Massage News Update - October 2009
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Dear Bodyworkers,
The role of our mind and brain in our body and pain is an important topic that is seldom addressed in bodywork. An Australian physiotherapist David Butler has a unique approach to handling pain, see his lecture here http://www.massage-research.com/blog/?p=661 He is an interesting guy..
Another interesting video is by Mary Bond explaining "the new rules of posture" and demonstrating a shoulder exercise http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-57zUtfR10g
We got a new book titled "The Brain that Changes itself", a bestseller science book that is a great read to understand how the mind affect our body.
We will be at the AMT National Conference, 24-25 October 2009 in Sydney, give us a visit if you are there.
Art Riggs, author of best selling Deep Tissue Massage Manual & DVD, will be visiting Sydney and NZ next year. More info here http://www.terrarosa.com.au/articles/art_riggs.pdf Check it in our upcoming events news.
This newsletter brings 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
Inside this issue:
High heels and ankle & knee pain
Understanding the Process of Fascial Unwinding
Money and pain
World record in massage
Massage Therapy Reduces Agitation in Nursing-Home Residents
Chronic stress in myofascial pain patients
Also Inside this issue:
High heels and ankle & knee pain
The Institute for Aging Research study links high-heels to heel and ankle pain Women should think twice before buying their next pair of high-heels or pumps, according to researchers at the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife in a new study of older adults and foot problems. The researchers found that the types of shoes women wear, specifically high-heels, pumps and sandals, may cause future hind-foot (heel and ankle) pain. Nearly 64 percent of women who reported hind-foot pain regularly wore these types of shoes at some point in their life.
“We found an increased risk of hind-foot pain among women who wore shoes, such as high-heels or pumps, that lack support and sound structure,” says lead author Alyssa B. Dufour, a graduate student in the Institute’s Musculoskeletal Research Program.
Published in the October issue of the journal Arthritis Care & Research, the study is one of the first to examine the association between shoe wear—beyond just high-heel use—and foot pain. The researchers, who analyzed foot-examination data from more than 3,300 men and women in The Framingham Study, say past shoe wear among women is a key factor for hind-foot pain. They found no significant link between foot pain and the types of shoes men wear.
While foot pain is a common complaint in the U.S. adult population—foot and toe symptoms are among the top 20 reasons for physician visits among those 65 to 74 years of age—relatively little is known about the causes of foot pain in older adults. Women are more likely than men to have foot pain; however, it is not known if this is due to a higher prevalence of foot deformities, underlying disease, shoe wear, or other lifestyle choices.
From a list of 11 shoe types, study participants were asked about the one style of shoe they currently wear on a regular basis, what they regularly wore during five age periods in the past, and if they experience pain, aching or stiffness in either foot on most days. Nearly 30 percent of women and 20 percent of men reported generalized foot pain, which is in line with other foot-pain studies. Ms. Dufour’s team, however, found a significant association in women who reported hind-foot pain and past shoe wear that included high-heels and pumps.
The shoe types were classified as “poor” (high-heels, pumps, sandals and slippers), “average” (hard- or rubber-soled shoes and work boots), and “good” (athletic and casual sneakers). More than 60 percent of women reported wearing “poor” shoes in the past, compared to only 2 percent of men (13 percent of women said they currently wear “poor” shoes).
When we walk, a significant biomechanical shock is delivered to the foot each time our heel strikes the ground. “Good” shoes, such as sneakers and other athletic footwear, often have soles and other features that soften this shock and protect the foot. The heel and ankle take the brunt of this shock, which may be why women who wear high-heeled shoes often report pain in this part of the foot.
Understanding the Process of Fascial Unwinding
A recent article at the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
discusses the mechanism of fascial unwinding.
Fascial or myofascial unwinding is a popular myofascial release technique where a client undergoes a spontaneous reaction in response to the therapist’s touch. It can be induced by using specific techniques that encourage a client’s body to move into areas of ease. The author said that its mechanism is not well understood and in the absence of a scientific explanation or hypothesis of the mechanism of action, it is usually interpreted as “mystical.” The usual explanation of unwinding is that our tissue can hold memory. However this theory is not scientifically grounded.
