The purpose of this section of the Journal of Massage Science is to inform the practitioners about valuable articles that frequently go unnoticed, as well as to point to those authors and publications who exhibit low educational standards. We do not play politics, and we are not associated with any publishing company or professional association. We are a completely independent voice, and we promise you direct, unbiased reviews based strictly on the science.
If the author of the reviewed article does not agree with our opinion, we will be more than happy to publish his or her response and have a productive discussion over the article’s subject.
At the end of the year, we will recognize and reward the author of the most important publication(s) and point to the authors of the most unscientific publication(s). We hope this will help to raise the bar of published materials in massage journals for the benefit of the entire profession.
Massage & Bodywork Magazine
Spinal Tongue Twisters. Understanding Low Back Pain: Spondylosis, Spondylolysis, Spondylolisthesis. Massage & Bodywork Jan-Feb: 98-103, 2011
A very good and informative article on the subject of spine pathology. Of course, the subject is very complicated as the author was able to fit major important points into the short article. We may wish to have more information on treatment options, but it is not the topic of the article and it demands a separate discussion.
Essential Skills. Discover the Root Cause of Injury. Massage & Bodywork Jan-Feb: 92-97, 2011
This is a very important article for those practitioners who work with athletes or sports enthusiasts, especially those who have repeatedly injured themselves. In the majority of cases, the practitioners see the client when it is too late and the injury has already occurred.
The article raises the important issue of early engagement by the practitioner in order to prevent injury. It can be done only if the practitioner has enough skills to help the client in the development of optimal input for his or her exercise routine or work with a personal trainer who is in charge of the exercise program. The experienced practitioner has unique knowledge of the body’s strong and weak areas, and his or her input will have great value.
From our own experience, we may say that injuries caused by exercise routines incorrectly designed by personal trainers who wish to help clients get results as soon as possible are one of the most common types of posttraumatic injuries we are dealing with. This is why this very well written article is so important.
Functional Anatomy. Serratus Anterior. Massage & Bodywork Jan-Feb: 87-88, 2011
This article is dedicated to the anatomy, physiology and palpation of the serratus anterior muscle. The author did a good job presenting this information to the readers. Illustrations are of great help.
Myofascial Techniques. Working With Scalene. Massage & Bodywork, Jan-Feb: 108-113, 2011
An excellent article on a very important subject. We highly recommend it to the readers!
Somatic Research. The Case For Case Reports. Massage & Bodywork Jan-Feb: 114-121, 2011
An article on the same topic was published in the March issue of Massage Today (see review below). We would like to admit that this article provides much better in-depth information on the topic, and we highly recommend it to those who are considering writing and submitting case reports.
Add Substance to Your Warm Up. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 31-33, 2011
It is a small but beautifully written piece which addresses a seemingly common issue. However, the author is completely right in his position that very frequently practitioners don’t have a clear goal and understanding of what they are doing, even during basic therapeutic massage.
We can’t agree more when the author said that:
“The most important thing is to have a clear purpose in your strokes. The stroke without intention is empty gesture”
We think that each massage school must start classes on various techniques with these great words.
Integrative Medicine and Massage. Bodyworker’s Role in Paradigm Shift. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 34-41, 2011
A simply excellent article! If you would like to know where your profession may lead you in the near future, you must read this article and, what is more important, be ready. As the author correctly pointed out, we are living in the time of a perfect storm for the massage profession.
The idea of integrative medicine is seen by many health practitioners as the only way to go, and this concept is impossible without a wide integration and usage of massage therapy in the medical setting.
At the same time, we would like to add that the concept of integrative medicine, which includes massage therapy, requires highly trained massage practitioners. Please remember that!
The Vision of Integrative Medicine. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 42-43, 2011
In this short piece, Dr. Weil shared his vision of integrative medicine. Today it may read like a dream, but with his energy and vision and with our help and participation, these dreams may become reality very soon.
Auth Method. Addressing Root of Back and Shoulder Pain. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 62-67, 2011
This is another article (see review below in Massage Magazine) by the same author, who actively promotes her ‘newly’ developed Auth method, which consists of using the forearm only during the massage session. There are two problems: first, that the author started to promote her ‘method’ as having medical value, and another, even more dangerous problem, that the author is a prolific writer, and she is doing a great job of spreading her very strange and misleading concept with the helping hands of the professional media.
