Minyama Bowen

09/03/2025

20/01/2025

Bowen Therapy affects the central nervous system and visceral organs by addressing specific areas along the spine and other key points in the body.

15/01/2025

The quadratus femoris (QF) is one of the six muscles in the deep lateral rotator group. The piriformis is the most superior of this group; QF is the most inferior.

Find the ischial tuberosity, and slip around to its lateral border. Then drop just lateral off of it, and you will be on the QF (deep to gluteus maximus).

Just like with piriformis palpation (see recent post) resist the client from laterally rotating the thigh at the hip joint by pressing against the medial surface of their distal (lower) leg, and feel for the QF to engage.

Once located, palpate the entirety of the QF in baby steps as the client alternately contracts and relaxes the muscle.

Illustration from my text: The Muscle and Bone Palpation Manual, 3ed (Elsevier)

14/01/2025

PIRIFORMIS PALPATION

The piriformis can be easily palpated deep to the gluteus maximus.

Find ASIS and sacrococcygeal joint, and go halfway between; then drop immediately lateral off the sacrum and you will be over the piriformis.

Now (with the knee joint flexed to 90 degrees), resist lateral rotation of the thigh at the hip joint by placing pressure against the medial surface the client’s distal (lower) leg. Ask them to press against you.

Feel for the piriformis to engage.

Be creative with how much resistance you offer the client.
Sometimes less is more. 😊
Sometimes more is more. 😊

Once you feel the engagement of the piriformis, follow it in baby steps toward the greater trochanter attachment with alternate contraction/relaxations by the client.

09/01/2025

ADDUCTOR LONGUS

The adductor longus is one of five muscles in the adductor group. The other four are the adductor brevis, adductor magnus, pectineus, and gracilis.

The adductor longus attaches proximally (O) onto the p***c bone, and distally (I) onto the linea aspera of the posterior femur.

The joint actions (open chain) are adduction in the frontal plane, flexion in the sagittal plane, and slight medial rotation in the transverse plane.
Closed chain, it anteriorly tilts, elevates, and ipsilaterally rotates the pelvis at that-side hip joint.

Note: The proximal tendon of the adductor longus is extremely easy to palpate, even when the client is not contracting it; and is an excellent landmark for the pectineus, located laterally to it (ghosted into the illustration), and the gracilis located medially to it.

13/05/2024

🔈 TIGHT HIP FLEXORS CAN GIVE YOU A HEADACHE

ℹ️ Can tight hip flexor muscles cause a headache? Certainly, tight myofascial tissue in one region of the body can cause pain and/or dysfunction locally, but as most manual therapists know, it can also cause pain and dysfunction elsewhere in the body. There are many ways that a problem in one region of the body can affect another distant region of the body, including myofascial meridian lines of tension and myofascial trigger point referral. But another way is through mechanical kinematic chains of myofascial pulls that result in postural distortion compensation patterns. So, with this in mind, let’s examine the kinematic chain of elements that can lead from tight hip flexor musculature to headaches.

💡 A kinematic chain of elements simply refers to the links in a chain that are interconnected that involve movement. So, for example, the movement of the lower extremity involves the following kinematic “links”: foot, leg, thigh, and pelvis. Similarly, the movement links of the upper extremity are the: hand, forearm, arm, and shoulder girdle. And the kinematic links of the axial body are the: pelvis, lumbar spine, thoracic spine, cervical spine, and head. The concept is that motion and posture at one link of the chain affects motion and posture at the other links along the chain.

So, here is how it is happening:

➡️ Tight hip flexor musculature causes excessive anterior tilt of the pelvis,
➡️ which causes hyperlordosis of the lumbar spine,
➡️ which causes hyperkyphosis of the thoracic spine,
➡️ which causes hypolordosis of the lower to middle cervical spine with hyperlordosis (hyperextension) of the head at the atlanto-occipital joint,
➡️ which causes forward head carriage,
➡️ which causes tight posterior neck muscles,
➡️ which causes a headache.

✔️ CONCLUSION

When working as a manual therapist, it is necessary not only have excellent hands-on skills, but also understand how the human body functions mechanically and learn to recognize patterns of mechanics and pathomechanics that travel through the body.

10/04/2024

The vagus nerve is a crucial nerve that runs from the brainstem to various organs in the body, including the heart, lungs, and gut.

It plays a vital role in regulating many essential functions.

It controls the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for the body's "rest and digest" response.

When activated, it lowers heart rate, reduces stress hormones, and promotes a sense of relaxation and well-being. It aids our digestion, supports the immune system, and influences social interactions.

Ways to activate your vagus nerve:

😮‍💨 Deep breathing – Practice slow, deep breaths, focusing on your diaphragm.
🧘 Meditation – Engage in mindfulness or relaxation techniques to calm your mind.
🗣️ Humming/chanting – Try vocal exercises like humming or singing to stimulate the nerve.
🥶 Cold exposure – Splash your face with cold water or take a cool shower.
😆 Laughter – Enjoy a good laugh, as it can activate the vagus nerve.
🏃🏼‍♀️ Exercise – Engage in moderate aerobic activities like walking, swimming, or yoga.
💆‍♀️ Massage/Bowen Therapy – Gentle touch stimulates pressure receptors under the skin, which send signals to the brain to activate the vagus nerve.
🧘‍♂️ Yoga/Tai Chi – These practices combine movement and breath, promoting vagus nerve activation.
👯‍♀️ Social Connections – Spend time with loved ones, hug, or engage in meaningful conversations.
🦠 Probiotics – A healthy gut supports vagus nerve function, so consider probiotic-rich foods.

Overall, the vagus nerve is a vital pathway that helps maintain balance and harmony within our body and mind, contributing to our overall health and well-being.

10/04/2024

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🌟Deltoid

🔸️The Deltoid is usually stated as having anterior, middle, and posterior parts.

ATTACHMENTS:
🔸️The deltoid attaches from the lateral clavicle, acromion process and spine of the scapula to the deltoid tuberosity (approximately 40% of the way down the humerus).

ACTIONS:
🔸️Abducts the arm at the glenohumeral joint (entire muscle)
🔸️Flexes the arm at the glenohumeral joint (anterior fibers)
🔸️Extends the arm at the glenohumeral joint (posterior fibers)
🔸️Medially rotates the arm at the glenohumeral joint (anterior fibers)
🔸️Laterally rotates the arm at the glenohumeral joint (posterior fibers)
🔸️Horizontally flexes the arm at the glenohumeral joint (anterior fibers)
🔸️Horizontally extends the arm at the glenohumeral joint (posterior fibers)
🔸️Adducts the arm at the glenohumeral joint (the very lowest fibers anterior and posteriorly)
🔸️Downwardly rotates the scapula at the
🔸️scapulocostal joint (reverse closed-chain action)

 NOTES:
🔸️The name deltoid comes from delta, which is Greek for triangle and oid meaning resembling. In other words, the deltoid muscle is triangular in appearance.
🔸️The proximal attachments of the deltoid are the same as the distal attachments of the trapezius.
🚨Please note that the use of this artwork requires proper credit to be given (Permission: Dr. Joe Muscolino. www.learnmuscles.com – art work Giovanni Rimasti)

LearnMuscles Continuing Education (LMCE) is an online continuing education video streaming subscription service that offers all of my video content on anatomy and physiology, as well as manual and movement therapy, including over 3,500 video lessons and over 320 FREE NCBTMB CE hours. New video content is added to LMCE each and every week!

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22/09/2023