In order to better distinguish the detail in these sections, synthetic dyes were used to stain tissues with different colours. Thin sections and staining had become standard tools for microscopic anatomists by the late 19th century. The field of cytology, which is the study of cells, and that of histology, which is the study of tissue organization from the cellular level up, both arose in the 19th century with the data and techniques of microscopic anatomy as their basis.

In the 20th century anatomists tended to scrutinize tinier and tinier units of structure as new technologies enabled them to discern details far beyond the limits of resolution of light microscopes. These advances were made possible by the electron microscope, which stimulated an enormous amount of research on subcellular structures beginning in the 1950s and became the prime tool of anatomical research. About the same time, the use of X-ray diffraction for studying the structures of many types of molecules present in living things gave rise to the new subspecialty of molecular anatomy.

Scientific names for the parts and structures of the human body are usually in Latin; for example, the name musculus biceps brachii denotes the biceps muscle of the upper arm. Some such names were bequeathed to Europe by ancient Greek and Roman writers, and many more were coined by European anatomists from the 16th century on. Expanding medical knowledge meant the discovery of many bodily structures and tissues, but there was no uniformity of nomenclature, and thousands of new names were added as medical writers followed their own fancies, usually expressing them in a Latin form.

By the end of the 19th century the confusion caused by the enormous number of names had become intolerable. Medical dictionaries sometimes listed as many as 20 synonyms for one name, and more than 50,000 names were in use throughout Europe. In 1887 the German Anatomical Society undertook the task of standardizing the nomenclature, and, with the help of other national anatomical societies, a complete list of anatomical terms and names was approved in 1895 that reduced the 50,000 names to 5,528. This list, the Basle Nomina Anatomica, had to be subsequently expanded, and in 1955 the Sixth International Anatomical Congress at Paris approved a major revision of it known as the Paris Nomina Anatomica (or simply Nomina Anatomica). In 1998 this work was supplanted by the Terminologia Anatomica, which recognizes about 7,500 terms describing macroscopic structures of human anatomy and is considered to be the international standard on human anatomical nomenclature. The Terminologia Anatomica, produced by the International Federation of Associations of Anatomists and the Federative Committee on Anatomical Terminology (later known as the Federative International Programme on Anatomical Terminologies), was made available online in 2011.

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anatomy | Definition, History, & Biology | Britannica.com

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Anatomy: What is it and why is it important? - Medical News Today

Without properly functioning muscles the human body would be unable to move. Muscles help to propel us through space, pump our blood, expand and contract our lungs and move nutrients through our body. One aspect of our skeletal muscles is responsible for athletic stamina. Learn about fast and slow twitch muscles, how they can determine whether you would be a better sprinter or marathoner and the role of massage therapy.

There is no getting around it; all body functions that involve movement require muscle activity. It may be as obvious as when we walk, rise from sitting or toss a ball. It may be movement we take for granted such as our heartbeat or in the iris of the eye. Muscles control the movement of food through the digestive system and enable us to breath. Some muscles are used occasionally; some are in constant use, remaining contracted to help the body maintain posture in defiance of gravity. By their very movement and resulting friction, muscle fibers provide the heat that maintains a consistent body temperature as well as assist in the pumping of blood and lymph in and out of cells.

The human body has three types of muscle skeletal, cardiac and smooth. Skeletal muscle is responsible for posture and movement of bones. It also guards the entrances and exits of the digestive, respiratory and urinary tracts. Cardiac muscle is what the heart is made of. Smooth muscle is found in the gut, around the bronchi, within the urinary tract, the reproductive organs and in the walls of the blood vessels. Skeletal muscle moves in response to nerve impulses. Cardiac and smooth muscle fibers respond to changes in local environment, hormone fluctuation, pH balance, ions and temperature among other factors.

Skeletal muscles connect bone to bone with tendonous attachments. When they contract, the bones generally pull closer together or flex. When they are at rest, the bones are further apart or extended. More complicated movements, such as circumduction, supination, pronation or rotation are a combination of flexion and extension, a blending of muscular contraction and relaxation.

Normally the muscles act together in a coordinated manner, producing smooth, efficient movements. Some movements are under conscious control, especially when first learning specific tasks such as writing or riding a bicycle, other less so like the blinking of eyes or scratching an itch. With disorders such as Parkinsons, the signals from the nervous system to the muscles are confused, producing antagonist and agonistic movements at the same time, resulting in either oscillatory movement (tremors) or persistent spasm (rigidity).