When the Auth method starts to address medical issues, it is obvious how inexperienced its creator is in this field. This article is filled with ‘gems’, which left us, let’s say, puzzled. For example:
- What exactly does the author mean by the ‘Root of the Back’, especially in regard to the upper shoulder? We would like to get a clear explanation of this new anatomic discovery.
- This is our favorite one:
“The shoulders have no real job in our overall structure; they just hang. The shoulder doesn’t need to support anything – it’s simply the shirt on the hanger…”
We read a lot of bizarre things in this massage publication, but this is supposed to top the list. According to the author, “the shoulders have no real job in overall structure…” because they don’t support anything. OK, but what about shoulders supporting the author’s neck and head while she worked on the article? Before this new discovery, everyone believed that the trapezius muscles insert into the acromioclavicular joints, which form the roof of both shoulder joints. In such a case, both shoulders were used by the author during her work on the article, but she apparently denied that.
Also, the author sees the shoulders as “…simply the shirt on the hanger…” and what is amazing is that such a statement is printed in the respected professional journal! It is so outrageous that it is even funny! The author, as well as the Editorial Board, is supposed to know that the shoulders, even without lifting anything, play a critical dynamic role in the body posture, balance and movements. It seems that the author doesn’t appreciate her own shoulders or simply is not aware of their dynamic role, even at rest. Obviously, she never talked to unfortunate people with advanced sarcoma of the humeral head or saw how they feel or walk after the entire upper extremity, including the scapula, was amputated. Thus, to call the shoulders “…simply the shirt on the hanger…” means only one thing, that the author slept through the anatomy classes. There is no other reasonable explanation.
- The subject of the article is the application of the Auth method on the anterior chest and shoulder to release tension and balance the shoulder joint. This is a very well based intention. To do so, the Auth Method suggests that the readers conduct a series of strokes using the forearm starting with the pectoral area all the way to the arm, down to the elbow joint. The major target of the method is the pectoralis major muscle, which has a tendency to pull the shoulder forward and affects the balance. These are great intentions, but what about the pectoralis minor muscle? Why is the pectoralis minor muscle not addressed by the Auth Method, and how can someone with even basic massage training consider that working with the pectoralis major muscle alone will solve the imbalance of the shoulder? It is simply a useless waste of time.
So why is the Auth Method silent about the pectoralis minor muscle? The answer is very simple: the author wasn’t able to fit the forearm and/or elbow under the pectoralis major muscle. We all know that to reach the pectoralis minor muscle, the practitioner must use their fingers, but they are great competitors of the Auth Method. So, to avoid the fingers’ application, the author pretended that the pectoralis minor muscle doesn’t exist or doesn’t play a role in shoulder joint imbalance.
- Of course, the article continues to disseminate myths like forearms being as sensitive and agile as hands. In recent months, Massage & Bodywork as well as Massage Magazine helped to spread this false information, and this sentence became a kind of quintessence of the author’s message. We addressed this physiological nonsense with proper scientific data in Good Apples/Bad Apples May/Jun '10, published in 2010 in JMS.
We don’t want the readers to get the impression that we are against using the forearm during a massage session. We are against destroying the profession by using only one technique for the entire session, especially in times when the same magazine interviewed Dr. A. Weil and published an article about the perspectives of massage as part of integrative medicine. We would like to see how Auth’s Method will fit into this concept and the practitioners will face the reality of various abnormalities in a clinical setting.
Bodyreading The Meridians. Visual Assessment of Postural Patterns. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 74-83, 2011
This is quite an article! The visual examination of the client before any palpatory examination and treatment starts is a rarely mentioned subject in massage publications, and it is not common in practitioners’ practice. Meanwhile, this information has tremendous value. In many cases, just the observation of postural changes allows the practitioner to formulate the correct protocol of treatment.
This article is dedicated to a complex topic. It is not, let’s say, an article on the spiritual aspects of Lomi Lomi you may enjoy while having morning coffee, but it gives the practitioner a lot of basic information to study and think about this subject. However, we guarantee that mastering postural analysis will help you in everyday clinical practice.
Stone Secrets. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 74-87, 2011
We think this is an informative article for those who practice Hot Stone Massage or consider including this great type of bodywork in their practice. The article challenges some wrongly established rules which practitioners frequently follow. The article helps to see Hot Stone Massage application from the correct perspective.
