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Massage News Alert, April 2007 Dear Therapists, The internet continues to be a wonderful source of information. Not only text information, but also videos via YouTube, Metacafe and others. This month we bring you a story of a massage therapist that has earned money from producing online videos. I hope it can give us some hints how to earn extra $$. We went to see the Amazing Humanbody few weeks ago, exhibited in Sydney. It shows plastinated human, pioneered by Dr. Gunther Van Hagens (Some of you have seen his DVD Anatomy for Beginners available from us). It is indeed amazing to see the muscles revealed. If you haven't seen it, it is worth a visit (they will be in Melbourne and Brisbane later this year). Although not as big as its original Bodyworld exhibited in Europe, and US, it is still astounding. Still not sure if the one shown in Australia is related to Body Worlds. Trivia #1: Which movie shows the plastinated human body exhibition? Answer.. the end of this email. We also start to interview several therapists
and instructors on how they become a bodyworker, about their work,
advise, and how they see the future of
massage therapy. We hope
that their experiences and advise can inspire us as
massage therapists and
bodyworkers. We called this 6 questions to a bodyworkers, which is
available at:
http://www.terrarosa.com.au Happy reading and stay healthy from us at www.terrarosa.com.au In this issue: Articles: Massage therapist rewarded for producing free videos on the web, Swedish massage reduces the pain of knee osteoarthritis, Exercise can help reduce arthritis pain in elder women, Easing Chronic Neck Pain, Practicing Tai Chi Boosts Immune System in Older Adults, Research Reveals Protein's Role In Joints
Massage therapist rewarded for producing free videos on the web Some of you have heard about Juan Mann, who
started his "Free Hugs" campaign in Sydney and broadcasted via
YouTube. It has inspired people to give Free hugs all over the
world, and also become the video music for the song "All the same"
by Sick Puppies Massage therapists also find their way with online videos such as YouTube, MetaCafe, ExpertVillage, Revver. These online video sites have become havens for free instructional massage videos on the net. Although they are usually short videos (1-2 mins), massage therapists can now share their experiences and techniques on the internet. You can even earn money from it. Ryan Hoyme, who runs www.massagenerd.com has recently been awarded the "Producer Rewards" from Metacafe with his instructional short videos showing simple, and effective massage techniques. The award pays for every time someone watches the video on Metacafe. Ryan now has more than 60 massage videos on Metacafe, Revver, and YouTube Ryan has earned more than US$23,000 from his online videos. "I post massage videos to promote my business and my website, and share the health benefits of massage with people. I couldn't believe that I could earn so much money with my videos, but it happened on Metacafe! I believe that massage is something countless people can benefit from. Clearly, Metacafe is something that people can benefit from too. I know I did." Browse through Metacafe and you can see that Ryan's top video clips are rewarded more than $3000 per video. Expert Village also has a large range of
modalities, including Chinese
massage, stone, chair, Swedish
http://www.expertvillage.com Swedish massage reduces the pain of knee osteoarthritis Swedish massage was found to be an effective way to reduce pain and improve function in adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to a research conducted at the Yale Prevention Research Center and at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The 16-week study conducted to identify the potential benefits of Swedish massage on osteoarthritis patients with pain, stiffness and limited range of motion The 68 study participants, who were at least age 35 with x-rays confirming their diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the knee, were randomly assigned either to an intervention group that received massage therapy immediately, or to a wait-list control group that received massage after an initial eight-week delay. Both groups were encouraged to continue previously prescribed medications and treatments. Participants in the massage intervention group received a standard one-hour Swedish massage twice a week for four weeks, followed by Swedish massage once a week for the next four weeks. After the first eight weeks of massage therapy, participants had improved flexibility, less pain and improved range of motion. Measures of pain, stiffness, and functional ability were all significantly improved by the intervention as compared to the control group. Those who only continued with their usual care without massage showed no changes in symptoms. During weeks nine through 16, they received the massage intervention and experienced benefits similar to those receiving the initial massage therapy. When reassessed eight weeks after completion of the massage intervention, the benefits of massage persisted and remained significant, although the magnitude of effect was somewhat reduced. "Massage
is free of any known side effects and according to our results,
clearly shows therapeutic promise," said senior investigator of the
study David L. Katz, M.D., associate adjunct professor in the
Department of Epidemiology & Public Health at Yale School of
Medicine. "So-called 'alternative' treatments like
massage are most important
when conventional treatments are far from ideal. Article:
Massage Therapy for
Osteoarthritis of the Knee. A Randomized Controlled Trial. Adam I.
