8-Day Professional Sports Medicine Massage Course at the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University
With more than three years of clinical experience as an acupuncturist, I decided to join the 8-day Professional Sports Medicine Massage Course organized by RSM International Academy in collaboration with the Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University. My purpose was clear — to refine my palpation skills, deepen my understanding of trigger point mechanisms, and explore how myofascial techniques can enhance the effectiveness of acupuncture and cupping therapy.
In acupuncture, palpation is more than a diagnostic step — it is communication through touch. I wanted to better understand what lies beneath the skin: how fascia, muscle fibers, and neural pathways interact dynamically. Under the guidance of Mr. Hironori Ikeda, I discovered that every layer of tissue has its own rhythm and logic, and that true mastery comes from feeling those relationships with clinical precision.
Mr. Ikeda, who holds a Master’s Degree in Sports Medicine from the University of Tsukuba, Japan, is one of the top educators in Sports Medicine in Asia and worldwide. His teaching went far beyond massage techniques. We explored kinetic chain dynamics, learning how movement patterns, fascial tension, and neural activation influence one another throughout the body. The connection between myofascial pathways, neuromuscular activation, and joint mobility was explained in a way that completely changed my clinical framework.
Throughout the program, we studied over 1,300 anatomical visuals and 30 instructional videos, analyzing the interplay between structure and motion in incredible detail. Each session felt like an anatomical dialogue — between fascia, muscle, and nerve. For the first time, I began to see how movement itself can guide treatment, and how an acupuncturist can use kinetic chain logic to design more effective interventions.
The cadaver anatomy training at the Cadaver Surgical Anatomy Training Center of Chiang Mai University was another turning point. With guidance from university professors, we were able to directly observe fascial continuity, nerve trajectories, and muscular attachments. Touching real human anatomy gave me a new respect for the structural harmony that underlies all clinical work.
One of the most memorable moments was when I applied several of the new techniques directly to Mr. Ikeda himself. Feeling the immediate change in tissue response and mobility confirmed Chiang Mai Massage School everything I had learned — this was not just theory, but applied medical science.
Since completing the course, I’ve integrated these principles into my acupuncture sessions. I now combine trigger point acupuncture, myofascial release, and cupping therapy within the context of kinetic chain assessment. The results have been outstanding — faster muscle recovery, improved mobility, and deeper, Myofascial release longer-lasting pain relief.
This course reminded me why I became an acupuncturist in the first place. True healing comes from understanding how the body moves, reacts, and communicates beneath our hands. RSM International Academy, led by Mr. Hironori Ikeda, offers a level of anatomical and clinical education that Chiang Mai Massage School is unmatched in Asia. For any acupuncturist seeking to elevate their tactile intelligence and scientific understanding of movement — this is the path that truly transforms practice into mastery.