Functional Anatomy. Tensor Fasciae Latae. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 91-92, 2011
The article is supposed to be dedicated to palpation of the tensor fasciae latae muscle, but what it did show was palpation of the iliotibial band. Yes, the palpatory examination of the tensor fasciae latae muscle must include the examination of the iliotibial band, but examination of the band alone and vice versa is a useless attempt to evaluate pathology.
The belly of the tensor fasciae latae muscle is the main player in controlling tension in the iliotibial band. If we translate the name of the muscle from Latin, we will get the following: muscle which tightens the lateral part of fascia lata (i.e., iliotibial band). This is the major action of this muscle and the article didn’t provide any information on how to actually palpate the tensor fasciae latae muscle despite the fact that it is stated in the article title.
The palpation of the iliotibial band recommended in the article is also insufficient. The article recommended examining the iliotibial band by sliding the palm along the band while the other hand is placed on the lateral femoral condyle to stabilize the thigh.
It seems that the author isn’t aware of the simple anatomical fact that the iliotibial tract inserts not into the lateral femoral condyle, but goes below the knee and inserts into the lateral tibial condyle. This is why correct examination of the tension in the iliotibial band should start below the knee on the lateral tibial condyle. Why is it so important? Incorrectly examined and diagnosed strain or tension in the iliotibial band below the lateral femoral condyle frequently mimics the clinical picture of Knee Osteoarthritis, and patients sometimes spend months on unsuccessful treatments for knee pain while the correct solution is there, and it is very simple.
Also, the actual technique of palpatory examination of the iliotibial band recommended in the article is very uninformative. Yes, this technique is a part of the initial examination to evaluate general tightness and mobility of the iliotibial band. However, real palpatory examination starts after the proposed technique. The practitioner should examine the entire iliotibial band applying pressure with the thumb and record each area of tightness and/or pain along the iliotibial band to see the entire picture. The usage of the palm doesn’t allow practitioners to examine the structure of the iliotibial band in detail, while usage of the thumb provides this important information.
During this examination, the practitioner should mark his or her findings on the skin using a marker. Why is the mapping of tension in the iliotibial band so important? After a complete examination of the band you will be able to observe a clinical picture of tension developed along this entire anatomical structure, and it will give you the opportunity to formulate the optimal treatment protocol. For example, the tension is accumulated in the lower part of the band just above the knee joint, or tension is mostly detected in the upper part of the band just below the greater trochanter. Each of these scenarios requires a completely different treatment protocol.
The video below shows the palpatory examination of the tensor fasciae latae muscle recommended in the article.
The video below shows the correct palpatory examination of the tensor fasciae latae muscle followed by examination of the iliotibial tract. Anatomical landmarks indicated in the first part of the video:
Black dot – anterior superior iliac spine
A – iliac crest
B – tensor fasciae latae muscle
C – greater trochanter
D – iliotibial band (tract)
E – head of the fibula
Notice that the correct examination of the iliotibial band starts below the knee joint and ascends superiorly until it reaches the greater trochanter. During the examination, the practitioner has marked all sensitive and tense areas along the iliotibial band to have the entire picture of the pathological changes in the iliotibial band (tract).
Thus, the article has not provided correct information on its subject, the examination of the tensor fasciae latae muscle.
Essential Skills. Soleus Muscle Strain. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 96-101, 2011
A very well written and informative article on the strain of the soleus muscle. All aspects from anatomy and action to the treatment options are covered. We may add two missed pieces of information.
- The article recommended three tests to examine the soleus muscle. However, they are not 100% informative because they can also be positive in a client with a strain of the gastrocnemius muscle. The Trigger Point Test is a much more specific examination tool which allows the practitioner to rule in or out tension in the soleus muscle.
- The strain of the soleus muscle may trigger symptoms of Tibial Nerve Neuralgia (i.e., numbness, tingling, burning pain on the bottom of the foot). In such a case, the tense soleus muscle irritates the tibial nerve in the tibial canal located under the soleus muscle.
Pathology Perspective. Crackle, Pop, Snap! Joint Disruptions. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 102-105, 2011
A good review of basic pathological changes in the joints. It helps the experienced practitioners to review the basic concepts and provides fresh information for those who are unfamiliar with both the subject and terminology.
