A complete archive of pathology-related podcast episodes featuring Ruth Werner.
| Episode | Series | Date published | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ep. 38 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 10/16/20 | Bunions | Bunions? Calcifications? Does it make a difference? A massage therapist isn’t sure what’s going on with her client’s foot and wants to know if it even matters. We will unpeel the layers of this situation to revisit bunions, Wolff’s law, osteoarthritis, and more. Come explore this gynglimoarthrodial joint with me—and no, I didn’t make up that word! |
| Ep. 36 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 10/09/20 | Psoriatic Arthritis | A massage therapist is in a rather severe bike accident, being hit by a vehicle—on purpose. In addition to his other injuries, he develops a sudden onset of episodes of skin lesions and severe joint pain that persists to this day. What in the world is going on here, and what can he do about it? This is an inspiring story of remarkable resilience. |
| Ep. 34 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 10/02/20 | Spinal Fusion | A client has chronic low-back pain, headaches, migraines, and a history of some serious surgeries. We take a close look at one of them: spinal fusion at L4-L5. What is this massage therapist doing now? What might he do in the future? It turns out there are a lot of options! |
| Ep. 30 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 09/17/20 | Logorrhea, or Patience and Presence with People with Communication Challenges | This episode tells the story of a client who is approaching the end of her life. Cancer metastasis to her brain has led to some language difficulties. We will talk a bit about oncology massage therapy, palliative care, CyberKnife surgery, and cerebral shunts. But the main lesson here is about patience and presence with people who have some communication challenges. |
| Ep. 28 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 09/11/20 | Can This Relationship Be Saved? | In this episode, a client might be disappointed. A therapist is very concerned. And we don’t know what will happen next. When a “pinched nerve” that has been quiet for six months suddenly creates symptoms in the middle of a massage, what’s a therapist to do? We will talk about what could be going on here (including some fascinating things about nerve-generated pain) and what the best next steps could be. |
| Ep. 26 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 09/03/20 | Hernia | Guess the pathology: an egg-sized lump in the groin. In this episode of “I Have a Client Who …” a massage therapist describes a client who comes in asking for groin work—to help with a “knot.” What on earth is going on? It turns out to be simple, but way, way outside our scope of practice—to label, or to treat. Inguinal hernias are common injuries in men, because the passage of the spermatic cord into the abdomen creates a structural weak spot at the inguinal ring. When that spot gets stressed and stretched, loops of the small intestine can bulge through. This can be a minor issue, or it can become serious very quickly—and the only permanent solution is surgery. |
| Ep. 32 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 09/02/20 | Lipedema | In this episode, a client has lipedema—a painful condition with enlarged fat cells that won’t ever shrink or go away by themselves, and it’s probably going to get worse. It turns out that massage therapy could be helpful with the right kind of education and background. Fortunately, we found a great resource! |
| Ep. 24 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 08/27/20 | Patent Foramen Ovale | A man has a stroke at age 35. He fully recovers, but is put on a lifelong prescription of anticoagulants. What is going on, and will he ever be able to receive the deep massage he wants? In this episode of “I Have a Client Who …” we look at a common anomaly called patent foramen ovale. We discuss its connection to cryptogenic stroke (and we even dive into migraine for a hot second). Finally, we talk about some variables that inform the safety of massage therapy for clients taking anticoagulant drugs. |
| Ep. 22 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 08/21/20 | Fractured Sternum | A client who was recently in a motor vehicle accident experienced pain during her massage session, even with lightened pressure. Even though she had been “cleared for massage” by her primary care provider (PCP), it turns out she had no X-rays, and unfortunately she had sustained a fracture to her sternum during the accident. Getting massage “clearance” from a PCP are fighting words for Ruth, because according to her “They don’t know your massage.” Listen as Ruth dives into the complexities of the situation and the nuances of this particular case that make it a fascinating example of an experience that MTs are likely to see in their practices. |
| Ep. 20 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 08/14/20 | Undiagnosed Rash: What Do You Think It Is? | An older long-time client is on the table, midway through her massage. When the MT undrapes her leg, she finds a string of red blisters from the client’s buttock down the leg. “Oh, yeah, it’s kind of itchy,” says the client. In this episode, we talk about undiagnosed skin lesions, how carefully we need to communicate to clients about them, and take a deeper dive into shingles: what causes it, what the risks are, and whether massage therapists might catch it from clients. |
| Ep. 18 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 08/07/20 | Shoulder Injury—Or Is It? | The wrong choices can lead to unforeseen repercussions. Listen as pathology expert Ruth Werner shares a story of one of her neighbors who was complaining of seemingly uncomplicated shoulder pain—that turned out not to be shoulder pain. |
| Ep. 16 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 07/31/20 | Essential Tremor | Ruth Werner discusses the complex overlap of conditions in a longtime client: already affected by heart disease and diabetes, this client now has developed essential tremor. Is there a safe way to help him, given his medical history? How do we balance all the variables in this situation to offer safe, effective massage? What kinds of work might be most helpful? What, if anything, does the research say? You might be surprised. |
| Ep. 14 | ABMP “I Have a Client Who …” Pathology Conversations with Ruth Werner | 07/24/20 | A Stroke Survivor’s Prognosis | This story with a description of stroke, how it affects function, and the role of massage therapy is a complicated situation that also involves ethical boundaries, communication skills, and some ideas for options that practitioners might pursue for their clients with central nervous system injury. |
| Ep. 3 | ABMP - Conversations in Quarantine with Ruth Werner | 04/28/20 | Conversations in Quarantine with Ruth Werner | Ruth Werner, author of A Massage Therapist’s Guide to Pathology, discusses her recent article “What Will It Look Like When We Go Back to Work?” Werner gives an update on COVID research, testing, and weighs the risks vs. benefits of reopening practices. |