There are two basic categories of skeletal muscle fast twitch (also referred to as fast glycolic or Type IIB) and slow twitch (slow oxidative or Type I). Within the fast twitch there is a second category sometimes referred to as intermediate, Type IIA, or fast oxidative fibers. Each has their own set of characteristics and purpose. The percentage of fast, slow and intermediate twitch muscle fibers varies from person to person. The proportion is determined by genetics but can change with physical conditioning. Certain hormones, such as human growth hormone (HGH), testosterone and thyroid hormones can also stimulate the metabolism and size of muscle fibers.

Fast Twitch (Type IIB):

Slow Twitch (Type I):

Intermediate (Type IIA):

The physiology of fast or slow twitch muscles is most often utilized in sports. Athletes who run provide a good example. Those who spring short distances generally will have a higher percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers, while those who run in marathons have more slow twitch fibers.

Another example often used is the dark and light meat of poultry. The breast muscles or white meat of a free-range chicken consist of fast twitch muscle fibers needed for brief burst of flight, while the red or dark meat in their thighs and legs are used for walking and standing.

The type of skeletal muscle fiber is largely determined by heredity. Massage cant change that. What massage can do is help to bring oxygen and nutrients to muscle cells, which in turn can help them to work more efficiently and heal quicker.

Individuals who are highly athletic or participate in competitive sports have a tendency to test their bodies to maximum endurance and, at the very least, experience sore muscles. They often get injured in their pursuit. Some injuries are serious others are minor, involving microscopic tears in muscle tissue. When administering massage, care needs to be taken to customize the session to the athlete as well as the sport. Sports massage techniques, most of which are derived from traditional Swedish massage, have been found to be the most effective in promoting healing and maintaining optimal fitness.

To maximize the effectiveness of your massage, make sure to ask your clients about any physical training they participate in, whether it be recreationally or professionally. Knowing this may help you determine just which massage techniques will be best for them.

Advanced Anatomy & PhysiologyCommon Sports InjuriesSports MassageSwedish Massage for ProfessionalsUnderstanding Sports Massage

British Broadcasting Company. Muscles Fast and slow twitch. BBS Science & Nature. Available from http://www.bbc.com.uk/science/humanbody/factfiles/fastandslowtwitch/soleus.shtml. Internet; accessed 25 March 2010.

Haycock, Bryan. Fiber Types, Training, and Hypertrophy. Think Muscle. Available from http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/haycock/hst-07.htm. Internet; accessed 25 March 2010.

ICBS, Inc. Sports Massage. Holisticonline.com. Available from http://www.holisticonline.com/massage/mas_sports.htm. Internet; accessed 25 March 2010.

Premkumar, Kalyani. (2004). The Massage Connection: Anatomy and Physiology, 2nd ed. Baltimore: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

Robson, David. How Do Fast-Twitch & Slow-Twitch Muscle Fibers Influence Athletic Performance?. Bodybuilding.com. Available from http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/drobson33.htm. Internet; accessed 25 March 2010.

Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. Muscle. Wikipedia. Available from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muscle. Internet; accessed 25 March 2010.

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Anatomy Review: Slow and Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers ...

While seasoned massage therapists may take their sense of touch for granted, those newer to the profession quickly learn that palpating human tissue is no simple task. In addition to thoroughly comprehending anatomical structure, 13 exercises are suggested to help therapists recognize the tangible differences between body parts.

As healthcare professionals who navigate through their medium using touch, massage therapists are susceptible to the strengths and weaknesses of their own palpatory skills. A practitioner with a sensitive and responsive touch can adjust his or her applications accordingly, while one lacking these skills can make a faulty assessment, deliver a mediocre massage or even inflict accidental pain. While developing the ability to interpret what is felt underneath ones hands is a valued massage therapy skill, it is also one of the more obscure concepts to teach.

Although it is of major importance, memorizing a map of human anatomical structures is not enough preparation for learning how and where to apply bodywork. Because people come in all shapes and sizes, you can not simply superimpose any given diagram of anatomical landmarks on a client to locate the structure or muscle group being searched for. Most experts agree that there are several components to mastering palpation including combining the imaginative mind and drawing from the therapists knowledge of anatomy.

According to Leon Chaitow, ND, DO, Palpation cannot be learned by reading or listening; it can only be learned by palpation. He also says that an open mind is vital to the task of learning palpatory literacy practitioners with the greatest degree of rigidity, in terms of their training, often have the hardest time allowing themselves to feel new feelings and sense new sensations.