Myofascial Techniques. Working With Ankle Mobility. Part I. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 110-115, 2011
A very good and informative article which addresses the issue of tension in the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles and the plantar fascia. We highly recommend it to our readers.
Somatic Research. The Lactic Acid Debate. Massage & Bodywork Mar-Apr: 117-121, 2011
This article raises a very important topic. Although modern sports physiology and medicine completely changed views on the role of lactic acid in post-exercise muscle soreness, many massage practitioners still believe and greatly promote the myth about lactic acid removal through sports massage.
However, this article fell short of one critical issue: How exactly does massage therapy help the athletes or sports enthusiasts recover from strenuous exercise? In the last section of the article, which has the encouraging name of “Reform Our Claim,” the author didn’t offer any reasonable suggestion to accomplish that except that more research is needed.
In United We Will Stand!, published in 2009 in JMS, we addressed exactly the same topic, but based upon the world’s scientific data, we actually provided the readers with enough information to reform claims. If you practice or plan to practice sports massage, you must read the ‘United We Will Stand!’ article (please click on the link above).
Massage Magazine
Research. Massage Magazine 177, February: 76-77, 2011
Two articles are reviewed in this section of the journal. One examined the impact of Reiki on the level of stress, and the second one studied trigger point therapy in combination with stretching on the activity of trigger points in major muscle groups. If you are looking for scientific data to justify your practice, keep these reviews in mind.
Massaging the Hips. The Auth Method of Forearm Massage. Massage Magazine 177, February: 62-65, 2011
We have already reviewed similar articles in this and previous issues of JMS (see Good Apples/Bad Apples May/Jun '10). There is nothing new in this one. The same story about conducting the entire massage session using forearms only, which is the core of the Auth method. If this trend continues, we should expect the emergence soon of a principally new and refreshing massage method in which the entire massage session is conducted by fists only and so on.
The only thing ‘new’ about this article is how it is written. It seems that this article is for the general population, rather than the professional audience. We don’t think that naming ischial spines ‘sit bones’ or claiming that the main reason for sciatica is the client’s falling over, etc. is the way to talk with colleagues in the 21st century.
Massage for Life. Massage Magazine 177, February: 50-53, 2011
This article is well written and interesting to read. We should mention that it was refreshing to read in Massage Magazine an article which talks about epigenetics, a new branch of medical genetics which challenges an already established system of beliefs and promises incredible discoveries in the near future. It is even more interesting that this information is linked with infant massage. JMS also addressed this topic in Infant Massage. PART I because of its importance to the infants, parents and practitioners.
CranioSacral Therapy for Fibromyalgia. Massage Magazine 177, February: 54-59, 2011
This article is dedicated to the importance of Craniosacral Therapy for Fibromyalgia patients. Yes, this method has definite advantages as an initial step in the treatment of Fibromyalgia. Later, other techniques and methods need to be added to completely control symptoms of this debilitating disease, but Craniosacral Therapy will help during the most difficult initial period of treatment.
Of course, there is no way that anyone who works at the Upledger Institute will write any article on the subject of Craniosacral Therapy without a sales pitch. Unfortunately, this article saved room for that as well.
Address Solid Bloat With Massage Cupping. Massage Magazine 177, February: 28-33, 2011
The vacuum cupping (MediCupping in the article) is a very helpful and effective treatment, and the article is dedicated to this rarely mentioned treatment option. So why are there five rotten apples? It has nothing to do with the treatment itself but rather with the article. We think that the author is missing a point of great importance: There is no silver bullet in medicine, especially when it comes to the management of chronic disorders!
While reading the article, one will get the impression that massage cupping is a new panacea which will solve problems from scar formation (which is true) and varicose veins (which is completely wrong) to chronic heat in the lungs (we really don’t know what the author is talking about).
Let’s take as an example varicose veins. In the article, the author showed two pictures of varicose veins before and after MediCupping. In the first picture, the varicose veins are extended and filled with venous blood, and in the second picture the same veins are shown flat, empty and collapsed. For the eye untrained in medicine, including the author’s eyes, this is a great visual justification of MediCupping.
So let’s go over what happened to the varicose veins before and after cupping. The client was in the vertical position before entering Mrs. Shannon’s office. Her existing varicose veins were filled with venous blood because they were already dilated (this is the nature of the pathology) and the force of gravity pulled the venous blood down additionally dilating the veins and made the valves inefficient. This is how varicose veins progress.
