Introduction to Massage TherapyMary Beth Braun and Stephanie Simonson

Chapter 4

Kinesiology and Biomechanics

Instructor’s Key

Chapter Exercises
  1. Define the following terms:
  2. Anatomical position—standing up, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides, palms facing forward
  3. Axillary angle—the angle created by the humerus and the side of the body
  4. Biomechanics—the study of how the movement of living creatures is affected by both internal and external factors
  5. Body mechanics—the efficient and effective use of your body while performing massage
  6. Concentric muscle contraction—when the muscle actively contracts and the attachment sites of the muscle move closer together
  7. Eccentric muscle contraction—when the muscle attachments move farther apart during active contraction, effectively lengthening the muscle
  8. Kinesiology—the study of human movement
  9. Prime mover—the muscle that performs most of the intended movement
  10. Synergist—a muscle that assists the prime mover by contracting at the same time to facilitate more effective movement
  11. Antagonist—a muscle that moves in opposition to the prime mover
  12. Fixator—a muscle that holds a joint or another body part steady while the prime mover contracts, also called a stabilizer or a support
  13. Demonstrate the following body movements:
  14. Flexion of the elbow
  15. Extension of the knee
  16. Lateral flexion of the spine
  17. Medial rotation of the humerus
  18. Abduction of the femur
  19. Circumduction of the hip
  20. Dorsiflexion of the ankle
  21. Supination of the hand
  22. Lateral deviation of the mandible
  23. Elevation of the scapula

Watch students perform these movements, and be available for clarification.

  1. List at least five components of a synovial joint.
  2. Articular cartilage
  3. Bursae
  4. Joint capsule
  5. Joint cavity
  6. Ligaments
  7. Synovial membrane
  8. Describe static and dynamic muscle contractions.
  9. A static contraction does not result in movement, whereas a dynamic muscle contraction produces movement, changing the distance between the origin and insertion
  10. Identify and describe the three methods of generating energy in muscles.
  11. Direct phosphorylation—the quickest mechanism for creating ATP, combining creatine phosphate with ADP to generate ATP
  12. Anaerobic mechanism—in the absence of oxygen, glucose can be broken down through glycolysis to produce ATP
  13. Aerobic mechanism—uses ATP to break down glucose and generate more ATP
  14. Name the three components of good body mechanics.
  15. Efficient structural alignment of your body
  16. Proper stance
  17. Ergonomics
  18. Practice walking with your stroke. Ask a partner to lie prone on the massage table, and put your relaxed hand on his or her lumbar region. Move the stroke toward the partner’s head without changing your axillary angle by walking with the stroke.Supervise students and be available to help them walk with their stroke without changing the axillary angle.
  19. Familiarize yourself with the proper wrist position. Perform active wrist extension, and notice the limit of the ROM. Rest your hand on a desktop, tabletop, or massage table, and lean on that hand. Without moving your feet or your hand, slowly shift your weight so your shoulders move closer to the tabletop and are eventually positioned directly over your hand, and then shift in the opposite direction, away from the table top. Notice your wrist angle, axillary angle, and the stress on your shoulder joint as your body moves too close and too far away from your contact hand. Supervise students and be available to help them, repositioning if necessary.
  20. Practice efficient alignment with a partner. Lean on a variety of objects of different heights, and try to maintain the head-to-heel line using the asymmetric stance. You can try leaning on the seat of a chair, the top of a massage table, a doorknob, a windowsill, or a bookshelf. Supervise students and reposition them if necessary.
  21. Practice using relaxed wrists and hands. Ask a partner to rest his or her arm on the desktop, tabletop, or massage table. First, clench your hand into a tight fist and use your tightened forearm to lean on your partner’s arm for a few seconds. Then, relax your arm, wrist, and hand and lean on your partner’s arm a second time. Ask your partner for feedback regarding how the two pressures differ, which one was more comfortable, and whether or not one hurt. Supervise and be available for support or to reposition them if necessary.

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