In accordance to John Upledger, DO, OMM, the developer of CranioSacral Therapy, Learning to trust your hands is not an easy task. You must learn to shut off your conscious, critical mind while you palpate for subtle changes in the body you are examining. You must adopt an attitude so that you may temporarily accept without question those perceptions which come into your brain from your hands. After you have developed your palpatory skill, you can criticize what you have felt with your hands. If you criticize before you learn to palpate, you will never learn to palpate.

Each tissue has a different tactile sensation. Since a practitioners fingers can literally only contact the skin, sensing the structures underneath is akin to trying to recognize types of food while blindfolded and wearing winter gloves. Below are some exercises devised by Mary Ann Foster, massage therapist and movement educator, to help develop a bodyworkers palpation skills of skin, superficial fascia, deep fascia, tendons, ligaments and muscle.

To explore the skin and superficial fascia:

To explore the deep fascia:

To explore tendons and ligaments:

To explore muscle tissue:

Although cognitive learning is essential, the ability to listen to what our hands are telling us is a vital component of delivering an effective massage. By developing palpation skills and carefully listening to a clients tissue with attentive hands, bodyworkers can transform into masters of their profession. As thinking and sensing merge together, the art and science of palpation takes full form leading to a stronger and more therapeutic connection for both practitioner and client.

Anatomy Review for ProfessionalsCranial-Sacral Fundamentals

References:

Adkins, Garry, NCTMB, Improving Palpation, Massage Today, May 2006.

Benjamin, Ben, PhD, Lets Talk About Palpation, Massage Today, February 2001.

Foster, Mary Ann, Listening Hands and Tissue Palpation, Massage & Bodywork, August/September 2006.

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The Art and Science of Palpation | Massage Professionals ...

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As massage therapists, we touch the body to help restore harmony and stay fit. Our clients place their welfare, literally, in our hands. Most come to us relatively healthy, asking us to treat specific aches or help reduce stress, but there are those arriving with untreated and, often unseen, wounds wounds perhaps inflicted upon them by others, either physical or psychological in nature.

With the military being so much in todays news, we are becoming more aware of the high incidence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in soldiers returning from combat. Distressed by what they see and experience, they may have difficulty readjusting to normal life.

Recent reports indicate that military troops diagnosed with PTSD jumped by approximately 50 percent in 2007. In 2006, 14,000 troops were diagnosed with this disorder, whereas only 1632 were diagnosed in 2003. Within four years the number jumped to 40,000 troops. With early treatment, chances for recovery are better, but PTSD symptoms may stay with them for the remainder of their lives.

Not only in the military, PTSD is also seen in victims of child abuse, domestic violence, national disasters and other traumatic events. Some individuals heal from these events and lead a normal life, but there are those who carry the burden of the trauma with them forever. The event is imprinted in their body, hidden and locked away.

Researchers believe that, at least in part, imprinted memories of these traumatic events remain as distant echoes of the experience. PTSD symptoms may surface later when something, even unrelated to the event, triggers a release of the traumatic experience.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) considers PTSD an anxiety disorder developed after being exposed to, either by direct experience or witnessing, an extreme or overwhelming traumatic event where they felt intense fear, helplessness or horror.

In our anatomy and physiology classes we learn that our nervous systems usually react to threatening situations with a flight or fight reaction. But researchers studying PTSD found some people react with a kind of freeze reaction instead, feeling helpless and hopeless during the trauma. Unable to either defend themselves or run away they, in effect, play dead, becoming numb to the experience. Though the memories of these experiences fade from everyday thoughts, they remain hidden in the nervous system and muscles where they become deeply imbedded.

Sometime after the initial experience, either almost immediately or in some cases much later, the person shows signs of PTSD, including hyper-vigilance, avoidant behavior and intrusive thoughts. These affect their everyday lives and those of their families, friends and co-workers. They may become depressed for prolonged periods, abuse drugs or alcohol, have obsessive/compulsive behaviors, anxiety attacks, flashbacks or simply withdraw from normal activities.

People want massage for a variety of reasons, but you will not usually hear I want massage for PTSD. They may not even be aware of it and instead come for a variety of other reasons such as stress, anxiety, having chronic pain or simply someone gave them a gift certificate.

