Massage News Update - March 2009
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Dear Bodyworkers,
An article in the NETT magazine said that almost 60% of online enquiry in Australia is never answered. My personal experience say that it is quite true. If you have a website, or have a webpage on the naturaltherapy pages, it is worth to regularly check your email and responds to online enquiry in a timely manner. Since you have spent lots of money on making a website and pay to be listed in the webpage, might as well make a good use out of it. Nowadays, online enquiries worth the same influence as phone enquiries. And if you don't respond to email or online enquiries in time, somebody else will.
Not sure if you know that recently the Australian Government recently announced a tax break for Capital Equipment Purchases for small business. For example a small business that buys and installs a $2,000 computer before the end of June 2009 can claim an additional $600 deduction in its 2008-09 tax return. More details here: http://www.treasurer.gov.au/DisplayDocs.aspx?doc=pressreleases/2009/012.htm&pageID=003&min=wms&Year=&DocType
In this issue we have news on research on
Hamstring length in patellofemoral pain syndrome,
Massage Therapy for People with Cardiovascular Disease,
Restorative Yoga Provides Emotional Benefits To Women With Breast Cancer,
Masseter trigger points and manual therapy,
The effect of soft tissue release on delayed onset muscle soreness, and
We got new collections in our oriental bodywork collection, Zen Shiatsu, TuiNa, TaiChi and more. Check out on our specials this month with discount on: QiGong massage, healing stone, equine massage and more, great discount but offer only for a limited time. So hurry. Details below.
Check also upcoming events by ATMS, AAMT and also Lomi Lomi workshop.
This newsletter is our attempt to bring you what's happening in the latest research and news on massage related issues. We sell massage videos and books so the advert is at the end of this page. Archive of our past news can be found at http://www.massage-research.com/blog/ You can search for and comment on articles. We don't just sell DVDs, we provide you with the latest information. Happy reading and stay healthy… from us at www.terrarosa.com.au
Also Inside this issue:
Hamstring length in patellofemoral pain syndrome
A study from UK recently found that patients with patellofemoral pain had shorter hamstring muscles than asymptomatic people.The study was conducted in a Hospital physiotherapy department. Two groups were tested; one group diagnosed with patellofemoral pain syndrome (mean age 27 years, n = 11, six males, five females) and one group of asymptomatic controls (mean age 25 years, n = 25, 13 males, 12 females). Hamstring length was evaluated using the passive knee extension method to measure popliteal angle.
The results showed that the mean values for hamstring length were 145° for patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome and 153.7° for the asymptomatic controls. The study found that patients with patellofemoral pain had shorter hamstring muscles than asymptomatic controls. It is not clear whether this is a cause or effect of the condition. Further research is suggested to study how hamstring length changes with rehabilitation, and the relationship with pain.
Massage Therapy for People with Cardiovascular Disease
A review of Alternative and Complementary Medicine for Preventing and Treating Cardiovascular Disease was recently published in Disease-a-month journal. The following is a summary on the use of massage therapy.
Massage therapy has been available for centuries; however, the idea of therapeutic or healing touch was strongly promoted in the 1970s. Although the theory of “energy transfer” to patients with cardiovascular disease has been postulated, there is no scientific substantiation of this concept. There is more evidence of a potential anti-anxiety effect, which bears further scrutiny. A study by Song et al. analyzed electroencephalograms and electrocardiograms in 22 subjects who focused attention on their heartbeats with and without kinesthetic (touch) biofeedback. Heart-focused attention and awareness of creative pulsations revealed increased electroenceph-alographic activities synchronized with the electrocardiogram, possibly reflecting increased baroreceptor and somatosensory feedback. This suggests a homeostatic self-regulation between the brain and the target organ, which may underlie the self-healing mechanisms apparent in mind-body medicine.
