MM Chapter 04: The Therapeutic Nature of Massage

As mentioned earlier, wellness is difficult to define precisely, although it can be described as a state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy while making daily choices that lead to more self-fulfillment, meaning, and success. Wellness is broad and multidimensional. For example, physical health is only one aspect of wellness. Even top athletes in the […]

Stress is referenced throughout this book because it is likely to influence every client you work with and can also be a factor in your health and happiness as a therapist. Every massage therapist must understand stress to recognize the benefit of massage and the impact that massage can have on various conditions and diseases,

The following sections describe the indications for select client populations and specific conditions. As massage gains popularity with the public and more research is conducted on its benefits, physicians will likely prescribe massage for these conditions more regularly. The following sections consider common client populations but cannot include all the conditions for which massage might

Different therapists view energetic effects and benefits of massage in various ways. Some view energetic effects as a new way to look at and explain physiological and psychological effects. Others believe that energetic effects occur in combination with physiological or psychological effects. Eastern medical systems like traditional Chinese medicine and ayurveda have embraced the idea

Psychological effects are the outcome experienced mentally and emotionally by clients as a result of a massage session (Fig. 4-14). For many years, scientists viewed the body and mind as separate and did not understand how closely physiological and psychological functions were related. In 1972, Dr. Candace Pert, a neuroscientist, discovered the opiate receptor and

As noted previously, physiological effects are changes in the body as a result of massage techniques, including benefits for the client. Later discussions of specific techniques include descriptions of the particular effects of each specific stroke or method. This section looks at the broad effects of massage on cells, tissues, and body systems. Effects and

A benefit is a good effect that promotes well-being, even if a specific pathology, postural dysfunction, or muscular tension pattern is not an issue. In general, massage is good for people, and people enjoy receiving massage. The effects of massage described throughout this chapter topic demonstrate how beneficial massage can be. For the general population

An “effect” is the result or consequence of an action. When a therapist gives a client a massage (action), the client’s body responds in many predictable and sometimes unpredictable ways (effects). The effects of massage are the resulting changes that occur in the body, mind, and emotions of the client. Although this topic mainly deals

Massage students and professionals can benefit from searching for research on conditions they encounter in practice, especially with a condition that doesn’t respond readily to the techniques they try. Although no therapist has time to spend hours a week in a library looking up research, it is fun and informative to spend an occasional afternoon

Research involves a process of asking relevant questions and then seeking to answer them within the parameters of the scientific method. Claire Cassidy, in Methodological Issues in Investigations of Massage/Bodywork Therapy, states that the myriad questions that guide most research on health care are based on the fundamental questions “Does it work?” and “Does it