Utilizing Massage Therapy Research

The research studies in this course were amazing!! I gained a lot of insight in the field of research for massage therapy.

M. Radford, LMT, AMTA

I have learned much from this course, and will use its contents to more confidently explain the benefits of massage therapy to all present and prospective clients!

Cheryl Rowe

I LOVED the clinical data collected by Dr. Fields! Only with exposure to the plain physiological benefits of massage therapy utilizing the God-given healing powers of the body's innate nervous, endocrine, as well as the more well known musculoskeletal systems can the gargantuan pharmaco/surgical banderlog be overcome! You go Ms. Fields!

Chad Bradbury, LMT, NCTMB

Research can be difficult to understand. The text is very straightforward, clear and provides a number of studies that can be applied to practice today.

Patricia England, LMT, NCTMB

This was a very interesting compilation of massage therapy studies on a wide variety of health challenges. I'm so glad that I opted to take this class, as it reconfirmed the many, many benefits of massage therapy to truly affect the mood, wellness and general health of those suffering with pain, depression, cancer and numerous other ailments.

Megan Lopez, LMT, NCTMB

Great course! I especially like Appendix 2 and the easy-to-reference abstracts. I am looking forward to spending some time in the bibliography and looking at some of the other scientific studies that have been done!

C. Linnea Johnson, LMBT

The text for this course is excellent and I only wish I had gotten the actual book since it should have a place on my reference shelf. If they come out with a new edition, I would definitely take the course again!

Deborah Layton, LMT, BCTMB

I have gained much knowledge and many insights from this course. A wealth of useful information is present in the text. I will definitely use this information in my practice. This course reaffirmed the numerous benefits and impact of massage therapy on overall health and wellness. Great course! Thank you.

Deneen M. Jenkins

I really enjoyed this course. The book "Massage Therapy Research" by Tiffany Field was very interesting. I look forward to using is as a reference in my practice to help educate people about the great benefits that massage can do with different disorders. I also like the fact that lots of research in one easy place. I would definitely encourage everyone to read this book and use it. Having it on hand to show our colleagues and share with other health care professionals will be great.

Nicole L. Cook

Very interesting course. Nice to see all the research that has been done utilizing massage therapy in many avenues of healthcare. I highly suggest getting the book vs reading online. You will want to keep it as its very resourceful.

Selina Oelberg, LMT, BCTMB

This was way more informative than I expected. Learned a lot.

Christi Covington, LMT, BCTMB

Excellent class! Informative and interesting. Covers a wide range of topics. Great resource for therapists and for patients if they inquire about studies done with massage therapy.

Margaret D'Arcy, LMT, BCTMB

I enjoyed this course. I have been a massage therapist for over 20 years. It is great to have reference information on actual research to back-up/support what we do.

Deborah Watson, LMT

1. Identify the essential elements in formulating a research question and selecting treatment and control groups for massage therapy research.
2. Recognize the importance of at least one research protocol used by this author for each of the following conditions:
• Growth & development
• Attention & attention disorders
• Psychiatric conditions
• Pain syndromes
• Autoimmune disorders
• Immune disorders
3. Identify at least one key element in the method and one finding in the results in each of the 3 studies on reducing prematurity.
4. Identify at least one key element in the method and/or the results in each of the 4 studies on enhancing growth and development.
5. Identify at least one key element in the method and/or the results in each of the 6 studies on increasing attentiveness.
6. Identify at least one key element in the method and the key results in each of the 3 studies on decreasing depression and aggression.
7. Identify at least one key element in the method and the results in each of the 5 studies on improving neuromuscular function.
8. Identify at least one key element in the method and/or the results in each of the 4 studies on movement studies.
9. Identify at least one key element in the method and the results in each of the 4 studies on pain reduction.
10. Identify at least one key element in the method and the results in each of the 4 studies on enhancing immune function.
11. Recognize 1 significant research finding from at least 5 of the following areas of inquiry: anxiety, aromatherapy, blood pressure, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, the elderly, reflexology, sports, and surgery.

"Study 4: Massage Therapy Improves Mood and Behavior of Students with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Discussion
The present findings are consistent with a recent massage therapy study in which adolescents with ADHD showed improvements in fidgetiness, hyperactivity, on-task behavior (Fig. 4.4), and subjective feelings of happiness (Field et al 1998), and another study that reported less anxiety after massage therapy (Shulman & Jones 1996). The enhanced mood states found in the present study may have contributed to the improved classroom behavior. Teacher ratings of students with ADHD who participated in the massage therapy suggest that the therapy reduced the problems most associated with ADHD, namely hyperactivity and daydreaming/inattention, over the course of the treatment period. The convergence of self-report measures and teacher ratings highlights both the immediate and longer-term effectiveness of massage therapy and supports the use of this treatment with this population." (Massage Therapy Research by Tiffany Field, 2006, p.72-73)

Teacher ratings of students with ADHD who participated in the study of massage therapy in relation to mood and behavior of students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorders, suggest that the therapy reduced hyperactivity and

1. depression
2. aggression
3. daydreaming/inattention
4. boredom and drowsiness