Course Overview

In this three hour webinar, Whitfield Reaves will share some of his favorite treatment approaches that target the postural muscles. Practitioners frequently observe poor posture that results in pain and dysfunction. So prevelant, you probably already use many similar points to provide relief for the patient. This webinar offers some skillful adaptations and precision to these acupuncture treatments. And the approach also supports therapeutic exercise, which is usually needed to resolve postural dysfunction.

The following are important postural muscles that respond very well to precise acupuncture treatment and well chosen points.

1. The Levator scapulae
Provides support for the neck and shoulder.

2. The Posterior neck muscles
These extensors keep the head erect, and help with anterior head position

3. The Pectoralis minor
Often in contraction, this muscle pulls the shoulders in the anterior forward position. They need help! We will add the Rhomboid minor, which is not a postural muscle, to this discussion.

4. The Quadratus lumborum
The QL is key to the lumbar spine, and skillful needling of this muscle is one of the most important treatments in clinic.

5. The Core Muscles
Yes, they are technically not postural muscles, but their role in supporting the back and the lumbar spine is essential.

These five muscles, when anatomically understood, can provide effective sites for needling and correcting posture. Note that we will not teach corrective exercise in this video.

Course Objectives

• Describe the origin and insertion of the levator scapulae muscle.
• Name two points located in the posterior neck muscles used for postural dysfunction.
• Be able to needle the quadratus lumborum muscle.
• Describe three ways to treat the pectoralis minor muscle.
• Name the three important wrap around core muscles.

Course Outline

0 hrs - 30 minDiagnosis and treatment of the levator scapule muscle.

30 min - 1 hrsTreatment using the posterior neck muscles with the points Bladder 10 and Bailao.

1 hrs - 1.75 hrsDiagnosis, assessment, and choosing the points for the treatment of the quadratus lumborum muscle.

1.75 hrs - 2.25 hrsAnatomy of the pectoralis minor, and how to treat this postural muscle.

2.25 hrs - 3 hrsUnderstanding the three core wrap around muscles, along with the rectus abdominus muscle, and how to treat them.