The client gets on Mrs. Shannon’s table, and the force of gravity as a factor which additionally dilated the veins is eliminated; however, the veins are still enlarged because they are still carrying extra blood. The author applies MediCupping, and after the treatment the veins collapse, and this fact is registered in the picture. Sounds logical.
First of all, these veins will collapse without MediCupping if the client stays in the prone position (because the force of gravity is eliminated) or if the practitioner applies Lymph Drainage Massage there. The MediCupping, similarly to lying prone or Lymph Drainage massage, will in fact empty the dilated vein. So why is using MediCupping so bad in these cases? The major issue is not vein drainage but the fact that the author’s treatment is directly responsible for the further increase of varicose veins in the treated area despite their collapsing on the table just after the therapy.
Everything in the body follows common sense, so let’s follow it. Anyone who has experienced medical cupping knows that after release of pressure the tissues which were sucked into the cup become red and with incorrect application severe hematoma may develop. These events are results of significant vasodilation (in the first case) or actual damage to the vascular walls with subsequent blood leaking (in the second case).
Mrs. Shannon’s client had already dilated veins, and applied cupping in this area initially drained stagnated blood, but what will happen to the already dilated veins? Their weak walls will be additionally distended by the negative pressure in the cup and this factor (especially with repetitive application) will greatly jeopardize local drainage as well as drainage from the entire segment. As a result, the author and her recommendations will actually worsen the client’s state of health in the long run.
We are trying to analyze articles rather than the work of each author separately. However, in this case we are sure that by following Mrs. Shannon’s recommendations the practitioners will harm the clients, and this is unacceptable. The first rule of medicine established at the very beginning is ‘Do No Harm!’ This article does exactly the opposite. The sad part is that the article in general is dedicated to an important topic, and it has some strong points.
Also, there is a reasonable question to Massage Magazine: Is there any editorial review procedure set up to review articles before they are published?
Four Steps to a Happy Jaw. Massage Magazine 178, March: 83, 2011
This short article doesn’t do a lot in regard to such a complicated abnormality as TMJ dysfunction. We addressed this issue in three issues of JMS in 2010 (TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION. PART I; TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION. PART II: Clinical Symptoms and Evaluation and TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION. PART III: Medical Massage Protocol). The four steps which this article proposes as a solution do little except increase awareness of the problem, and this is the only helpful part of the article. Also, we are sure that the practitioners should avoid the final fourth step:
“Find skilled CranioSacral Therapist to work with. CranioSacral Therapy’s light touch is ideal for TMJD because it won’t re-traumatize sensitive areas”
Why does the author think that other techniques and protocols (we discussed the MEDICAL MASSAGE PROTOCOL for TMJ in TEMPOROMANDIBULAR JOINT DYSFUNCTION. PART II: Clinical Symptoms and Evaluation, published in 2010 in JMS) “…re-traumatize sensitive areas”? If she had such personal experience, she more than likely worked with someone who didn’t use the correct treatment protocol.
Additionally, CranioSacral Therapy isn’t a valid choice for the treatment of TMJD. Effective treatment with stable clinical results must be quick and decisive to unload the TMJ first and secondarily re-set peripheral receptors in the masticatory muscles to the physiological level of activation. The CranioSacral Therapy simply doesn’t have means to do that. It is a great type of bodywork in the areas where it is effective. TMJ dysfunction is not such an area.
Breathe Work for Massage Therapists. Massage Magazine 178, March: 64-69, 2011
The topic of the article is correct breathing for the practitioners. This is an issue which is frequently overlooked by the practitioners and, what is even more important, by the massage schools. The correct breathing pattern is very important because it keeps the practitioner relaxed and gives his or her strokes such needed fluidity. The practitioner’s state of mind always affects the client’s body and his or her response to the therapeutic and stress-reduction massage sessions. The clients will always feel tension the practitioner carries when his or her work is labored. Correct breathing is a key to a successful and long career.
As correctly pointed out by the author, the practitioners who master correct breathing practice may also help their clients to establish an optimal breathing pattern as a first but frequently critical step in stress control. We may add that breathing yoga can be the first important step.
