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ABOUT MT AUTHOR GUIDELINES CLASSIFIEDS EDITORIAL CALENDAR MASSAGE MART SCHOOLS & EDUCATION FEEDBACK
Alternative Health News
Acupuncture and the Treatment of Spinal Stenosis
In the "Huangdi Nanjing" (The Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine) the Dai Mai (Belt Vessel) is described as encircling the waist, and is the only horizontally-flowing meridian, with a main function of regulating the movement of qi upward and downward in the body.
The Opioid Epidemic: It's Time We Stand and Fight
While I am not an expert on opioids or the opioid epidemic, I do have personal insights on this important subject. In 2009, I suffered a burst appendix on a cruise ship and had to undergo an emergency – and life saving – surgery in the small town of Progresso, Mexico.
Clinical Data Registries Deserve Your Attention
If you follow U.S. health care policy-making at all, it's easy to get distracted by the unknown fate of the Affordable Care Act right now. However, while this battle is carried out among our elected officials, the marketplace continues to move toward rapid change in health care delivery.
No Yin, No Yang, Only Qi
The ancient Chinese authors of the Su Wen and the Ling Shu left a road map for the practice of Chinese medicine. Part of the map is the foundation diagnostic model of Chinese medicine: Yin-Yang.

Denied Care: The Art of the Appeal (Pt. 3)
Part II: Response to Negative IME / File Reviewer Comments.
Ethical Herb Practices: Prescribing Custom Formulas
The uniqueness of Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine (TCHM) is the opportunity to design custom formulas for each patient's presenting and constitutional patterns. But is this our common practice in the modern pharmacy?
Why Maintenance Matters
I like being right. As a publisher, you have to be right the vast majority of the time. The other times are filled with apologies and published erratas, which at the very least tend to be embarrassing.
How Medical Integration Affects Patient Outcomes
Integration is defined as "the act or instance of combining into an integral whole." Integral is defined as "belonging as part of the whole." When considering the concept of medical integration, this is an important point to consider.
Moving TCM Into the Future
As I look back on many of the projects that I have done, it seems that the hardest part of the project is its completion. Often the finish takes more effort than the start, and this is certainly true with regard to the WHO-ICD-TM-11 diagnostic codes.
News in Brief
3rd President of Life West Named; Unique Center to Open.
Lumbopelvic Fixation: Address the Lattisimus
Ouch! I just got zapped again in my left lumbopelvic (LP) region. Shocking pain and muscle failure caused me to drop to my knees. HVLA moves are painful and don't relieve the problem. I pull out my adjusting tool and go to town ... but only get temporary relief.
Attorneys General to Insurers: Cover Acupuncture
U.S. attorneys general representing nearly 40 states / territories have taken an important step in combating the opioid epidemic, highlighting nondrug pain management options – and increasing insurance policies toward and coverage of acupuncture and other conservative treatment options.
Risk vs. Reward in the Multispecialty Practice
Owning a multispecialty practice (MD/DC/NP) comes with risk, just like any business. And as you might consider, the larger your business, the more it expands out into your community, the more income you generate, the greater the risk.
Eat to Sleep: Nutrition Guide
Every night, millions of people have trouble falling and/or staying asleep. Traditionally, this is caused by stress, anxiety, caffeine, a lack of physical activity or overstimulation before bed, as well as by nighttime discomfort or pain.
Expanding Our Scope: Perception vs. Reality
Theaetetus proposed that "Knowledge is nothing other than perception." Our brains reflect what we are feeling, even if that's not what really happened.
Give Your Patients the Ergonomic Advantage
Prolonged sitting contributes to low back pain (LBP) and is a health risk.

Women's Hormones: A Guide to the Cycle and Infertility (Part 2)
The third phase is referred to as the luteal phase, and is regulated by the Spleen Qi and Kidney Yang. The hyper thermal phase is marked by high body temperatures and lasts for about 14 days.

The Luo Vessels: Restoring Connectivity
When I was a novice acupuncture student my teacher suggested a seemingly radical way of working clinically. My training was highly focused on understanding the acupuncture channel systems of the body, especially the so-called "secondary vessels."
What's the Public Perception of a Multispecialty Practice?
Surveys have been performed to help determine the attitude of the American public toward the medical profession as compared to the chiropractic profession. Not surprisingly, medical doctors tend to rate higher than chiropractors in several key categories.
The Scarcity Mindset: The #1 Reason Your Practice Is Not Working
What if I told you there is only one thing getting in the way of you becoming a successful acupuncturist? Yes, only one! And what if I told you the majority of you have no idea this is happening, but you're doing it over and over and over again.