Tiller et al. demonstrated that patients trained in heart-focused stress reduction techniques shifted attention away from stress and directly influenced the parasympathetic feedback loop.299 These and other studies on the physiology of self-attention provide a crossover reference to the effects demonstrated with therapeutic touch. Heidt studied 90 patients who were hospitalized in a cardiovascular unit, comparing the effects of therapeutic touch, casual touch, or no touch with all patients receiving a 5-minute intervention. Pre- and postinterventional anxiety scores showed a significantly greater reduction in post touch anxiety among the patients receiving therapeutic touch. An extensive review of the literature concludes that there is evidence to support the practice of therapeutic touch for the reduction of both pain and anxiety. Nine of 11 studies analyzed showed statistically significant benefits from this treatment.
Massage therapy has a long history of use for musculoskeletal and orthopedic complaints with a variety of positive responses reported. There have been relatively few studies in regard to the treatment of cardiovascular patients and any long-term benefit. One study by Olney found regular therapeutic massage to be helpful in lowering blood pressure in hypertensive patients. McNamara et al. studied back massage before diagnostic cardiac catheterization and found some benefit from a 20-minute massage intervention.303 In the treatment group, systolic blood pressure was reduced a mean 8.6 mmHg and perceived psychological distress was reduced as well. The mechanism of benefit in massage therapy appears to be both a reduction of anxiety levels and an increase in cardiac parasympathetic activity. The MANTRA studies suggest clinical benefit on cardiac outcomes in patients undergoing angioplasty with therapeutic touch,but no significant difference was seen between treatment groups. Additional trials seem warranted, as is evidenced by the validity of massage therapy to reduce stress, which is a major provocative factor in CAD.
The authors concluded that "Despite the lack of scientific rigor in previous studies of CAM therapies, the NCCAM, a part of the NIH, is now actively coordinating clinical trials, advancing scientific research, and training researchers to study CAM. Ultimately it will be the fusion of the best medical practices from those which are rigorously studied in clinical trials that will provide the most favorable clinical outcomes in medicine."
In addition, physicians must remember that many of our current drugs came out of herbal medicine practice (eg, digitalis, aspirin, lovastatin, reserpine), and homeopathy (nitroglycerin). Much of our bedside approach to sick patients was adopted and modified from ancient and deeply rooted cultures (eg, Ayurveda). We have the responsibility as medical professionals to preserve and protect the physical, psychological, and spiritual “heart” of our patients. Achieving a “placebo effect,” while doing “no harm,” is a benefit clinicians should not ignore.
Restorative Yoga Provides Emotional Benefits To Women With Breast Cancer
Women undertaking a ten week program of 75 minute Restorative Yoga (RY) classes gained positive differences in aspects of mental health such as depression, positive emotions, and spirituality (feeling calm/peaceful) compared to the control group. The study, published February 28 in a special issue of Psycho-Oncology focusing on physical activity, shows the women had a 50% reduction in depression and a 12% increase in feelings of peace and meaning after the yoga sessions.
44 women took part in the study, with 22 undertaking the yoga classes and 22 in the waitlist control group. All of the women had breast cancer; 34% were actively undergoing cancer treatment while the majority had already completed treatment. All participants completed a questionnaire at the beginning and end of the ten week program, asking them to evaluate their quality of life through various measures. The results clearly showed that the women who had been given the RY classes experienced a wide range of benefits compared to the control group (who were later all invited to attend identical RY classes).
“Evidence from systematic reviews of randomized trials is quite strong that mind-body therapies improve mood, quality of life, and treatment-related symptoms in people with cancer. The study found that women who started with higher negative emotions and lower emotional well-being derived greater benefit from the gentle yoga intervention compared to the control group. Women in the gentle yoga group also demonstrated a significant within-group improvement in fatigue, while no such change was noted for the control group.
“This was a pilot study to identify the worthiness and feasibility of conducting a larger randomized control trial on restorative yoga and women with breast cancer,” added Danhauer. “Our results are very promising and will allow us to embark on a much larger scale study.”
Wiley-Blackwell (2009, March 2). Yoga Provides Emotional Benefits To Women With Breast Cancer.