Perlman, MD, MPH; Alyse Sabina, MD; Anna-Leila Williams, PA-C, MPH;
Valentine Yanchou Njike, MD; David L. Katz, MD, MPH. Archives of
Internal Medicine, Vol. 166, No. 22, pp. 2533-2538. December 2006.
http://archinte.ama-assn.org Source:
http://www.yale.edu/opa/newsr
Exercise can help reduce arthritis pain in elder womenA debilitating health problem which is more likely to strike as we get older and affects more women than men, arthritis is almost as common as cardiovascular disease in Australia, affecting 17% of the population. By 2020 this figure is set to approach US levels, where arthritis is the most prevalent chronic condition for middle aged and older people, affecting over a fifth of the population. Exercising into old age could ensure movement without stiffness and pain for longer, and could reduce the burden of arthritis on the healthcare system. A study from University of Queensland suggests the more time older women spend exercising, the better their chances are of staying pain-free from one of the biggest chronic conditions plaguing developed countries. Even exercising as little as one hour and 15 minutes a week now can make a difference over the next three years, according to findings recently published in the journal Arthritis Research & Therapy. "I don't think the results are suggesting that you should just become this maniac exerciser," said lead author Kristiann Heesch from the University of Queensland, Australia. "What it does suggest is that just adding some walking and moderate activity to your life can make a big benefit." Doctors have long encouraged exercise among aging patients to keep joints flexible, muscles strong and to keep off weight, which is a leading risk factor for arthritis. This is the first study that focuses specifically on middle-aged and older women who did not have a history of stiff and painful joints. It looked solely at pain and symptoms reported by more than 8,700 Australian women over a three-year period, and could offer a vital clue about prevention. Women in their 70s who exercised 75 minutes a week reported fewer symptoms of arthritis than those who did less, while more spry women who were active at least 2 1/2 hours weekly had even less pain in the three years that followed. Although there appeared to be a direct correlation between exercise and lower joint pain, the reasons why were less clear. Conversely, exercise had no effect on arthritis symptoms reported by middle-aged women. Heesch said it's unclear why the results differed among the two age groups. The findings also contradict some earlier research, which found no direct link between fitness and arthritis. The Australian study, published last week, focused on specific age groups of fairly healthy women predominantly from rural areas who had not been diagnosed with arthritis, which may partially explain the difference, Heesch said. She said walking, swimming, yoga, tai chi and even some weight training were all great ways for older women to exercise after getting their doctors' approval. More women than men suffer from arthritis, and the risk increases greatly with age. Article: Relationship between
physical activity and stiff or painful joints in mid-aged and older
women: a 3 year prospective study, Kristiann C Heesch, Yvette D
Miller and Wendy J Brown,. Arthritis Research & Therapy 2007,
9:R34 (29 March 2007).