We Get Letters & Email
We Don't Need a Name Change; "A Ridiculous Article"; Professional Treason.
A Daily Strategy for Heavy-Metal Detox
In modern society, we are constantly exposed to heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury. These heavy metals have no essential biochemical roles in our body, and conversely, can cause us a great deal of harm if they build up to toxic levels.
Ohio Work Comp Clamps Down on Spine Surgery
The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation has issued a rule change regarding payment for lumbar fusion surgery, effective Jan. 1, 2018, that only authorizes surgery after the injured worker has received at least 60 days of conservative care for low back pain.
Massive NIH Grant to Study Benefits of SMT for Back Pain
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $14 million grant to the University of Minnesota and University of Washington to study the benefits of spinal manipulation for back pain vs. standard medical care (including prescription medication).
New FAA Medical Exam: An Opportunity for Chiropractic
Chiropractors are eligible to perform the Federal Aviation Administration's new BasicMed medical exam for private pilots provided they are considered a "chiropractic physician" by their state chiropractic licensing board and state scope provisions include the ability to perform the basic components of the exam.
RAND Report: Chiropractic Scores Big in the Military
A RAND Corporation research report on availability, documentation, coding, credentialing / privileging practices, and demand for CAM services at military treatment facilities shows chiropractic enjoying substantial success within MTFs in terms of availability, utilization and effectiveness.
Patient Care Gone Wrong: 5 Overused Procedures
How many of these tests / procedures do you perform or order? They may be unnecessary, at least in certain circumstances. As part of the "Choosing Wisely" campaign, an initiative of the ABIM Foundation and Consumer Reports, the American Chiropractic Association has released a list of five tests and procedures chiropractors commonly order or perform, but are not always necessary.
A Statement From the NCCAOM
We are at a critical juncture in our profession. Many acupuncturists are doing well and acupuncture as a whole is getting more mainstream publicity; however, there are those in our profession who are not succeeding.
Scare Tactics: The Problem With "What the Health?"
I have received many questions about the movie "What the Health?" from meat-eaters and people who know I am a meat-eater. In particular, they want to know if meat is safe.
An Invaluable Practice Tool: The New-Patient Calculator
Your marketer (or you) is whipping up a promotional storm. Your team is attending events and activities. You're in the community. You're running a budding chiropractic practice and you've read all the marketing guides.
The Perils of the "Oh, While You're at It" Phenomenon
Evaluation and management rules regarding documentation of a patient's chief complaint(s) indicate the chief complaint(s) should "usually" be stated in the patient's own words.
Knee Therapy: Art or Science?
In a recent issue of New York Times Magazine, a Mount Sinai hospital advertisement was headlined: "Knees are like car parts. It's better to get replacements from the original manufacturer."1
The 3 P's of Practice Profitability
I once addressed a large gathering at a three-day conference in Chicago. There were a few hundred people in the room, all having flown in from all over the world.

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Massage Today
September, 2002, Vol. 02, Issue 09

Sharp Anterior Medial Knee Pain

By Ben Benjamin, PhD

Question: Where is the medial quadriceps expansion?

Answer: At the medial side of the patella.

The quadriceps muscles join together into the quadriceps tendon just above the patella.

The tendon then passes over the patella in the form of an aponeurosis (or flat-sheet structure) and envelops the kneecap, tucking slightly under the medial and lateral aspects of the patella, fitting like a shower cap. It then continues down to attach to the tibial tubercle. This section is called the patellar ligament.

Illustration of medial quadriceps expansion. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Medial quadriceps expansion (arrow B). Most therapists have never heard of this important structure. It is the cause of frequent knee pain when negotiating stairs, walking up hills, or engaging in more vigorous activities such as running, biking or racket sports. The nature of the pain can be achy but is often very sharp, especially when the adhesive scar tissue is in the inferior medial corner.

Illustration of resisted extension of the knee. - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Resisted extension of the knee. Resisted extension of the knee is usually the assessment test that verifies the presence of this injury. However, because this tendon is so strong, this assessment test will often not show a positive result unless the activity that causes the pain is done immediately before the test is performed.

Treatment is usually fairly straightforward. With the client lying supine, the therapist forcefully pushes the patella medially with the thumb of one hand and applies friction therapy with the index finger of the other hand. The finger is placed under the medial side of the patella and pressure is applied anteriorly (toward the ceiling). The direction of the friction movement is from head to foot.

Click here for more information about Ben Benjamin, PhD.

 

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