See also our new DVD on Restorative Yoga
Masseter trigger points and manual therapy
A recent study from Spain evaluate the immediate effects, on pressure pain sensitivity and active mouth opening, following the application of neuromuscular or strain/counter-strain technique in latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the masseter muscle. The study was published in Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies in January 2009.
The study involved seventy-one subjects aged between 20–65 years old with MTrPs in the masseter muscle. Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) was assesed as follows: subject supine and the examiner standing at the head of the table, the examiner used his thumb and index fingers to palpate (using pincer palpation) the masseter muscle to establish if MTrPs were present. MTrPs were located in the middle of the most superficial fibers of the masseter muscle. The referred pain produced by these MTrPs spread to the maxilla or to the mandible teeth. (A & B figure below)
Subjects were divided randomly into three groups: group A which was treated with a neuromuscular intervention, group B treated with the strain/counter-strain technique, and group C as control group. Each treatment group received a weekly treatment session during 3 consecutive weeks.
Outcomes measures were pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), active mouth opening and local pain (visual analogue scale, VAS) elicited by the application of 2.5 kg/cm2 of pressure over the MTrP. They were captured at baseline and 1 week after discharge by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the subject.
The results showed the application of a neuromuscular or strain/counter-strain technique over latent MTrPs in the masseter muscle increases pressure pain thresholds, increases active mouth opening and decreases local pain induced by standard pressure. Further, the effect sizes were large for both intervention groups, suggesting a strong clinical effect, whereas the effect size of the control was small.
Their results suggest that neuromuscular or
strain/counter-strain technique might be employed in the management of latent
MTrPs in the masseter muscle.
The effect of soft tissue release on delayed onset muscle soreness
Soft tissue release (STR) is a newer type of manual therapy that involves applying deep pressure to a muscle while simultaneously performing a controlled muscle lengthening by moving the corresponding joint either passively or actively. Unlike many other massage techniques, STR provides a method of manipulating deep tissues throughout the full joint range of motion. Since the signs and symptoms of exercise induced muscle damage are often more severe towards the limits of joint range of motion, it is conceivable that such signs and symptoms could be targeted more precisely by using STR rather than other types of massage.
A pilot study conducted by Dominic Micklewright from the Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Essex, examined soft tissue release (STR) as an intervention for delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The study was published in Physical Therapy in Sport.
A mixed-subjects experimental design was used. Participants (Twenty male, unaccustomed to strength conditioning) performed 4 × 20 eccentric elbow extensions at 80% of 1RM. Participants received either STR (50%) or no treatment (50%). DOMS measurements were taken before the elbow extensions and at 0, 24, and 48 h afterwards.
DOMS was evaluated using relaxed joint angle (RJA), active range of motion (AROM), passive range of motion (PROM), and arm girth measurements. Soreness ratings were measured using a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS). Results
In both conditions there were post-DOMS task increases in VAS ratings and arm girths and decreases in RJA, AROM , and PROM. For the group receiving STR, VAS scores were higher immediately and 48 h after treatment. There were no other between-group differences and none of the measurements returned to baseline levels by 48 h.
The authors concluded that STR exacerbates the DOMS sensation yet does not seem to improve the rate of recovery during the first 48 h. The study showed that deep aggressive manipulation of muscles, does not appear to improve recovery from DOMS. Athletes or rehabilitation practitioners who are looking for a quick fix to DOMS are therefore unlikely to find STR any more useful than more gentle massage techniques. Further research is needed to look more closely at the relationship between manual manipulation of injured tissues and the underlying cellular mechanisms of tissue repair. Without this additional information it is unlikely that the ambiguities surrounding the efficacy of massage and other manual manipulation techniques will be resolved.
Zen meditation – a centuries-old practice that can provide mental, physical and emotional balance – may reduce pain according to Université de Montréal researchers. A new study in the January edition of Psychosomatic Medicine reports that Zen meditators have lower pain sensitivity both in and out of a meditative state compared to non-meditators.