http://arthritis-research.com Source:
http://arthritis-research.com Easing Chronic Neck Pain Canadian researchers reported that sleeping with a neck support pillow and doing neck exercises can help ease chronic neck pain. Dr. Hugh A. Smythe at the University of Toronto, Ontario, and colleagues concluded that patients with chronic neck pain should be treated by health professionals trained to teach both exercises and the appropriate use of a neck support pillow during sleep; either strategy alone will not give the desired clinical benefit. Neck pain is fairly common and usually gets better on its own, but cases that last longer than two months can become chronic, the researchers note in the Journal of Rheumatology. Little scientific information is available on which treatment approaches are most effective. Using a clinical trial, participants were equally allocated at random to 4 treatment groups in the study: (1) placebo control, of hot or cold packs and massage; (2) sleeping neck support pillow and placebo; (3) active neck exercises and placebo; and (4) combined exercise and sleeping neck support pillow and placebo. Participants were treated by physical (physio) therapists over a 6 week period and assessed by masked independent assessors at 0, 3, 6, 12, 24 weeks, and 12 months, with the 12 week assessment being the primary decision time. The primary outcome measure was the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). The results showed that the effects of Exercise and Pillow by its own are not statistically significant in reducing neck pain; but the interaction of Exercise plus Pillow is statistically significant and clinically meaningful. They concluded that treatment to teach both exercises and the use of a neck support pillow achieved the most favorable benefit for participants with chronic neck pain; either strategy alone was not more effective than a control regimen. Time is also an important factor. Source:
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php
http://www.jrheum.com/abstracts
Practicing Tai Chi Boosts Immune System in Older Adults Tai chi chih, the Westernized version of the 2,000-year-old Chinese martial art characterized by slow movement and meditation, significantly boosts the immune systems of older adults against the virus that leads to the painful, blistery rash known as shingles, according to a new UCLA study. The 25-week study, which involved a group of
112 adults ranging in age from 59 to 86, showed that practicing tai
chi chih alone boosted immunity to a level comparable to having
received the standard vaccine against the shingles-causing varicella
zoster virus. When tai chi chih was combined with the vaccine,
immunity reached a level normally seen in middle age. The results, said lead author Michael Irwin, the Norman Cousins Professor of Psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, confirm a positive, virus-specific immune response to a behavioral intervention. The findings demonstrate that tai chi chih can produce a clinically relevant boost in shingles immunity and add to the benefit of the shingles vaccine in older adults. "These are exciting findings, because the positive results of this study also have implications for other infectious diseases, like influenza and pneumonia," said Irwin, who is also director of the UCLA Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology. "Since older adults often show blunted protective responses to vaccines, this study suggests that tai chi is an approach that might complement and augment the efficacy of other vaccines, such as influenza." The study divided individuals into two groups. Half took tai chi chih classes three times a week for 16 weeks, while the other half attended health education classes — including advice on stress management, diet and sleep habits — for the same amount of time and did not practice tai chi chih. After 16 weeks, both groups received a dose of the shingles vaccine Varivax. At the end of the 25-week period, the tai chi chih group achieved a level of immunity two times greater than the health education group. The tai chi chih group also showed significant improvements in physical functioning, vitality, mental health and reduction of bodily pain. Articles:Michael R. Irwin, Jennifer L. Pike,
Jason C. Cole, and Michael N. Oxman Effects of a Behavioral
Intervention, Tai Chi Chih, on Varicella-Zoster Virus Specific
Immunity and Health Functioning in Older Adults Psychosom Med 2003
65: 824-830.
http://www.psychosomaticmedicin Michael R. Irwin MD, Richard Olmstead
PhD, Michael N. Oxman MD (2007) Augmenting Immune Responses to
Varicella Zoster Virus in Older Adults: A Randomized, Controlled
Trial of Tai Chi Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 55 (4),
511–517.
http://www.blackwell-synergy Source:
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.healthsciences.ucla Research Reveals Protein's Role In Joints Synovial fluid is slime with a serious purpose: Protecting shoulders, hips and other joints from wear, reducing the likelihood of injuries and arthritis. Scientists have long believed that synovial fluid gets its surface-slicking, shock-absorbing properties from the "goo molecule" hyaluronate. But new research led by Brown University physician and engineer Gregory Jay, M.D., shows that the protein lubricin is also a player, not only lubricating cartilage but also giving synovial fluid its spring. "Protein components like lubricin are just as key as hyaluronate for protecting joints," Jay said. "What we hope to get out of this knowledge is better treatments for arthritis, one of the most common chronic health problems and the biggest cause of disability in the nation." In this new work, Jay and his team show how lubricin and hyaluronate work together to give synovial fluid its elastic property. The team found that these molecules act as weaver and wool: Lubricin gathers the long, thin, stiff polymers of hyaluronate together, creating structures that the researchers believe create shock-absorbing structures inside synovial fluid. Their results show that Synovial fluid that lacked lubricin wasn't elastic – and wouldn't be able to protect cartilage. "Elasticity is distinct from boundary lubrication," Jay said. "It's a different protective feature."Article: The role of lubricin in the
mechanical behavior of synovial fluid. G. D. Jay, J. R. Torres, M.
