Medical Massage for Low Back Pain and Sciatica

Low back pain is one of the most common conditions for which people seek massage services. In this course from our medical massage series you will:

• Review detailed anatomy of the lumbar region including muscles, bony landmarks, ligaments, and the course of the sciatic nerve.
• Learn how to distinguish true “sciatica” in the form of neuropathic pain or lumbar radiculopathy from referred pain from other structures
• Identify red flags and determine when a referral is indicated
• Refine palpation skills of relevant structures
• Understand how posture plays a role in back pain
• Learn how to incorporate active and passive motion to improve the efficacy of trigger point release
• Practice specific techniques to release and inhibit contributing muscles