Joshua A. Grant, a doctoral student in the Department of Physiology, co-authored the paper with Pierre Rainville, a professor and researcher at the Université de Montréal and it’s affiliated Institut universitaire de gériatrie de Montréal. The main goal of their study was to examine whether trained meditators perceived pain differently than non-meditators.
“While previous studies have shown that teaching chronic pain patients to meditate is beneficial, very few studies have looked at pain processing in healthy, highly trained meditators. This study was a first step in determining how or why meditation might influence pain perception.” says Grant.
For this study, the scientists recruited 13 Zen meditators with a minimum of 1,000 hours of practice to undergo a pain test and contrasted their reaction with 13 non-meditators. Subjects included 10 women and 16 men between the ages of 22 to 56.
The administered pain test was simple: A thermal heat source, a computer controlled heating plate, was pressed against the calves of subjects intermittently at varying temperatures. Heat levels began at 43 degrees Celsius and went to a maximum of 53 degrees Celsius depending on each participant’s sensitivity. While quite a few of the meditators tolerated the maximum temperature, all control subjects were well below 53 degrees Celsius.
Grant and Rainville noticed a marked difference in how their two test groups reacted to pain testing – Zen meditators had much lower pain sensitivity (even without meditating) compared to non-meditators. During the meditation-like conditions it appeared meditators further reduced their pain partly through slower breathing: 12 breaths per minute versus an average of 15 breaths for non-meditators.
“Slower breathing certainly coincided with reduced pain and may influence pain by keeping the body in a relaxed state.” says Grant. “While previous studies have found that the emotional aspects of pain are influenced by meditation, we found that the sensation itself, as well as the emotional response, is different in meditators.”
The ultimate result? Zen meditators experienced an 18 percent reduction in pain intensity. “If meditation can change the way someone feels pain, thereby reducing the amount of pain medication required for an ailment, that would be clearly beneficial,” says Grant.
The article in Psychosomatic Medicine: www.psychosomaticmedicine.org/cgi/content/abstract/71/1/106
AAMT
National Conference 22-24 May 2009, Hobart
http://www.aamt.com.au/docs/
ATMS National Conference & Exhibition 13-14 June 2009, Sydney Olympic Park http://www.atms.com.au/seminars/2009%20ATMS%20Conference%20Brochure%20final.pdf We will have a stand there, give us a visit.
Lomi Lomi Workshop with Carrie Rowell 24-27
September 2009, North Curl Curl, Sydney
AAMT approved for 20 CPE points. http://www.terrarosa.com.au/articles/lomi.htm
Errol Dexter Lynch presents a step by step video on how to do and improve your Tui Na massage. Filmed in China and England, with never seen before footage and many treatment demonstrations. This DVD Student to Master has been 6 years in the making, taking you through the process from student to master. Includes: Practical massage demonstrations, Fundamental hand techniques for tuina, sports massage, and sports injuries, Related therapies (cupping, heat lamps and traction), An insight into Chinese culture and uses of tuina in Chinese hospitals, Interviews and testimonials
This DVD provides a lecture on the recent scientific discoveries of fascia. Get informed with the latest scientific exploration of fascia and its manipulation. Rather than being a mere passive packing organ, it has become increasingly clear that the fascia plays an important role in myofascial force generation, in tissue stiffness regulation, in pain generation and in proprioception. Robert Schleip an international expert on fascial research as well as a highly experienced bodyworker presents this lecture in a DVD format.
Get creative, a series of face painting DVD will lighten your work. Animal, Masquerade, Halloween Classics, Horror, Holidays & Seasons. Each DVD shows how to paint eight different full-face designs.
This program discusses the history of Wudang Taijiquan, offers a Warm Up section, and teaches the essential skill of Zhan-Zhuang, or standing meditation, which develops the Qi (energy) throughout your body. The complete 108-posture Wudang Taijiquan sequence is demonstrated, and each posture is instructed separately with martial applications. Each technique is taught and demonstrated in detail, making it easy for the viewer to learn. The ancient art of Wudang Taijiquan has much wisdom to offer beginners and experienced Tai Chi practitioners of all styles.
