Anatomical Locations in the Lower Limb that Correlate with the Basic Massage Lines and Signaling Points of Court Type Thai Traditional Massage

Abstract

Court type Thai Traditional Massage (CTTM) involves the use of hands and fingers to press on massage points, Signaling Points (SPs) and Basic massage Lines (BLs). The authors sought to identify the anatomical locations, from superficial to deeper  layers of soft tissues, that corresponded to BLs and SPs in the lower limb. By using bimanual palpation of the body surface of two volunteers and dissecting 10 lower limbs, it was found that the massage points correspond to the muscular origins and the proximal parts of arteries penetrating through the muscles and to the nerves ramifying to supply the muscles. SPs are along the muscular origins where the artery and nerve branches supplying them (motor points) are found. Both massage points and SPs are found along the border of the iliotibial tract, where the arteries and nerves enter the muscles and associate with the hip joints. BLs correspond to the longitudinal arrangement of muscles from the origins to the tendons, the borders of the iliotibial tract, the artery and nerves between the muscles, and the dorsal veins of foot. In conclusion, the massage points and lines of CTTM always associate or closely relate to anatomical structures, especially arteries, nerves and muscles.