James Waslaski
Bio
James Waslaski integrates over 30 plus years of expertise in manual therapy to teach over 45 live seminars per year
all over the world. He is a published author, and renowned international lecturer, teaching Chiropractors, Athletic
Trainers, Osteopaths, Physical Therapists, Physiotherapists, Physicians, Certified Personal Trainers and Massage
Therapists how to integrate their techniques to increase client outcomes. He is also a Certified Personal Trainer
with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. James is an approved NCBTMB Provider.
His textbook, Clinical Massage Therapy: A Structural Approach to Pain Management, was published by Pearson
Publishing in 2011. He presents at state, national and international Chiropractic, Osteopathic, Athletic Training
and Massage Therapy Conferences on an annual basis. James received the FSMTA International Achievement Award in 1997.
He was inducted into the Massage Therapy Hall of Fame in 2008.
He was also nominated and awarded by his peers Teacher of Year at both the Canadian Massage Conference in 2012 and
at the World Massage Festival in 2015. Detailed information can be found on his website:
www.orthomassage.net
Topic
Manual Therapy to Eliminate Multiple Nerve Compression Patterns of the Lower Body
Description
State of the art anatomy and nerve graphics will allow manual therapists to look inside the human body.
The Weber-Barstow Manoeuvre, and Supine to Sits Test will evaluate for functional versus anatomical leg length
discrepancies. Pelvic stabilisation will use positional release, muscle energy techniques, and muscle balancing
protocols to address sacral torsion patterns, iliosacral upslips, joint capsular patterns, femoral nerve compression,
and normal muscle firing patterns. Therapists will level the sacral base, and release the Sacrotuberous ligament for
sciatic nerve pain. The Straight Leg Test and Braggard’s Test will identify L5/ SI bulges or herniated discs.
The Slump Test will identify hamstring strains or adductor strains that scar down the Sciatic Nerve. Tibial Torsions
and Fixated Fibular Head Conditions will be corrected, by releasing the biceps femoris muscle, to address the Tibial
and Fibular Nerve Entrapments. Manual therapists will also evaluate and release Tarsal Tunnel and Morton’s Neuroma.
Home care retraining will include nerve glides and nerve tensioning protocols.
Ruth Werner
Bio
Ruth Werner is an educator, writer, and retired massage therapist with a passionate interest in massage therapy
research and the role of bodywork for people who live with health challenges. Her groundbreaking textbook, A Massage
Therapist’s Guide to Pathology was first published in 1998, and is now in its 7th edition, published by Books of Discovery.
Ruth is a columnist for Massage and Bodywork magazine and Massage New Zealand. She serves on several national and
international volunteer committees, and teaches continuing education workshops in research and pathology all over
the world. Ruth was honored with the AMTA Council of Schools Teacher of the Year Award for 2005. She was proud to
serve the Massage Therapy Foundation as a Trustee from 2007 to 2017, and as President of the Foundation from 2010-2014.
Topic
Chronic Pain and Massage
Description
Chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and others can be challenging to treat, and even
more challenging to live with, especially when they involve central sensitization. Understanding the mechanisms
behind the pain experience can help massage therapists find a way to improve the quality of life for clients who
struggle with these challenging, and often invisible conditions.
Join Ruth Werner, author of A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, for a lively discussion of the issue of
chronic pain, and the massage therapist’s role in turning down the volume.
Whitney Lowe
Bio
Whitney Lowe is a recognized authority on pain and injury treatment with massage therapy. His contributions to the
massage field are wide-ranging and include professional publications, teaching, clinical work, consulting, and
participation in national boards and committees. He is the author of the books, Orthopedic Assessment in Massage
Therapy, and Orthopedic Massage: Theory and Technique, which are used in training programs and schools nationally
and internationally. He has also been a contributing author to several other books. He is currently a member of
the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies and has been a regular featured author
in publications such as Massage & Bodywork, Massage Magazine, and Massage Today.
Topic
What's true and why does it matter?
Description
Current research findings have prompted major paradigm shifts in the massage therapy world. These paradigm shifts
bring up critical questions for practitioners such as:
- How current pain science models may change our treatment approaches?
- What is the role of fascia and can we affect it with manual therapy?
- What is happening physiologically with our treatment techniques
In this presentation Whitney will explore many of the current topics that massage therapists grapple with when trying
to understand how best to incorporate new research findings into clinical practice to best help their clients.
Robert Libby
Bio
Robert has been a Canadian Trained Registered Massage Therapist since 1994 (26yrs). Robert has a passion for advancing
manual therapy education by blending research and pain science with manual therapy techniques. He is an international
author, keynote speaker and trainer.
He instructs Ligamentous Articular Strain Techniques internationally and Online, has been published in the Journal of
Prolotherapy and has written many articles for massage therapy associations globally. He is the creator of the
Ligament Pain Referral Pattern Posters and the accompanying international best-selling book Ligament Pain Referral Patterns.
Topic
Ligamentous Injuries: What You Need to Know To Help Your Patients
Description
Ligamentous injuries present to your office on a daily basis. Although you may easily recognize them in your typical
sprained ankle cases, you may not be aware of just how much more common they occur and how long it takes to
manage/recuperate from them.
This course is designed to enhance your competence and confidence in understanding and treating injuries to the
ligamentous joint tissues system. Having a better understanding of their role will help the clinician understand
how to treat and rehab their patients more effectively.
In this video, we will review the research documenting how ligamentous injuries happen, how they heal and how they
contribute to pain, dysfunction and a decreased quality of life of our patients.
John Gibbons
Bio
‘Bodymaster’ John Gibbons is a world-renowned osteopath, author and lecturer for the Bodymaster Method®. He specializes
in the assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation of sports injuries and has worked with top-flight athletes from
Premiership footballers and rugby players to the Oxford University Boat Crew and Olympians. He delivers sell-out
courses throughout the UK and internationally to physical therapists wishing to study his acclaimed Bodymaster
Method® and to date has written seven books, all of which regularly feature on Amazon’s bestseller lists: A Practical
Guide to Kinesiology Taping & 2nd Edition; Muscle Energy Techniques: A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists; The
Vital Glutes: Connecting the Gait Cycle to Pain and Dysfunction; Functional Anatomy of the Pelvis and the Sacroiliac
Joint; The Vital Shoulder Complex: An Illustrated Guide to Assessment, Treatment, and Rehabilitation; The Vital
Nerves: A Practical Guide for Physical Therapists.
Topic
Anatomy & Pathology of the Shoulder Complex
Description
John Gibbons will discuss the functional anatomy of the shoulder complex, which includes common conditions and he
will also discuss some visceral pathologies that can present itself with a referral pattern to the region of the shoulder.