The author proposed a mechanism model to explain the process of unwinding based on the stimulation of parasympathetic nervous system and ideomotor action. Ideomotor actions are unconscious, involuntary movements that are performed by a person. Ideomotor action has two important characteristics: first, the person is not aware of causing the movements, and therefore the movements are ascribed to an external force or power; and second, the movement feels unnatural, and thus the external forces perceived are usually regarded as being mystical or paranormal in nature. However, because these movements cause tangible effects, they can be repeated. Automatic writing, and using Ouija boards have been attributed to the effects of this phenomenon. Indeed, people experiencing unwinding sometimes expressed it as if using ouija board, the client thinks the therapist is moving the client's body and the therapist assumed the client performed the movement.
During fascial unwinding, the therapist stimulates mechanoreceptors in the fascia by applying gentle touch and stretching. Touch and stretching induce relaxation and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. They also activate the central nervous system, which is involved in the modulation of muscle tone as well as movement. As a result, the central nervous system is aroused and thereby responds by encouraging muscles to find an easier, or more relaxed, position and by introducing the ideomotor action. Although the ideomotor action is generated via normal voluntary motor control systems, it is altered and experienced as an involuntary response.
The author concluded that fascial unwinding occurs when a physically induced suggestion by a therapist prompts ideomotor action that the client experiences as involuntary. This action is guided by the central nervous system, which produces continuous action until a state of ease is reached. Consequently, fascial unwinding can be thought of as a neurobiologic process employing the self-regulation dynamic system theory.
Read the full paper here: http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/view/43/75
Money and pain
In a paper evaluated by f1000 Medicine, six studies tested relationships between reminders of money, social exclusion and physical pain. In The symbolic power of money: reminders of money alter social distress and physical pain published in the journal Psychological Science, Xinyue Zhou, Kathleen Vohs and Roy Baumeister explored how money could reduce a person’s feeling of pain and also negate their need for social popularity.
Harriet de Wit, Faculty Member for f1000 Medicine, said: “This research extends our understanding of relationships between social pain and physical pain, and remarkably, shows how acquired symbolic value of money, perhaps because of associations with power or control, can influence responses to both emotional and physical pain.” She also noted: “These findings have great importance for a social system such as ours that is characterized by wide disparities in financial wellbeing.”
Zhou, Vohs and Baumeister determined that interpersonal rejection and physical pain caused desire for money to increase. They said: “Money can possibly substitute for social acceptance in conferring the ability to obtain benefits from the social system. Moreover, past work has suggested that responses to physical pain and social distress share common underlying mechanisms.” “Handling money (compared with handling paper) reduced distress over social exclusion and diminished the physical pain of immersion in hot water. Being reminded of having spent money, however, intensified both social distress and physical pain,” the authors said.
World record in massage
The Leeds masses in UK smashed the Guinness world record by creating the longest back massage chain. An impressive 430 people lined-up to form an army of masseuses organised by v, the National Young Volunteers Service.
Before headliners KINGS OF LEON and KAISER CHIEFS took to the stage, the Sunday crowd killed the previous record of 260 people. The challenge was part of v’s Outdoor Favours campaign to show young people how easy it is to do someone a favour.
Massage Therapy Reduces Agitation in Nursing-Home Residents
According to recent research, massage therapy was shown to reduce agitated behavior in nursing-home residents with cognitive impairment. The study, “Massage in the Management of Agitation in Nursing Home Residents with Cognitive Impairment,” involved 52 residents from two nursing homes. Subjects ranged in the age from 70 to 105 and had a history of agitated behaviour, as well as a diagnosis of cognitive impairment, whether moderate or severe.
Results of the research revealed agitation levels for four of the five symptoms were lower during massage than at baseline. At follow-up, both one and two weeks later, agitation levels were lower for all five categories.
