Joint dysfunctions and ligament laxity are common but sometimes hidden causes of chronic pain and disability. Learn to integrate contemporary orthopedic physical exam with classically-based acupuncture (including shu-point, "short," "triple," "quintuple," joint and bone-pecking needling) to address root causes of musculoskeletal pain and disability. This hands-on class provides essential knowledge and practical skills to treat a wide range of orthopedic conditions with acupuncture, including:

• Yin and Yang of joint anatomy, kinesiology, and the adverse effects of joint injuries on muscles, tendons, and the nervous system
• History-taking 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
• Mechanisms and therapeutic effects of orthopedic acupuncture for joints
  
• Hands-on practice of 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
• Hands-on 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