You then proceed with a full-body Swedish massage, only to find they dont relax into it, but remain tense and alert, or completely dissociate from the experience. They may cry or have some other unexpected reaction. Even a thorough intake may not alert you that this person experienced a traumatic event that wounded not only their mind and spirit, but their body as well.

Even if the event doesnt directly involve the body, it remembers, on a visceral level, what the mind experienced. In working with the body, we can help heal those wounds. Working in conjunction with physicians and psychiatric professionals specializing in PTSD, massage therapists can help them be comfortable in their body, to learn to relax and be in the present moment.

If PTSD has been diagnosed, you can develop a plan of treatment that slowly introduces non-intrusive bodywork and leaves them feeling less vulnerable Chair massage is an easy way to establish trust between the massage therapist and the PTSD client with the person clothed, and sitting, not lying down. A chair massage can be as complete and relaxing a massage as one on the massage table. Initial sessions might be 15 minutes and over a period of time increase to 30 or 45 minutes.

Later you might introduce Shiatsu, bringing the bodywork from a sitting position, to one of lying on the floor, still fully clothed. Encourage the client to wear something loose and comfortable, such as a sweat suit or yoga attire to allow for stretches during the session.

Your sessions may never go beyond this phase, or might graduate into work done on the massage table such as cranial sacral work or polarity therapy, both of which can be done while the client is clothed. These techniques are non-intrusive and help re-harmonize the energies and rhythms of the persons body. They may also help reinforce work done with other medical professionals.

Massage therapy doesnt cure PTSD. Nothing cures it completely; sufferers merely learn how to live with it. But studies show that massage does improve associated symptoms such as chronic pain, immune system deficiencies and stress. PTSD sufferers have also been found to have elevated levels of cortisol, which leads to cognitive impairment, poor glucose management and lowered immune response, as well as interruption of homeostasis. Massage helps reduce cortisol blood levels, according to studies by the Touch Research Institute, and so lessens the damaging effects.

PTSD is not new, only newly defined and reexamined. It has been around, using different terms, for a very long time. It is a disorder with no hard and fast rules. For many it is a lifelong problem. Compassion, understanding and patience are a massage therapists most valuable tools in helping to assist the healing of their internal wounds.

Earn continuing education credit for this article contained in our Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) & Massage series. Click here to enroll.

Advanced Anatomy and PhysiologyChair MassageCranial Sacral FundamentalsEthical Case ManagementPolarity TherapyShiatsu Anma Therapy

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Massage Benefits and Precautions

Cutler, Nicole, L.Ac., The Therapeutic Relationship in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Institute for Integrative Healthcare, July 21, 2005.

Dryden, Trish, M.ED., RMT, and Fitch, Pamela, B.A., RMT, Recovering Body and Soul from PTSD, Massage Therapy Journal, Issue W107, American Massage Therapy Association, http://www.amtamassage.org.

Jelinek, Pauline, Number of Troops With PTSD Up 50 Percent, Associated Press, Washington, D.C., May 28, 2008, http://www.ap.org.

Levine, Peter A., Ph.D. Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, North Atlantic Books, 1997, http://www.northatlanticbooks.com.

Matsatsakis, Aphrodite, Ph.D., I Cant Get Over It: A Handbook for Trauma Survivors, 2nd ed., New Harbinger Publications, Inc, 1996, http://www.newharbinger.com.Scaer, Robert, M.D. The Trauma Spectrum: Hidden Wounds and Human Resiliency, W.W. Norton, 2005, http://www.wwnorton.com.

Touch Research Institute, Movement and Massage Therapy Reduce Fibromyalgic Pain, Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Jan. 2003, pgs 49-52

Fact Sheet What is PTSD?, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs,2008, http://www.va.gov.

Working With Trauma Survivors: What Workers Need to Know, National Center for PTSD Research, 2008, http://www.ncptsd.org.

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Symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder | Massage ...

Due to the prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome, it may be mistakenly implicated in cases of neurological hand symptoms that worsen with wrist pressure. If Guyons canal syndrome is responsible, this structures unique anatomy requires a drastically different massage approach than that employed for problems of the carpal tunnel.

Referred to as handlebar palsy in the cycling community, Guyons canal syndrome (GCS) is an irritation of the ulnar nerve within the palm of the hand. Because compression from outside of Guyons canal is responsible for the offending symptoms, the practicing massage therapist must understand the involved anatomy and pathology in order to avoid exacerbating the clients discomfort.

