When it comes to research, massage therapists should be used for massage therapy studies. Not doing that devalues the profession.
Regenerative medicine is broad, rapidly changing, and growing in popularity.
A growing body of research on the craniosacral rhythm (CSR) is working to validate what has been palpated for decades—the CSR is a distinct and measurable physiological rhythm that has given way to its own distinct therapeutic discipline.
Several hundred fascia scientists and practitioners walk into a room. . . and walk out with community and connection. Get tangible takeaways from this year's 7th Fascia Research Congress.
Crafting a definition for this profession can help unify massage therapy and massage therapists in their roles as valid health-care providers.
Marma points can unlock a wealth of information about imbalances in the body; marma massage is the Ayurvedic tool practitioners can use to get there.
Reading the body remains a pseudoscience; yet, examining the mystery of body types through systems like Ayurveda or somatotyping can help practitioners approach each client in ways distinct to their constitution.
Every few years, ABMP undertakes a process to query state massage therapy boards in order to prepare a massage therapist population estimate.
Despite the impact COVID-19 had on massage school enrollment, a survey from Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals (ABMP) found that massage graduate numbers are on the rise.
I often pose this question: "If you could have one thing different when you walk out that door, what do you want it to be?"
No matter how many textbooks and photos massage therapists sift through, no experience can equate to seeing bodies and tissues in the dissection lab.
The first Black Massage Therapist Conference was held October 14 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The event was rich with support, learning, and encouragement, and ABMP was proud to be a sponsor in attendance.
Rather than enforce physical symmetry, Aston Kinetics (which trains people in movement, bodywork, fitness, and ergonomics) seeks to recognize the asymmetries natural to a person's body.
Thorough cleaning habits can prevent pathogens from being passed between clients and massage therapists by various modes of transmission.
Long ignored or thought of as packing material filling the space between skin and muscles, fat is finally getting its recognition as essential to human health and a part of the fascial system massage therapists tend to every day.
What we do and who we are as massage therapists needs to be more accurately reflected in massage therapy research.
While the term placebo effect can carry negative connotations, it can also be a positive in working with clients when we use placebo pathways to help clients feel better and help manager their pain.
Tensegrity. It's not just a useful model; it may prove to be the tensional blueprint of all living matter.
We asked ABMP members some questions about the prices of their typical 60-minute massage or bodywork session—where it is now, and how it has changed.
In order to closer examine how massage therapy is attuned to the needs of the client, research protocols must be flexible.
The nature of the massage therapist and client relationship is different than the relationship between the client and other health-care providers, but that doesn't mean it's less important.
Origin/insertion terminology creates a rigidity in thinking that can obscure the simplicity of muscle function.
Whenever two surfaces need to glide—like tendon sheaths, the pericardium and the heart, or two muscles along each other—hyaluronic acid ensures everything goes smoothly.
The 6th International Fascia Research Congress (FRC) was held in Montreal, Quebec. Read some highlights from our Massage & Bodywork authors, educators, and friends.
Histories taught in bodywork courses need to consult professional historians to become broader and provide context and understanding, not just fact files.
How to effectively implement evidence-based practice remains a vexed question among many manual therapy professionals.
As manual therapy professions continue to grow, the biopsychosocial (BPS) healthcare model has been embraced particularly by practitioners of a holistic mindset, because of its potential for a more nuanced and compassionate whole-person approach. Yet, 50 years after its emergence, it has not seen the success some may have hoped for.
The 2018 San Diego Pain Summit in February drew more than 100 attendees—including chiropractors, massage therapists, and doctors. Let's look at the summit's evolution, and what it means for pain research.
This column focuses on recent research on mechanisms of massage effects, using a model that highlights massage's impact via the crossover effect.
This is the third installment in a series of four articles on narrative-based medicine, a protocol for building the therapeutic alliance that rests on holistic principles and addresses shortcomings in evidence-based medicine and biopsychosocial models of practice.
The traditional and accepted processes of conducting and publishing research are deeply flawed. Researchers are dissuaded from being truly curious and are manipulated into publishing their findings in incomplete and misleading ways that don't serve honest inquiry and discovery.
The last installment in a four-part series, this article explores the ethics and aspects of holistic "narrative medicine."
Scent is one of the strongest sensory experiences for most animals, including dogs and horses. Essential oils and other aromatics can be included as part of a wellness practice for animals, but how?
Many controversies among integrative health professions are outdated and a result of poor communication and negative habits. Examining evidence through interprofessional collaboration will benefit practitioners and patients alike.
In March 2021, ABMP conducted a survey of US massage therapists and bodyworkers. Nearly 3,000 professionals were generous with their time and participation. Following is an overview of highlights from
Each of us has a toolbox packed with assessments and techniques for treating clients with various pain complaints. Using clinical reasoning, we can evaluate these practices and apply them effectively.
