My great five days at WMF. Part 1

Recently I come back from 2014 WMF. It was my second time. The first time it was at 2013 Long Beach California, where I was honored by being inducted to the Hall of Fame. Still I got the feeling of open and friendly atmosphere; free of politics of a professional convention.

This time I contributed by presenting two short seminars. Also I talked to many of my colleagues, learned a lot and hopefully contributed by sharing my knowledge and views.

During this five days a lot of things happen and in order to accommodate all the impressions I would have to write an extensive blog. One incident, however, stands out in my mind and I decided to share it with you immediately. Maybe reading it now, will help many of us to understand even better that excessive pressure has nothing to do with deep tissue massage.

On Saturday, July 19th in the morning, my wife and I were waiting for the elevator. In the hallway I spotted a young woman who limped, using a huge tree branch as a crutch. Actually, she had to use both hands to hold this branch, and moved forward practically using one leg. Of course, I held the elevator door allowing her to step in.

I asked what happened. She explained that the day before she have arrived to the conference from Chicago. Walking out of airplane had experience some pain in the knee. When arrived to hotel, one of our colleagues, offered her deep bodywork for painful knee. After this procedure was completed, whatever it was, she couldn't walk at all, experiencing terrible sharp pain and not being able to flex it at all.

A huge size of lymphedema surrounded knee. It was, obviously, physically traumatized. I asked her if applied pressure was significant. She concurred.

I felt sorry for the lady, and also became quite angry. What an irony? To come to a massage convention - a place personifying health - and become crippled by traumatizing pressure. Indeed, massage therapy may not always help, but it should never harm.

I offered my help, guaranteeing that, in the very least, my treatment won't make it worse. After few moments of hesitation she agreed.

I treated her knee as if it was an case of fresh inflicted injury. I spend considerable time for techniques to reduce lymphedema size, then worked to accelerate venous blood drainage, to promote increase of local arterial blood supply, spend time for petrissage techniques to reduce tension within quadriceps and hamstring muscles, as well as a did released fascia by using silicone jars.

Incidentally, this fascia release methodology I have developed by myself. To view the sample of my hands on presentation please click this link

Thank God, my treatment was successful. She could walk, and a few days later, having noticed me, she started running towards me, exclaiming that can even run. You can imagine, I was very happy for her, and was feeling privileged to be able to contribute to her well-being. Of course, I advised and recommended to refrain from running for some time and allow body to recuperate from this significant trauma.

Summarizing this incident... knee region doesn't have large quantity of muscles, and other soft tissue. So this remains unclear why this ill-timed therapist decided to provide ”deep tissue bodywork?" I call it dangerous ignorance.

Twenty years ago I wrote this article https://medicalmassage-edu.com/articles/39-article23. where I discussed deep tissue massage in great details.

I figured this therapist missed it, or disagree with my presentation. In any case, it is unfair that the victim turned out to be a client. Please take the time to read it.

Not always we can help, but in no case we should harm. In most cases therapies by means of massage is safe and effective.

I will continue to write sharing my WMF experiences and Impressions . I hope you'll like it.

Best wishes,

Boris