Chronic stress in myofascial pain patients
Although myofascial pain has often been described as being associated with psychosocial stress, detailed evidence in support of this assumption, either from standardized clinical examination or from validated chronic stress questionnaires, is absent. A recent article in the Clinical Oral Investigations journal test the hypothesis that some stressors lead to higher scores in patients suffering from chronic myofascial pain than in pain-free controls and in patients suffering from chronic facial pain.
One hundred and fifty subjects were included in the study, and depending on clinical findings, divided into three groups: exclusively chronic myofascial pain group, controls with chronic facial pain but without temporomandibular disorders (TMD), and controls without pain or TMD. Chronic stress was assessed on nine subscales by use of a validated questionnaire.
The results showed that myofascial pain patients have a significantly higher stress score for “social isolation” than pain-free controls. However, they do not have higher scores than patients suffering from facial pain.
The 2nd International Fascia Research Congress, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 27-30 October 2009. http://www.fasciacongress.org/2009/
AMT National Conference, 24-25 October 2009, Novotel Brighton Le Sands,
Sydney. We will be there, give us a visit. More info:
http://www.amt-ltd.org.au/
World Massage Conference, 12-17 November 2009.
AAMT National Conference, 21-13 May 2010, Sydney with Whitney Lowe as Keynote. http://www.aamt.com.au/page.php?pgname=Conf10Announce
Art Riggs' Deep Tissue Massage Workshop. Sydney & New Zealand, October 2010. Class size is limited. To register your interest, email: terrarosa@gmail.com. The schedule is:
Sydney:
Fundamentals of Touch: 29, 30, 31 October 2010
Integrated Deep Tissue Massage: 2, 3 November 2010
Second class (Advanced Integrated body) : 18, 19, 20, 21 Nov 2010
New Zealand:
Fundamentals of Touch: 5,6,7 November 2010
More details:
http://www.terrarosa.com.au/articles/art_riggs.pdf
FLOAT ON A CLOUD WITHIN 30 SECONDS! Contoured headrest to let you relax your neck, head & shoulder. The REAL-EaSE is the most advanced and comfortable neck support available today. The product is so unique that it has a U.S. patent. Imagine surrendering the weight of your head into a massage therapist’s healing hands, while the muscles in your neck, shoulders and face completely relax. This is just what the REAL-EaSE can accomplish for you. Find out more
Integral Anatomy with Gil Hedley
See what you touch. Rare visions of the human form explored through dissection. Each volume of this series presents the anatomy of human form, layer by layer, from an integral, whole body perspective. The DVDs in this series systematically document tissues and dissection perspectives missing from the established anatomical texts and videos. Skin, superficial fascia, deep fascia, muscle, visceral wrappings and viscera are dissected and demonstrated on camera as whole body layers in a series of truly unique and revealing sequences available nowhere else. In these DVDs, the viewer is brought directly into the laboratory as a first-hand eye-witness to the dissection and discovery process. Warning: contains human dissection.
"Let thy Food be thy Medicine and thy Medicine be thy Food" - Hippocrates. That is the message from the founding father of modern medicine echoed in the controversial new documentary film. Food Matters is a feature length documentary film informing you on the best choices you can make for you and your family's health. In a collection of interviews with leading Nutritionists, Naturopaths, Scientists, M.D.'s and Medical Journalists you will discover... How to use food as medicine, Who needs vitamins, Is organic better, How safe is our food, Natural treatments for lowering Cholesterol, Foods that fight Anxiety and Depression.. and more
Gunther von Hagen's Back... And This Time He's Trying To Save Lives. From the creator of Anatomy for Beginners, Dr Gunther von Hagens presents his third series of lectures. First he dissected human bodies to show you how they work. Next he did it to show you how they die. Now he's going to show you how to save them. In these master classes, von Hagens recreates serious injuries on human bodies to reveal just what happens to the body when faced with assaults or accidents and to show what doctors, nurses and first-aiders can do, working against the clock, to try to preserve life.
Learn the ancient art of Thai Massage with master instructor, Richard Gold. This beautifully filmed DVD features over 3 hours of instruction and over 170 detailed techniques. Each technique is clearly demonstrated showing proper alignment, positioning and proper body mechanics so that pressure can be applied effectively and effortlessly. This DVD includes traditional Thai stretches, work on the Sen energy lines plus abdominal massage. Mastering Thai Massage is one of the most comprehensive programs available!
