Mobilizing the Myofascial System: A Clinical Guide to Assessment and Treatment of Myofascial Dysfunctions

The book is intended to increase the awareness among physical therapists and other bodyworkers of the significance of fascia in the conditions they treat. It presents an approach developed by the author from the basis of manual therapy for the articular, muscular and neural systems. In the world of orthopaedic physiotherapy, the use of manual therapy techniques has become increasingly evidence-based, and study after study shows its efficacy along with exercise therapy for the management of the most common orthopaedic conditions. However very few physiotherapists have written about the fascial system, and there is a general ignorance within the profession of what fascia is, how it relates to the techniques they use, and why it is important to their work. The book follows the principles of assessment and treatment of the fascial lines as described by Tom Myers in his book Anatomy Trains. This book is probably the first to be written about fascia from the perspective of a physiotherapist. As practitioners dealing with musculoskeletal pain they often find that no matter what they have tried in their existing 'tool-kit', it hasn't had the positive effect they are seeking. They may also be experiencing situations where clients are complaining of multiple areas of pain that don't correspond or fit into the paradigms that physiotherapists are familiar with, even as fully trained manual therapists. What they may be missing is the fascial component. This book will introduce them to it. The book is user-friendly for the practitioner, with a minimum of theory and an emphasis on practical applications.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Who am I? Why this approach to treatment? A historical review of Fascial approaches to treatment thus far.Chapter 2: Brief review of Tom Myer's Anatomy Trains fascial lines Chapter 3: Diagnosing Fascial Dysfunctions Chapter 4: Basic Principles of TreatmentChapter 5: AbbreviationsChapter 6: The Cervical spineChapter 7: The Cranio-facial region (cranium, TMJ)Chapter 8: Dural MobilityChapter 9: The ThoraxChapter 10: The Lumbar / pelvic regionChapter 11: The Pelvic floorChapter 12: The Lower ExtremityChapter 13: The Shoulder GirdleChapter 14: The Upper ExtremityChapter 15: Exercises to maintain Fascial mobilityChapter 16: Balancing left and right brain thinkingReferences:

About the Author :
Doreen Killens is an orthopaedic musculoskeletal physiotherapist (FCAMT) with 40 years of clinical experience. For 25 years she was an instructor for the Canadian Orthopaedic Manipulative Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association, teaching manual therapy courses across Canada. In addition, she was an Examiner and former Chief Examiner for the same association. She is presently in private practice in Montreal and has a particular interest in the field of headaches and myofascial dysfunction. She is the developer of a physiotherapy approach to treatment of the myofascial body called Mobilization of the Myofascial System (MMS) (Upper Quadrant, Lower Quadrant and Advanced Integration). In addition, she teaches a two-level course system entitled Manual Therapy for the Cranium, courses she teaches across Canada and Europe, both in English and in French.