Address root causes of musculoskeletal pain and disability with classically-based needling of joints and ligaments. This hands-on class provides essential knowledge, skills and protocols to treat a wide range of orthopedic conditions by stabilizing and mobilizing joints with acupuncture.

Joint dysfunctions are common but sometimes hidden causes of chronic pain and disability. Learn to integrate acupuncture techniques with contemporary orthopedic examination to decrease pain and restore normal functioning of the joints of the spine and extremities. Take home practical methods and strategies, including:

• Understanding Yin and Yang of joint anatomy, kinesiology, and the adverse effects of joint injuries on muscles, tendons, and the nervous system
• Learn history and physical exam techniques to identify joint mobility/stability dysfunctions, including:
  • Specialized inspection and palpation techniques for joints and ligaments
  • Joint active and passive range-of-motion and end-feel examinations
• Understand mechanisms and therapeutic effects of orthopedic acupuncture for joints
  
• Practice needling safety and techniques for hyPERmobile and hyPOmobile joints, including;
  
  • Shoulder, arm and hand: acromio- and sterno- clavicular, glenhumeral, ulnar- and radio- carpal; radio-ulnar; thumb CMC, MCP joints
  • Lower leg: knee ACL, MCL, LCL, meniscii, superior tib-fib; ankle anterior talofibular and calcaneofibular joints
  • Spine: cervical and lumbar facets; supraspinous, interspinous, iliolumbar, sacroiliac, and sacrotuberous ligaments
• Practice post-treatment joint re-assessment for immediate assessment of outcomes
  

Precise knowledge of clinical anatomy and kinesiology, and orthopedic/myofascial palpation and inspection, and movement analysis skills, are all essential foundations for diagnosis, and for determining where--and where not--to needle.

This unique class prepares students to get the most from the Head, Neck, Thorax module & Review/Practicum Lab

Clinical anatomy and the jing-jin ("sinew meridians" or myofascial tracts)

• We will improve our abilities to accurately locate key bony landmarks, muscles, tendons, joints, neural and vascular tissues, through palpation on ourselves and each other, and through review of clinical anatomy.
• Through palpation, observation and movement exercises, we will explore functions of key muscles and their jing-jin associations, as well as functional vs. dysfunctional movement patterns.
• We will review safety considerations, including needling angle and depth, to avoid injuring the many critical structures in this body region.

Enhanced orthopedic palpation and inspection skills

• We will enhance our abilities to feel different tissue types and layers: skin, fascia, muscle, nerve, blood vessel, and bone, with both our hands and needle-tip sensation.
• We will practice inspection and palpation for tissue abnormalities including myofascial trigger points, tendinopathies and joint disorders.

Review of anatomical structure and kinesiologic function

• Bony structures, including palpable landmarks and which muscles attach to them:
  
  • External occipital protuberance
  • Mastoid process
  • Zygomatic arch
  • Temporomandibular joint
  • Spinous and transverse processes of C 2 to T 1
  • Facet joints of C 2-C 3 to C 6-C 7
• Muscles, including location, attachments, and functions
  • Pterygoids
  • Digastric
  • Masseter
  • Temporalis
  • Suboccipitals
  • Paraspinals: erector spinae group, multifidi, splenius and semispinalis groups
  • Upper, middle and lower trapezius
  • Levator scapula
  • Sterno-cleido-mastoid: sternal and clavicular heads
  • Scalenes: anterior, middle, posterior
  • Rhomboids
  • External intercostals
• Vascular structures
  
  • Arteries: carotid, subclavian, vertebrobasilar, temporal
  • Veins: internal and external jugular
• Spinal and neurological structures and functions
  
  • Spinal neuroforamen
  • Intervertebral discs: nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus
  • Central canal, neural arch of laminae and pedicles
  • Ligamentum flavum and posterior longitudinal ligament
  • Spinal cord: dura and arachnoid mater, upper vs. lower motor neurons
  • Lesser and greater occipital nerves
  • Nerve roots: C 1-T 12
  • Brachial plexus
  • Myotomes
  • Dermatomes
• Cervico-thoracic anatomical kinesiology
  • Planes of motion