L. Warman, M. C. Laderer, and K. S. Breuer. Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences
www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073 Source:
http://www.brown.edu/Administra ------------------------------ New DVDs from www.terrarosa.com.au Dynamic Tui Na Tui Na (literally means push and grab) is a bodywork developed in China over 3,000 years ago. It works with the Qi or energy system in the body known, the aim is to bring client to a balanced flow of energy. This DVD shows you a full body sequence, and also treatment for specific conditions such as: shoulder, back pain, constipations, and others.
More info See:
http://www.terrarosa.com.au
Awesome Swedish
Massage From Ryan Hoyme, the creator of MassageNerd
and massage video clips in
YouTube. This DVD has over 300+
massage techniques. You will get your money's worth and you
will gain new skills to use in your current
massage treatment. Draping
is also showed.
Orthopedic Massage
Orthopaedics or
Orthopedics (US) according to the Oxford dictionary is "branch of
medicine dealing with the correction of diseased, deformed or
injured bones and muscles". This DVD series present the "Cutting
Edge" in Orthopedic
Massage Training
for the treatment of Chronic Pain and Sports Injuries. This series
show you techniques to release Complicated Pain Conditions by an
international lecturer & author: James Waslaski. These incredibly
powerful techniques are taught in James Waslaski's seminars in the
US and around the world. There are 6 DVDs in his series dealing with
assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation program for injuries:
Lower extremity, Upper extremity, Lower back pain, Thoracic Outlet &
Frozen Shoulder, Cervical problems, and Isolated Stretching. For
more details, see:
http://www.terrarosa.com.au
New Books
Polarity Therapy Workbook by John Beaulieu This book provides step by step instructions, lavishly Illustrated with 500 photographs and illustrations, covers the full scope of Polarity Therapy bodywork, exercise, theory, and evaluation. The Polarity Therapy Workbook organizes Polarity Therapy into sixteen learning protocols beginning with fundamental skills and systematically progressing through to the advanced levels of practice. Included are detailed Protocols for: general session, each of the five elements, reflexology, exercise, structural alignment, and special protocols. Special attention also given to the modalities of reflexology and craniosacral therapy.
For more
details, see:
http://www.terrarosa.com.au
Trail Guide to the Body 3rd Edition by Andrew Biel The famous guide on how to locate muscles in your body will be available soon on our website. Very nice illustration and guide on how to locate and palpate bones, ligaments and muscles on your body. Check or website in May.
Massage Tools
Thumbsavers(R)
is an affordable
massage tool that assists therapists by providing
support and reducing the stress on your joints and wrists from
deeper tissue massages, while protecting your most valuable
commodity: your thumbs & hands! Thumbsavers is so unique that it
cannot be called a "tool" because your thumbs and fingers are
actually inside them. Find out more:
http://www.terrarosa.com.au ------------------------------ Answers to Trivia Trivia #1: Plastinated human by
Gunther Von Hagens and his exhibition Bodyworld, is shown in the new
James Bond movie Casino Royale. Plastinated cadavers in various
states of dissection made up to resemble a poker-playing scene. The
exhibits were featured in a supposed Miami exhibition, although the
actual location for the exterior shots was the Ministry of Transport
in Prague.
http://www.terrarosa.com.au Trivia #2: In one scene from the
movie X-Men: The Last Stand, Professor Charles Xavier (Patrick
Stewart) is shown to give craniosacral therapy to the Dark Phoenix.
http://www.terrarosa.com.au
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