BLUE SKY SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL MASSAGE AND
THERAPEUTIC BODYWORK
SYLLABUS
COURSE TITLE:
MUSCULOSKELETAL ANATOMY & KINESIOLOGY I
COURSE #:
MSAK 101-I
FACULTY MEMBERS:
(office hours by appointment)
Madison
(608) 270-5245 (school)
Grafton
(262) 376-1011 (school)
DePere
(920) 338-9500 (school)
CLASS TIMES:
Please refer to block plan.
NUMBER OF HOURS:
27.5 clock hours.
FORMAT:
Quizzes, lecture, discussion, group activities, and palpation labs.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This introductory class focuses on the fundamentals of learning musculoskeletal anatomy and kinesiology.
Students will begin by learning proper terminology and actions. Skeletal structure of the human body is
covered including bones and bony landmarks. MSAK101-II will focus on the attachment points, direction of
fiber and action for each muscle in order to understand movement.
MSAK Project Part 1(due end of Semester 1)
o The project is a creative outlet to help assimilate and chunk the large volume of MSAK
material presented into a useful study tool for the National Exam, as well as a possible client
teaching tool. Be creative in a way that will help you learn and retain the material. You may
draw, trace, cut and paste or copy (within copyright rules) your material in any creative
fashion you’d like. Your project will NOT receive full credit if it is late (10 points deducted
PER DAY late), incomplete, unreadable, messy or if your references for diagrams or other
material (if applicable) are not included.
ASSESSMENTS:
Quizzes (280 points):
o There will be a quiz almost every week. Quizzes are taken at the beginning of each class.
There is a time limit for taking quizzes. Information from class notes and reading
assignments could be used for quizzes. If you fail a quiz, two quiz retakes are allowed in all
classes (see the Student Handbook for fee). If a student is present in class, the quiz
scheduled for that day must be taken even if the student was absent from the previous
session. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain any missed material prior to the next class
session.
Midterm Exam (150 points)
Updated: 7/12
©Blue Sky School of Professional Massage and Therapeutic Bodywork
MSAK 101-I Syllabus
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Trail Guide Student Workbook Quiz Reviews (3 points per page – total available points 108 points):
o In order to receive full credit, all Quiz Review homework is due at the beginning of class on the
day on which it is listed in the course outline (unless otherwise noted). If Quiz Review homework
is submitted one week late, only half the points will be awarded. Quiz Review homework
presented more than a week late will receive no points.
Final Comprehensive Exam(150 points):
o Please note that exams take the entire class period. Exams can be retaken (please see Student
Handbook).
REQUIREMENTS:
75% of available points is a passing score on any quiz or exams
75% cumulative score is required to pass MSAK101-I
Attendance: Please see Student Handbook
Professional and comfortable dress: See Student Handbook
MAKEUP ASSIGNMENTS FOR MISSED CLASS:
Consult your Student Handbook for current makeup policies.
All makeup assignments must be turned in within two weeks of the original date of the missed class
for credit. Any missed class time that is not made up will result in an “Incomplete” grade for the
course.
Missed quizzes are to be made up prior to the next scheduled class. Please schedule with your
administrative manager to makeup the written portion of the missed quiz. The instructor or TA will
administer any oral questions during a class break.
Students are expected to take the normally scheduled quiz at the next attended class.
Session 1: 3-5 page typed paper discussing the importance of Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Kinesiology to massage
therapy education. Reference at least two massage journals or sources.
Session 2: Draw and label the bones of the axial skeleton. Label all landmarks as listed in your notes. Create a
separate table listing one muscle that attaches to each bony landmark discussed in that session.
Session 3: Draw and label the bones of the upper appendicular skeleton. Label all landmarks as listed in your notes.
Create a separate table listing one muscle that attaches to each bony landmark discussed in that session.
Session 4: Draw and label the bones of the lower appendicular skeleton. Label all landmarks as listed in your notes.
Create a separate table listing one muscle that attaches to each bony landmark discussed in that session.