The ulnar nerves primary role is to supply sensation to the little finger and lateral half of the ring finger. Additionally, it controls most of the little muscles in the hand that control fine movements as well as some of the forearm muscles responsible for creating a strong grip. Important for grasping objects, the adductor pollicis is often affected by ulnar nerve compression. Therefore, ulnar nerve problems not only cause little and ring finger tingling, but can also manifest as difficulty in holding objects in the hand, or clumsiness when performing precision activities such as writing.

In the wrist, Guyons canal is the tunnel formed by the pisiform and hamate bones and the flexor retinaculum ligament. Passing through this tunnel, the ulnar nerve is vulnerable to compressive forces on these structures. However, when evaluating symptoms of ulnar nerve compression, a practitioner must decipher the location of the suspected problem.

Causing similar types of symptoms, there are three primary areas where the ulnar nerve can be compressed:

Because the orientation of the ulnar nerve is unique in all three of these locations, massage approaches will differ for each area.

Marked by numbness and tingling in the ring and small fingers, GCS typically begins with the feeling of pins and needles. If this irritation persists, it is often followed by decreased sensation in the lateral part of the hand. When the small muscles of the hand become affected, weakness and clumsiness eventually result.

There are many causes of GCS, including trauma, fractures and small, benign tumors of the nerve or surrounding tissues of the tunnel. In addition to these structural problems, prolonged pressure on the wrist can cause this syndrome.

Guyons canal syndrome may occur as either an acute or chronic compression neuropathy. Acute injuries to Guyons canal occur most often when there is an abrupt force on the base of the hand while the wrist is in hyperextension. Falling on an outstretched hand is a good example. Chronic compression injuries occur from pressure maintained on the base of the hand for long periods. A common example is long-distance cycling, where the weight of the body is resting on the handlebars with the wrist in hyperextension.

Understanding the mechanics of nerve compression within Guyons canal can help a healthcare practitioner administer the most beneficial treatment. Since many people assume they have carpal tunnel syndrome with neurological symptoms in their hand worsening with wrist pressure, isolating the sensory symptoms of ulnar nerve distribution is important for an accurate assessment of GCS.

Because there are no tendons in Guyons canal to press on the nerve, pathological compression in GCS occurs from extrinsic factors. Extrinsic nerve compression happens when there is excessive force applied from outside the canal as opposed to pressure originating from inside the canal. In contrast, a condition like carpal tunnel syndrome involves intrinsic pressure because it comes from within the tunnel due to tendon swelling.

Once the appropriate tests reveal GCS, deliberately applied massage therapy offers sufferers an alternative to splinting and orthopedic surgery. Because GCS results from external forces causing compression on the ulnar nerve in the tunnel, massage strategies must focus on liberating the compressive force. While massage performed directly over the tunnel may worsen GCS symptoms and impair the healing process, techniques designed to decompress the nerve often provide much sought relief.

According to Doug Alexander, instructor of the Institutes Nerve Mobilization continuing education course, there are various ways to decompress the ulnar nerve in Guyons canal. In this distance-learning course, Alexander gives specific instruction on some of these techniques, including:

While nerve decompression is extremely valuable to someone struggling with GCS, Alexander cautions practitioners, You should not be creating any nerve compression symptoms during this process. If nerve symptoms are unavoidable, they should abate within a second or two of the completion of the manipulation. If they continue longer than that, you will need to explore less challenging manipulations until the nerve becomes less irritable.

While generalized massage strokes aiming at tissue compression can benefit many neurological symptoms, Guyons canal syndrome is an exception. By combining detailed study of the wrists anatomy and pathology with ulnar nerve decompression techniques, a massage therapist can feel confident in approaching compression within Guyons canal.

Advanced Anatomy and PathologyNerve Mobilization

Alexander, Doug, Nerve Mobilization Workbook, Natural Wellness, 2008.

http://orthoinfo.aaos.org, Ulnar Nerve Entrapment, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, 2007.

http://orthopedics.about.com, Guyons Canal Syndrome, Jonathan Cluett, MD, About, Inc., 2008.

Lowe Whitney, LMT, NCTMB, Median Nerve Compression Pathologies, Massage Today, October 2004.

Lowe, Whitney, LMT, NCTMB, Ulnar Nerve Entrapment, Massage Magazine, April 2005.

http://www.handsurgeon.com, Guyons Canal Syndrome, Hand Surgery Center of Brooklyn and Staten Island, 2008.

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