Dynamic Ligaments. Massage Magazine March: 58-63, 2011
We aren’t going to write a lengthy review of this article. It is an excellent piece which we highly recommend reading, and we wish that more articles like this one were published by professional journals.
Massage Therapy Journal
Massage For Seniors: What the Research Says. Massage Therapy Journal 50(1):95-98
This article reviews the latest scientific studies which have examined the impact of massage on patients with Alzheimer’s Disease. This article is a helpful source of references for those who work with these clients or are planning to extend their practice in this direction.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Massage Therapy Journal 50(1):87-93
An excellent article on the subject of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), in regard to its etiology, pathology and diagnostic evaluation. The illustrations are great. The only missing part is massage treatment options for the patients with CTS.
We do not agree with the position that “Hands-on treatment can be challenging”. We strongly believe and see it regularly in the clinical practice that a correctly formulated MEDICAL MASSAGE PROTOCOL is a major component of the treatment of any case of CTS. Actually, at any stage, the patient with CTS must receive several sessions of such therapy in combination with self-care before any other more aggressive treatment options are considered.
Massage & Medications. Massage Therapy Journal 50(1): 65-78, 2008
This is an article, very unusual for a massage publication, which educates the practitioners about the most common drugs their clients may take and what implications massage therapy may have for these clients. It is worth copying this article and keeping it in the office as a great reference source.
Massage Today
By the Sweat of the Brow. Massage Today 11(1): 13;17, 2011
A very good article on the rarely mentioned subject of corrugator muscles, their role and treatment options. There are two issues we would like to add to the article. The article correctly described the action of the corrugator muscles and their need. However, the article didn’t mention two important aspects. The tension in the corrugator muscles is always present if the patient has:
- Frontal Sinus Headache
- Cluster headache (i.e., around the eye) as a result of Greater Occipital Nerve Neuralgia or true Migraine.
- Trigeminal Nerve Neuralgia, especially when the supraorbital division of the trigeminal nerve is affected.
The role the tension in the corrugator muscles plays in the clinical picture of these conditions elevates these muscles’ role from the cosmetic problem mentioned in the article to an essential treatment part of the MEDICAL MASSAGE PROTOCOLS when the above-mentioned pathological abnormalities are addressed. If the client has one of these three conditions, the practitioner must work on the corrugator muscles.
The second issue, which didn’t get mentioned in the article, is the usage of muscle energy technique as a part of the treatment protocol. The compression and myofascial release mentioned in the article are very important, but if the practitioner would like to obtain quick and stable clinical results, the muscle energy technique should be used as a final part of the treatment.
The application is very simple. Ask the client to frown their brows while you resist active contraction of the corrugator muscles. After the counter resistance part is over, pull both brows apart during a long exhalation, repeating it three times.
Rehabilitation. The Protocol Defined. Massage Today 11(1): 12; 20, 2011
The article attempts to define the rehabilitation protocol of orthopedic massage. It is a theoretic attempt with very limited practical information and clinical value. The author stated that he developed the concept of the rehabilitation protocol during the 1990s, which includes four components: assessment, matching the physiology of the tissue with treatment, combining a variety of techniques and appropriate (???) use of the rehabilitation protocol.
For those who are familiar even with basic aspects of, for example, Ida Rolf’s work, it is obvious that these very common concepts were established well before the author ‘developed’ them in the 1990s. Thus, the article’s claims are completely groundless.
Thus, besides the claim to ‘define’ the rehabilitation protocol, the article does very little to actually do that. It simply repeats very basic concepts which are supposed to be part of the clinical curriculum in every massage school.
Understanding Alzheimer’s. Part I. Massage Today 11(1): 16; 22, 2011
The article gives a very general overview of Alzheimer’s Disease. The article is written in question/answer mode, and it looks more like a flier to educate the general population. We think that the professional audience should expect more scientific information, especially if it can be used to communicate with other health practitioners or clients’ relatives about the clinical benefits of massage therapy.
NMT. Two Versions Defined. Massage Today 11(2): 1; 12-13, 2011
A very good and informative article on the history of Neuro-Muscular Therapy and its development. It contains a lot of interesting facts readers will not find in any other sources because it is written by a person who was at the beginning of the NMT. Great read!