This popular DVD is now back in stock. This DVD shows a unique combination of Swedish, Remedial and sports massage in the head, neck and shoulder area and how to sequence and integrate it into a full body massage. It is a combination of anatomy, joint movement, trigger points, stretching, and technical massage to address the most used and abused area in the body.
Fascial Manipulation - Practical Part by Luigi Stecco & Carla Stecco
Welcome to an exciting new field in musculoskeletal therapy: the fascinating world of fascia. This manual provides practical techniques to facilitate the treatment of the fascia. It describes the topographical location of all the points, the respective movement tests and the modality of treatment for each point. In order to manipulate the fascia it is essential to know the exact location of the points, to perform the movement examinations correctly and to position the patient appropriately for each treatment. This new book just recently published is specially imported from Italy.
A Practical Guide to Acu-points
An understanding of acu-points is vital not only for acupuncturists but also for bodyworkers. This user-friendly manual contains current, comprehensive information for both groups, with special emphasis on how shiatsu and tuina therapists can best utilize “point knowledge” in their practice. Renowned experts Chris Jarmey and Ilaira Bouratinos use succinct text, a well-organized framework, and detailed color anatomical illustrations to clarify the complexities of acu-points. http://www.terrarosa.com.au/book/acu-points.htm
An Introductory Guide to Reflexology
Provides a concisely explained and thoroughly illustrated introduction to a complex subject. Includes a free CD-ROM with full reflexology video routine. It is an essential textbook for all students of this fascinating therapy.The book covers: * Study and revision are facilitated with an annotated fold-out foot chart, * Detailed illustrations and clearly stated learning objectives. * The history and development of Reflexology * The theory and concept of Reflexology Techniques and applications * How to treat specific conditions * A full photographic sequence of the Reflexology routine * How to carry out professional consultation
The Concise Book of Trigger Points, 2nd Edition
This fabulous practical manual now in a new edition, explains how to treat chronic pain through trigger points — those tender, painful nodules that form in muscle fibers and connective tissues. Organized by muscle groups, the book emphasizes hands-on techniques for bringing immediate relief by stimulating the flow of oxygen to the trigger point. Each two-page spread features detailed colour illustrations on one side and straightforward text on the other identifying each muscle's origin, insertion, action, and function. In addition, the author discusses the physiological implications of the trigger points in each muscle, and techniques for treatment.
The famous Anatomy Trains is now available in a brand new second edition, includes numerous updates including important new findings in recent fascial research, photos of the Anatomy Trains myofascial meridians dissected, new appendices on Structural Integration protocols based on the Anatomy Trains concept, and a comparison of the myofascial meridians with the meridians of acupuncture. The entire book is now in full color, including all new artwork. The new edition also benefits from new web links and includes an interactive DVD-ROM with animations of the Anatomy Trains lines, fascial release techniques, and dissection videos.
Modalities for Bodywork and Massage
Gain a better understanding of the top modalities in massage practice with expert insight and a balanced, user-friendly approach! This current, consistently organized resource distills a wealth of information on 21 popular massage modalities into easy-to-read overviews detailing the essential principles behind each therapy. Leading experts lend years of valuable knowledge and experience across a wide spectrum of massage modalities including triggr points, neuromuscular therapy, prenatal, myofascial release, shiatsu, craniosacral, reflexology, and more. A companion DVD demonstrates proper techniques for 7 top modalities with over 100 minutes of detailed video footage.
Anatomy of Movement: Exercises
Describes and illustrates, through hundreds of photographs and drawings, a comprehensive series of exercises involving the most common movements of the body. The exercises were chosen on the basis of their effectiveness and with concern for their safety. Some are designed to focus on strengthening a particular region or muscle group, others the entire body. Each exercise prepares the body to respond well to the demands of particular movements. Together they serve as a basis for the more specialized movements associated with various physical disciplines and therapies.