If you stay up to date with the latest developments in massage therapy, you’ll soon realize that there are new concepts and terminology being circulated around. Massage that is evidence-based. Evidence-based practice. Practice informed by evidence. Evidence-based medicine. What exactly does this mean? Nakkesmerte (neck pain)
Traditional Massage with a Touch
When I was in massage school, a lot of the information we received was based on the old school or what was believed as common sense. We performed certain tasks in particular ways due to… the reason is because that was how that we learned to perform these things. The massage “improved the circulation.” It is important to drink plenty of water following the massage, so that it can “flush out toxic substances.” It was logical to me, didn’t it?
My first encounter with the notion that science was beginning to challenge the majority of our cherished notions was when a teacher explained to me that studies showed that massage could not, as is commonly believed to reduce the amount of the presence of lactic acid in the muscle tissues. We’d been taught that the accumulation of lactic acid within the muscles caused soreness, and that massage helped reduce the presence of lactic acid. Massage is a common practice that reduces muscle soreness. So, massage is decreasing the amount of lactic acid?
After a person finally conducted some study, it was found out that in actual massage could not diminish the presence of the lactic acid. What could be the reason? Was this a sign of the things we’d been told to believe was false? It’s true that massage reduces soreness muscles. It appears, however, that it’s not due to the lactic acid. What can massage do to reduce soreness? We aren’t quite sure the mechanism behind it, but we know it occurs.
Even though one of massage therapy’s most sacred cows was killed I appreciated that the instructor in question was paying attention to scientific research and research and was focused on determining the truth of what was taking place instead of defending a practice that may not be able to sustain.
Then, I came across Neuromuscular Therapy, also known as Trigger Point Therapy, and the work of Travell and Simons. Drs. Travell and Simons have spent a long time studying the effects of trigger points. They also wrote the two volumes set Myofascial pain and Dysfunction the Trigger Point Manual. The study of their work provided me with the necessary tools to deal effectively on common pain disorders. It also gave me the skills and knowledge to effectively communicate with medical professionals and physical therapists regarding my clients and their patients. It also set me on the path of an evidence-based practice, which I try to keep until today.
A Massage Based Research
Evidence-based massage therapy is massage therapy based on concepts and principles that are supported by the evidence. There is scientifically-proven evidence that supports the existence and treatment for trigger points. There is evidence-based proof that massage can ease muscle pain and helps to ease depression and anxiety.
A lot of the assertions made and the practices employed by massage therapists rest on the basis of tradition, not evidence. There isn’t an extensive body of research detailing the physiology and the results of massage therapy If we were being able to make claims based on scientific research that would leave us severely restricted, in fact. Many people favor the concept of evidence-based practiceas more precise. A practice that is evidence-based includes scientific evidence, experience in clinical practice and careful observation.
I believed that this dependence on tradition was only confined to the area of massage therapy, but was pleasantly surprised one day to find an impressive display on evidence-based medicine in the hallways of St. Louis University Medical School. It appears that within conventional medical practices, a lot of procedures are performed because it’s the way they’ve always been done, and aren’t necessarily backed by evidence to show that they are the most effective or even efficient.
In the realm of science, one should keep an open mind to any new information and be willing to alter your thinking when confronted by new evidence that challenges previously believed-in assumptions. One of massage therapists convictions was tested last summer, as research scientist Christopher Moyer presented a paper that demonstrated that massage therapy does not decrease levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, not as much as been thought previously and, in reality, its effects on cortisol could be minimal. I’m sure I wasn’t just one massage professional that was shocked by the news. After I was past the shock of first I analyzed the evidence that he provided. It took me a while to grasp the concept, but at the end of the day, it appeared that he had excellent evidence to support his claims. Is this a sign that massages do really “work?” The truth is that massage can make us feel better, but we aren’t sure the reason or why.
Does really matter whether we are able to comprehend? I believe so. As an therapist, I need to ensure that the assertions I make for my patients are honest. I don’t want to deceive them with unsubstantiated assertions. Additionally it is my opinion that the greater we’re capable of understanding how effective we will be able to do our job. In conclusion I believe that the greater number of times we record the ways massage therapy is beneficial and beneficial, the more popular it will be.