Research and Massage Therapy

Photo from: Research and Marketing Strategies (RMS)

There is a growing amount of research accessible to the general population and physicians on the topic of Massage Therapy.

These studies are helping to give credibility to the profession of Massage Therapy. It helps us be recognized as knowledgeable health care practitioners who are capable of so much more than just a relaxation massage or tension release.

Although the client will feel better physically, reporting their muscles are more relaxed at the end of a massage than the beginning, there is so much more going on in the body that will continue to help the client feel better long after the massage is over. The massage itself is only “skin-deep”.

There are so many examples of the many health benefits of massage, and many you can look up with credible resources. It really is fascinating that a massage can have a greater impact on the overall health and wellness of an individual. Pick anything: depression, anxiety, weight-loss, improved memory, etc., and I am sure you will find a study that shows how a massage can help. Search PubMed for examples 

I have already mentioned in a previous post on Neo Massage that massage therapy encouraged weight gain in pre-term infants. How does massage encourage weight gain? In short, when the body is relaxed, the “rest and digest” nervous system, or parasympathetic nervous system, is activated. A relaxed digestive system will facilitate better absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. This increased absorption of nutrients will be used as needed in the body of a pre-term infant to grow healthy and strong. Pretty neat, right? You can see more of these amazing examples on the website for The Touch Research Institute (TRI) founded by Tiffany Fields.   

I have been very fortunate to contribute to the ongoing research in the field of Massage Therapy with my first publication: Massage Therapy Techniques as Pain Management for Erythromelalgia.  

Being published for research was not something I had planned on when I began my Massage Therapy career, and I had a lot of help and support to complete this daunting task. I am grateful for the experience and I hope it will help educate those with Erythromelalgia and medical professionals who seek complementary therapies for this rare disease.

There are many Massage Therapists locally and globally participating in research everyday. Please consider supporting further research into the benefits of Massage Therapy. As a complementary therapy, and with enough research behind it, I believe massage can be as effective as pharmaceuticals for treating some of the worst diseases and illnesses many suffer from today.