The Ultimate Thai Massage Video
Learn authentic Thai massage with Dr. Anthony James, CMT, ND, MDAM. This series of DVD include basic and advanced mat techniques, basic and advanced table techniques. Each DVD shows a step-by-step demonstration of a complete routine on the mat and tables. Includes overviews of different styles, Chakras, Ayurveda anatomy and more.
Professional Make-up Techniques
Start your dream career as a makeup artist. Professional Hollywood makeup artist, Melvone Farrell, shows you how to provide the latest looks being sought by clients, whether they are brides-to-be or models on a glamour shoot. In these new Professional Makeup Techniques DVD series, Melvone — who has international media and film experience spanning 20 years — demonstrates how to provide natural day makeup, sophisticated evening looks, and amped-up glamour straight from the catwalks of Paris and Milan. Each DVD in the series focuses on a different ethnicity — Black, Caucasian, and Asian — so you can provide services to the full array of beautiful women.
Yoga Therapy for Back Pain includes 13 routines to help restore proper function to the entire back. These safe and gentle exercises increase mobility and reduce pain. This beautifully filmed DVD features five 15 minute & five 30 minute routines for the upper back, sciatic pain, bulging disk and sacro-iliac joint pain. Each condition is addressed separately, so you will get the proper care for your condition. Whatever the level of your pain, or if you just want to strengthen your back, this DVD has the safe and appropriate therapy for you!
Cranial Osteopathy: A Practical Textbook by Torsten Liem
Cranial Osteopathy is both a textbook for practical training as well as an in-depth reference book, providing the knowledge base for successful application of cranial osteopathy. Designed with the practitioner in mind, it provides a comprehensive compilation of recent studies and research in this field, with extensive resource materials and nearly 500 illustrations and photographs.
A best seller in Australia and the world.The discovery of neuroplasticity, that our thoughts can change the structure and function of our brains, even into old age, is the most important breakthrough in our understanding of the brain in four hundred years. Dr. Norman Doidge introduces principles we can all use to overcome brain limitations and explores the profound brain implications of the changing brain in an immensely moving book that will permanently alter the way we look at human possibility and human nature. A must read for bodyworkers to understand how the brain controls pain, movement, and the body.
Orthopedic Massage 2009 2nd Edition by Whitney Lowe
Fully updated and revised Orthopedic Massage has been written for those interested in understanding and applying massage as an intervention for soft-tissue disorders. Full colour. Recent research into the physiological effects of massage has strengthened the justification for its use in the treatment of soft-tissue pain and injury conditions. The definitive resource for all those wanting to use massage therapy to treat pain and injury conditions. Whitney Lowe approached orthopedic massage as a broad spectrum of techniques and approaches to treat soft-tissue dysfunction.
You've got the book, now decorate your room with these 8 posters, designed to align with the second edition of the book, are intended as a visual reference to the myofascial meridians discussed in Anatomy Trains. The set of posters illustrate the bones, muscles and joints described in the book The Anatomy Trains on the basis of "train" lines, tracks and stations. Each poster focuses on one "train" line and features full-colour illustrations, line drawings to clarify and tables summarising the tracks and stations for each line. Measuring 12 by 17 inches (30 by 43 cm), these laminated posters make a valuable addition to the walls of manual and movement therapists’ studios, for refreshing their memory about connected anatomy or to show clients why work in one area will be effective in another.
The Anatomy of Pilates by Paul Massey
This book shows what actually happens to the body’s muscles and joints during Pilates exercises. Each two-page spread features detailed anatomical illustrations of an exercise (with muscle actions highlighted in red), a detailed description of the exercise and its objectives, the particular breathing pattern to be used, a list of the specific muscles being worked, visualization techniques, complementary exercises, and more. The Anatomy of Pilates is an accessible, authoritative guide for current and prospective teachers of Pilates, practitioners at all skill levels, physical therapists, and other health professionals.