 | FIT is a one of a kind multidisciplinary approach developed by Mark Carangelo. FIT integrates pain science, development neuromuscular sequencing, movement screenings, rolling patterns and crawling, vestibular reading balance, manual muscle testing, parasympathetic ns activation, osteopathic alignments, orthopedic assessments, (passive, active, resistive and special tests) along with myofascial release, trigger point therapy, stretching, corrective exercise (client home care) and joint mobilizations to facilitate an overall balance of the body resulting in structural integration, pain free movement and enhanced overall performance. As therapists, we need to assess movement patterns and make corrective methods for the client’s long term health. People compensate for faulty movement patterns and the proper assessment is key to correction of these compensation patterns. Reprogramming the CNS will allow for the client to regain the proper motor control sequencing. We should be looking at the body from the inside out not the other way around… |
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American Institute of Alternative Medicine (AIAM) AIAM was founded in 1997 to provide quality education in the growing field of massage therapy. Our goal is raise the standard in the massage therapy profession so that our graduates can be employed with confidence of their skill in any setting whether it is spa related or medical related.
There are four major questions that need to be addressed when choosing a quality massage therapy program. Question 1) Is the core curriculum pertinent and up to date with the growing, evolution of the massage therapy profession? We focus our curriculum on functional anatomy, the application of modalities that are relevant in the job market and incorporate very strong business skills. The job market has expanded into the spa industry and we teach modalities such as Swedish massage, hot stone massage, pre- and post-natal massage, reflexology, and other spa related techniques to separate our graduates from other therapists. Medical massage has become very relevant in the massage job market and our medical massage modalities are the finest in delivery and content. Assessment skills are under-appreciated in most programs and we make this our strong point and top priority. Orthopedic assessment and muscle testing, corrective exercise and functional movement screenings are thoroughly covered and our students incorporate these techniques in the student clinic aspect of our program. The student clinic reinforces these techniques and builds confidence in their assessment skills. Neuromuscular therapy or trigger point therapy consists of 3 months of our core curriculum. Our manuals and books are the most thorough and provide digital color images of each step. Mark Carangelo, LMT has been teaching neuromuscular therapy for over 18 years and has written many manuals on the subject of medical massage, Active Isolated Stretching and Orthopedic assessment. Mark also formulated a revolutionary protocol called Functional Integeted Therapy (FIT) which utilized many modalities to allow the therapist to pin point the cause of a clients pain and just shase around the symptoms of pain. Our modalities and topics consist of: anatomy, physiology, pathology, swedish massage, reflexology, hot stone massage, chair massage, myofascial release, active isolated stretching, sports massage, orthopedic assessment, neuromuscular therapy, pre and post natal massage, rehabilitation of acute and chronic injuries, successful business skills and New Jersey law. Combining the aspects of the spa experience and the medical massage experience elevates AIAM into the forefront of massage therapy education. Question 2) What are the qualifications of the educational staff? AIAM's chief educator is Mark Carangelo, LMT. Mark has over 18 years of teaching experience and has achieved thousands of hours of clinical experience which he brings to the classroom. Mark's knowledge, enthusiasm and passion for education radiate from every lecture and demonstration he teaches. Mark is and has worked for the New York Jets strength and condtioning staff UFC cage fighters and other elite athletes, Mark is the past treasurer of the AMTANJ and is a featured writer in the AMTANJ publication. His column is called the Flexibility Forum. Most of the books and manuals AIAM utilizes Mark has developed and written. For example the hot stone manual is very clear and has digital color imagery so every step is spelled out clearly. Experience, knowledge of topics and teaching style are imperative when choosing a quality school. Question 3) What is the class size, and graduation rate? This is a very important question that needs to be addressed for every person looking for individual attention. Classes are often too big and the teachers have difficultly providing individual attention for which you are paying for. Retention of information is also limited and you should never feel like a number or overlooked in school. We believe 6-8 students in class translates into a higher quality education. Our graduation rate is among the highest in New Jersey and we are proud of this fact. Graduating students with confidence and integrity is a major goal for AIAM. Question 4) What is the tuition rate and payment plans? AIAM has very affordable tuition under $6,500 and has many payment plans to suit everyone's budget Including a 24 month payment plan. We also do not charge interest and the cost of books are low because we only provide books the student will utilize in their educational experience at AIAM. If you are looking for outstanding education, experienced, compassionate and enthusiastic staff to go along with small class size and affordable tuition, the choice is clear that AIAM will provide you with all of these qualities. Please come visit and receive a complimentary massage and also speak with our student body. The experience at AIAM is enjoyable and will aid you in your choice of a quality massage therapy school. What is Functional Integrated Therapy?