The explosion in fascia research over the past couple of decades has been nothing short of spectacular. It is hard to believe that in the space of a few short decades, research—and practice—regarding fascia is undergoing a radical paradigm shift.
At a recent Massage Therapy Research Conference, a group of us discussed, "Which is more important to measure: mechanism or effect?" Needless to say, the debate was spirited.
COVID-19 showed us something about communication. The distance between the scientific and the nonspecialist world view has never been thrown into such sharp focus—the scientific community and the general public speak different languages. Clinicians seem to stand between the two. Here's how we can collectively reach a greater understanding.
Over-reliance on randomized control trials has come in for criticism from a variety of quarters across medical disciplines and health-care stakeholders. Let's look at this debate.
Also called "the flipped classroom" approach, my teaching technique is rooted in the Socratic method. This form of cooperative, argumentative dialogue is designed to spark and develop critical thinking.
Currently, treatment approaches for ADHD include pharmacological interventions (e.g., stimulants or antidepressants) in addition to behavioral therapy, but integrative approaches, such as therapeutic massage, seek to provide assistance with ADHD symptomology.
Caregivers often prioritize the needs of those they care about, particularly when those loved ones are vulnerable. Let this column be a reminder and a helpful guide on how to help yourself first.
ABMP conducts a census of all state-approved massage programs every two years...The current trend? Fewer students, fewer graduates. Why?
Research can reveal a lot about massage. The field of massage used to rely on a lot of assumptions, but now, research has provided practitioners better information on how massage can truly help.
The fact that each client is unique makes the job of the massage therapist and bodyworker more interesting and diverse. But there are some qualities that run dominant in the universe of massage clients, and it's smart business to know what they are.
ABMP conducted its eighth national survey of American adults in January 2019. Dive into the results with us.
The humble foam roller is one of several massage tools therapists and individuals can use for therapeutic effects similar to massage therapy.
We share takeaways from the San Diego Pain Summit (SDPS) on topics including pain-science, the neurology of body/brain interactions, therapeutic relationships, and more.
This column examines recently published massage therapy research and focuses on a study derived in part from the MassageNet PBRN.
What went down at the Fifth International Fascia Research Congress in Germany? What were the most interesting topics presented? Read a recap from Til Luchau.
In this column, I take a different approach and explore the concept of practice-based research networks and practice-based research, and point readers to a variety of sources and resources.
As massage research literature continues to grow and improve, this work reflects on us as a profession. But remember, embracing the research and science does not mean abandoning the art.
Massage therapy research might not be where it is today if not for the landmark work of Tiffany Field, PhD.
Learn about a recent study regarding massage for paracyclists, using a mixed-methods research design, meaning they collected both quantitative and qualitative data to Olympic paracyclist athletes.
In order to understand how pain science research affects massage therapy practice, it is helpful to first understand what it's all about.
While I'm not an expert in the subject of massage for cancer, I am happy to share the results of the recent collaborative research efforts between one university's School of Medicine and a massage school. Here's what the research means for cancer survivors.
Let's dive into what a recent NIH-finded study on chronic low-back pain found about low-back pain and massage treatment.
The millennial generation is comprised of adults 18-38 years old. Here's how some insights from the recent Millennial Impact Report apply to millennial clients and massage.
Curious how many millennials are open (or not open) to massage? How about where they prefer to get a massage, or how much they'll pay? We dive into recent survey data.
A recent study in Pain Medicine highlights real-world massage therapy for chronic low-back pain. Let's dive into why this is important.
The majority of pain is nonspecific and most likely involves a postural or mechanical cause—however, some types can be very complex and hard to treat.
According to OSHA, more workers are injured in the health-care and social assistance industry sector than any other division of labor. But this data doesn't include massage therapists.
Can tools like aromatherapy and acupressure help clients with fibromyalgia pain?
There is a wealth of evidence that points to a significant connection between chronic conditions—like fibromyalgia—and breathing problems.
In a recent clinical trial, researchers compared massage therapy with pneumatic compression for ultramarathon recovery.
Many people with Parkinson’s disease seek complementary and alternative care in addition to conventional medicine. Massage therapy is commonly sought, with some neurologists advocating this form of care for alleviation of muscle rigidity, joint contractures, and associated pain. Yet, there are no randomized clinical trials to support the use of massage therapy.
Even with treatment options, most diabetics develop complications associated with their disease. Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common complications; now, a research paper discusses the benefits massage therapy can have for this condition.
CST was born from osteopathy, so it has a solid grounding in the physical realm. Much of what CST students learn and practice is on the physical plane, and while this is effective, we should continue to ask questions of the physiologic relationships between the anatomic structures that define CST.
