Chapter Five: Perpetrators of Muscle Imbalance

Chapter Six: Thoracolumbar Junction

• Reviews the function of muscles such as the latissimus dorsi and teres major.
• Shows how the thoracolumbar fascia stabilizes the spine during forward bending by connecting multifidi to the lumbar vertebrae through the supraspinous  ligament.

Chapter Seven: Sacral Base Decompression

• Explains the importance of decompressing the sacrum from the 5^th lumbar vertebrae to relieve sacral torsions and disc pathology.

Chapter Eight: Ligaments, Muscles and Back Pain

• Describes “form and force closure” of the pelvis and how this self-locking mechanism causes back pain.
• Lists five muscle groups that are key pelvic stabilizers.

Chapter Nine: Local Hypermobility

• Differentiates local hyper mobility due to trauma from genetic hyper mobility.
• Demonstrates how local SI joint hyper mobility can cause piriformis syndrome.

Chapter Ten: Sacrotuberus, Iliolumbar, and Sacroiliac Ligaments

• Six steps to assess for dysfunction, instability and pelvic pain.

Chapter Eleven: The Iliopsoas

• How hyper tonicity in the iliopsoas can cause facet dysfunction, disc displacement, disc compression and hyperlordosis.

Chapter Twelve: Lateral Sims Position

• Learn this powerful position to release fibrotic erector spinae muscles and mobilize motion-restricted joints.
• Teaches routines that myofascially reduce excessive lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis.

Chapter Thirteen: Quadratus Lumborum…The “Hip-Hiker”

Chapter Fourteen: The Multifidus Triangle

• This area holds the key to treating chronic low back pain.
• Multifidus triangle includes facet joints, erector spinae muscles, lumbar fascia, quadratus lumborum, and the iliolumbar ligaments.

Chapter Fifteen: Piriformis Mania

• Details the anatomy and biomechanical function of the piriformis and shows how it can cause sciatica.
• Reveals other structures that may be responsible for piriformis-type pain.

Chapter Sixteen: Antigravity…The Art of Creating Space

• Demonstrates how to restore the antigravity function of muscles and fascia.
• Explains differences between the tensegrity system and the spinal column model.
• Shows how discs “live for motion” and hate gravitational compression.

Chapter Seventeen: The Latissimus Dorsi

Chapter Eighteen: Rectus Femoris and the Anterior Ilium

Chapter Nineteen: The Eccentric Hamstrings

• Eccentrically contracted hamstrings caused by tight/short hip flexors are a major cause of low back and hip pain.
• Explains how a “flexion-addicted” society perpetuates this aberrant postural pattern of tight hip flexors and weak/inhibited hip extensors.
• Shows how recurring hamstring injuries result from weak inhibited gluteals on the ipsilateral side.

Chapter Twenty: Bringing Balance to Bones

• Wouldn’t it be wonderful if lengthening and balancing myofascial structures would cause the bones to magically fall into place... but that isn’t always the case.

Chapter Twenty-One: Pubic Symphysis “Can’t Get No Respect”

• The three bones and three joints of the pelvis work in unison; dysfunction of one joint always leads to instability in the entire structure.
• “Up-slips and Down-slips” are also discussed in this chapter.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Adductors and Pelvic Tilt

• Learn which hypertonic adductors assist the rectus femoris in anterior rotation of  the ilia.
   

Section One: Low Back Techniques

• Nine Myoskeletal Techniques follow the videos through therapeutic treatment procedures for low back pain.

Section Two: Spinal Biomechanics “Mobilizing Joints Through Muscle Manipulation”

• Ten Rules of Spinal Biomechanics and Laws of Spinal Motion are introduced. 

• How joint locks cause protective muscle spasm and vice-versa.

• Prone myofascial techniques show how to correct facets stuck open.

Section Three: Lateral Recumbent Position

• This section introduces four side lying techniques for low back and hip pain.

Section Four: Client Supine

• Seven supine pelvic balancing routines highlight this section.

WO: NECK / SHOULDER ROUTINES

Chapter One: Bones as Soft Tissue

• Muscles, ligaments, joint capsules, intervertebral discs, and bones form from the mesoderm and are all soft tissues in the body.

• This chapter shows how to assess for ART: Asymmetry, Restriction of Motion and Tissue Texture Abnormality in myofascial and bony structures.

Chapter Two: Neck/Shoulder Pain

• Shows how tension, trauma, and poor posture caused by overuse, under use and abuse, perpetuate common strain patterns in the neck and upper scapular region.

Chapter Three: Common Cervical Strain Patterns

• Presents a review of upper crossed syndrome and a therapeutic model to correct it.

Chapter Four: Shotgun Techniques for Cervical Extensors

• Demos routines for forward head postures, Dowager’s Humps, & whiplash.

Chapter Five: Structural Facet Dysfunction Revisited

• Highlights theory and treatment for motion-restricted cervical joints.

Chapter Six: Creating “Joint-play” in Vertebrae and Ribs

• Teaches simple ways to myofascially correct dysfunction in facet joints and ribs.
• Functional and structural scoliosis conditions are also treated.

Chapter Seven: Facet Opening and Closing Techniques

• Shows how to clear out fibrosis in 4^th layer spinal muscles to help mobilize joints.

Chapter Eight: Facet Joints that Won’t Close

• How to set up referral bases to chiropractors and manipulative osteopaths for clients suffering painful subluxated joints.

Chapter Nine: Those Ornery Little Suboccipitals

Chapter Ten: Posture and Headache Pain

Chapter Eleven: Splenius Capitis and Cervicis

Chapter Twelve: SCM, Anterior Scalenes and Forward Head Postures

Chapter Thirteen: The Scapulocostal Syndrome

• Explores ways the scapulae become winged from weak serratus anterior, rhomboid major and lower trapezius muscles.

Chapter Fourteen: Structural Rib Dysfunction

• New treatment modalities for thoracic outlet syndrome, shoulder and rib pain.

Chapter Fifteen: Pectoralis Minor

Chapter Sixteen: Muscle Energy Techniques for Atlas/Axis Pain

Section One: Neck/Shoulder Alignment Techniques (Client Side lying)

• This chapter begins the treatment section beginning with eleven unique neck/ shoulder routines for pain and posture problems.

Section Two: Client Prone

• Special deep tissue, myofascial release, and muscle energy techniques help balance cervical and thoracic structures in this very therapeutic section.

Section Three: Client Supine

Anterior neck work and thoracic outlet routines highlight this section.

Section Four: The Finishing Touches

• These eight assisted stretching routines are a beautiful closing to the Myoskeletal session.

SUGGESTED READING LIST

• Erik Dalton has compiled a very informative reading list for those interested in further researching muscle and spinal biomechanics.

GLOSSARY OF MYOSKELETAL TERMINOLOGY

• A must for all serious bodyworkers interested in learning somatic therapy language.

SUPPLEMENTAL READING

This is a conglomeration of exciting articles by some of the worlds leading manual therapy authorities. Home retraining exercises are included in final chapter of the Myoskeletal Manual.