The Bike Body. Massage Today 11(2): 1; 18-20, 2011
Bicycling is a very popular type of fitness. This article gives readers an unusual view on bicycling from the practitioner’s point of view and discusses such rarely mentioned information as the relations between the bike and the bicyclist’s body. If you work on bicyclists, you must read this article!
Writing the Case Report. Massage Today 11(3):1; 8, 2011
A very good article on a rarely discussed topic. There are a lot of very talented practitioners who were able to solve complicated cases when other modalities had failed. They have information of great importance and are ready to share it with colleagues in the form of Case Reports. These cases are a great encouragement and at the same time give other practitioners a unique look at a case they may encounter tomorrow. However, many practitioners are shy to submit cases because they don’t have the experience to write information in the correct form.
This article gives guidelines to future authors, and we suggest that everyone who is ready to share their clinical experience with other practitioners read it. We also suggest that readers carefully read case reports in any publication to develop clinical thinking.
Understanding Alzheimer’s. Part II. Massage Today 11(3): 12-13, 2011
Unfortunately, Part II didn’t get significantly better compared to Part I. The author shared her own experience of working with clients who suffer from Alzheimer’s using Compassionate Touch. Besides the general mention of gentle massage, there is no word in the article which actually defines Compassionate Touch the author constantly referred to.
The readers of the professional journal should expect more information from the author. The article provides a list of seven major benefits for clients with Alzheimer’s (from pain reduction to an increased sense of self and diffusing confusion) they obtain as a result of Compassionate Touch.
If readers learned that Compassionate Touch is a great and helpful method for the clients with Alzheimer’s, they have every right to know what it is all about, and how it is different from what they are doing. Without such information, the entire article becomes an empty statement that massage is good.
Also, the author mentioned two factors which are responsible for the effect of massage on clients with Alzheimer’s: an increase of the oxytocin level and hardwiring. The hardwiring is more a philosophical than a physiological concept, and there are always proponents and opponents of it.
However, the claim of an increase of the oxytocin level as a body response to massage is a much more controversial issue. It is correct that studies conducted in the 1990s supported the idea that massage in fact increases oxytocin level (Turner, 1999). However, several recent studies with more sophisticated design seem to prove otherwise.
Billhult et al. (2008) and Rapaport et al. (2010) showed that massage strokes didn’t increase oxytocin level. Bello et al. (2008) registered an increase of oxytocin level in clinical and control groups. In such a case, massage alone is not responsible for the increase of oxytocin production.
Finally, Wikstrom et al. (2003) registered an increase in oxytocin level only in groups where massage was performed by a practitioner of the opposite sex. This finding allowed the authors to conclude that:
“The results imply that there might be sex-related difference in neurohormonal response to tactile stimuli such as in massage, and the results contradict those of previously reported experiments.”
This is more evidence that the article is mostly based on personal beliefs rather than on concrete scientific data.
REFERENCES
- Bello D, White-Traut R, Schwertz D, Pournajafi-Nazarloo H, Carter CS. An exploratory study of neurohormonal responses of healthy men to massage. J Altern Complement Med. 2008;14(4):387-394. doi:10.1089/acm.2007.0660
- Billhult A, Lindholm C, Gunnarsson R, Stener-Victorin E. The effect of massage on cellular immunity, endocrine and psychological factors in women with breast cancer – a randomized controlled clinical trial. Auton Neurosci. 2008;140(1-2):88-95. doi:10.1016/j.autneu.2008.03.006
- Rapaport MH, Schettler P, Bresee C. A preliminary study of the effects of a single session of Swedish massage on hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and immune function in normal individuals. J Altern Complement Med. 2010. doi:10.1089/acm.2009.0634
- Turner RA, Altemus M, Enos T, Cooper B, McGuinness T. Preliminary research on plasma oxytocin in normal cycling women: investigating emotion and interpersonal distress. Psychiatry. 1999;62(2):97-113. doi:10.1080/00332747.1999.11024859
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Hip Abductors: A Pain in the… Massage Today 11(3): 14-15, 2011
An excellent article! We highly recommend practitioners read it. It is written in simple but scientifically and clinically sound language with very good illustrations. The anatomy, physiology, innervation, symptoms as well as basic treatment strategies are covered. We wish to have more treatment options, but this topic definitely requires a separate article.
Category: Good Apples, Bad Apples
Tags: JMS 2011 Issue #2