Session 5: For each action illustrated in session 5, create a table that lists an example of a muscle that performs that
action. Additionally, list 2 example muscles that correlates with how it was named for each category discussed in
your notes.
Session 6: Exam #1 is a practical exam. Due to the nature of this exam, no regular makeup assignment allowed.
Travel to another location to take this exam or consult with your instructor for other available options.
Session 7: Create a table for each muscle discussed in this section that cites its action, a synergistic muscle, its
antagonist action, and an antagonist muscle.
Session 8: Create a table for each muscle discussed in this section that cites its action, a synergistic muscle, its
antagonist action, and an antagonist muscle.
Session 9: Create a table for each muscle discussed in this section that cites its action, a synergistic muscle, its
antagonist action, and an antagonist muscle.
Session 10: Exam #2. Travel to another location to take this exam or consult with your instructor for other available
options.
PALPATION LABS:
You may change into comfortable clothing for palpation labs.
Updated: 7/12
©Blue Sky School of Professional Massage and Therapeutic Bodywork
MSAK 101-I Syllabus
Page 2 of 3
REQUIRED TEXT:
Trail Guide to the Human Body 4th edition by Andrew Biel = TG
Trail Guide to the Body Student Workbook 4th edition by Andrew Biel
RECOMMENDED MATERIAL/TEXTS:
Basic Clinical Massage Therapy. By James H. Clay & David M. Pounds
Trail Guide to the Human Body Flashcards. Vol 1: Bones of the Body & Vol 2: Muscles of the Human Body
The Anatomy Coloring Book. By Wynn Kapit & Lawrence M. Elson
The Muscular System Manual. By Joseph E. Musculino
Introduction to the Human Body. By Gerald J. Tortora & Sandra Reynolds Grabowski
REFERENCED MATERIAL:
The Anatomy Coloring Book. By Wynn Kapit & Lawrence M. Elson
The Muscular System Manual. By Joseph E. Musculino
Introduction to the Human Body. By Gerald J. Tortora & Sandra Reynolds Grabowski
Trail Guide to the Human Body. By Andrew Biel
Manual of Structural Kinesiology. By Thompson & Floyd
Unless stated otherwise, pictures are from the 20th U.S. edition of Gray's Anatomy of the Human
Body. This text was originally published in 1918 and therefore has lapsed into the public domain.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Review each week’s material in advance. This will make your class experience more productive.
Session
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
Updated: 7/12
LECTURE TOPIC
TG Reading
Assignments
Student Workbook
Quiz Review DUE
Available
Points
-
-
Terms, Structures & Skeletal Overview
pp 2-22; 32-33
The Axial Skeleton
Quiz 1: (material from prior session)
Upper Appendicular Skeleton
Quiz 2: (material from prior session)
Lower Appendicular Skeleton
Quiz 3: (material from prior session)
Joints
Quiz 4: (material from prior session)
Exam #1: (Sessions 1-5)
pp168-187; 226239; 282
pp 46-60;
108-126
pp 276-295; 344365
pp 34; 58
pp 7, top of pg 8;
14 & 15
pp 87, 88, 89, 90, 91,
121, 122
pp 28, 29, 54, 55, 56
Muscles, Movements, & Biomechanics
pp 23-31; 35-43
-
12
40
21
40
15
40
21
40
3
150
-
Posterior Spine and Thorax
Quiz 5: (material from prior sessions)
Lab
Chest, Abdomen, and Pelvis
Quiz 6: (material from prior session)
Lab
Anterior and Posterior Neck
Quiz 7: (material from prior session)
Lab
Exam #2: Comprehensive Exam
pp 188-202; 207208; 216-223
Bottom pg 8, pp 9,
10, 11, 12, 13
18
40
pp 88; 209-215;
299-301; 336-342
pp 84, 85, 86, 93
12
40
pp 203-206; 240249; 253-257;
260; 270-274
pp 110, 111
6
40
pp 145, 146, 147,
148, 181, 182, 183
pp 4
©Blue Sky School of Professional Massage and Therapeutic Bodywork
MSAK 101-I Syllabus
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