FIT is a multidisciplinary approach of therapy that integrates functional screenings, orthopedic assessments, (passive, active, resistive and special tests) along with myofascial release, trigger point therapy, stretching, corrective exercise (client home care) and joint mobilizations to facilitate an overall balance of the body resulting in structural integration, pain free movement and enhanced overall performance. It is paramount to make an accurate assessment of the condition in which your client presents so the appropriate techniques can be administered. For example, if the therapist suspects adhesive capsulitis in the clients` shoulder, the end range of the motion in abduction should be evaluated for the end feel of the glenohumeral joint. If the end feel is bone on bone like then joint capsule work needs to be administered or if the end feel is more of a leathery feel then soft tissue work needs to be performed. These specific evaluations need to be correctly assessed to assure the proper treatment is conducted. Let us now discuss Eccentric Loading. It is one therapy utilized to alleviate the strains in soft tissue. A strain occurs when the collagen matrix and muscle tissue tearor becomes irregular. Meaning, the collagen fibers do not line up correctly. The same theory is applied regarding scar tissue. We need scar tissue, but the problem arises when the scar tissue lines up in an irregular pattern. It is our intention to realign the collagen fibers and the scar tissue. In order to accomplish this we must have the client perform an eccentric contraction of the strained muscle. In this case the hamstrings. An eccentric contraction is when a muscle contracts but elongates at the same time. In weight training this is called “performing the negative motion.” Performing eccentric contractions will realign the collagen and scar tissues hence alleviating the strain. The therapist instructs the client to bend their leg 90 degrees. The therapist will ask the client to resist the downward pressure as the therapist straightens the client’s leg. The client will only use 10-20 percent of their strength. This can be performed 10-15 times. The therapist will again ask the client to contract their hamstring against the therapist’s resistance to check if the strain is alleviated or lessened. Ask the client to now point to the strain. The strain may be significantly better. If the client tells the therapist the stain has lessened, the therapist may ask the client to perform the eccentric contraction with more resistance maybe 50-60 percent of their strength. The more resistance the client performs the deeper the strain can be felt by the client. Eventually, the client will feel no pull in the hamstring and at that point the strain will be alleviated. You can utilize these techniques on any muscle strain and alleviate strains quickly. Multi-directional friction performed directly on a strain will also aid in the alleviation of strains in any muscle. I have tremendous success utilizing these techniques in the treatment room. Whether I am working with the general population, professional athletes or all other amateur athletes these techniques alleviate strains quickly and allow the athlete to return to their desired profession faster. Mark Carangelo is an Author, Presenter, and massage therapy school owner who lectures year round on acute and chronic pain also Sports Injuries. He’s developed an orthopedic massage for the clinical therapist seminar series and DVD series. Mark presents at state conventions, is a presenter for The Red Bank Holistic Learning Center and New York Sports Clubs. His audience includes massage and physical therapists as well as athletic trainers, chiropractors, osteopaths, nurses, physicians, occupational therapists, high-end sports and athletic trainers. Mark has been on the New York Jets strength and conditioning staff and works with many elite athletes from UFC MMA fighters to world class swimmers. Mark has amassed hundreds of thousands of hours of clinical experience and his school American Institute of Alternative Medicine recognized as one of the most complete in the USA. He is also served as the vice chairman of the New Jersey massage and bodywork licensing board. Mark can be reached: [email protected] or www.massageschoolnewjersey.com This site is intended for those interested in a fulfilling career in Massage Therapy, Sports Medicine or continuing education of Alternative Medicine.
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AuthorMark Carangelo is a certified LMT. Owner and Director of AIAM of NJ. 
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