RESEARCH THE
FINISHING TOUCH
KATIE BARNES » MANAGING EDITOR » SPA BUSINESS
Nurses and GPs should prescribe massages more, the study says
TOUCH POINT R
esearch released last Novem- ber is another step towards the scientifi c proof of just how powerful massage can be in treating a myriad of ailments
safely and eff ectively. In fact, it suggested that health professionals, such as GPs and nurses, should be more active in including massages as part of treatment plans for ill- nesses ranging from back pains to stress and chronic conditions. “Sadly, the majority of people in western
populations, including doctors, have never experienced a professional massage,” says Professor Marc Cohen, from Australia’s RMIT University (see sb08/4 p44). “T is presents an opportunity for spas to expand into vast new markets. Doctors need to become more educated about spa services and spas need to change their image from being providers of pampering and luxury to providers of an eff ective and essential ther- apeutic service.”
MULTIPLE BENEFITS
T e study, which was commissioned by the Australian Association of Massage T erapy (AAMT) and conducted by RMIT University, is a review of 740 existing academic research papers focused on the therapeutic benefi ts of massage. T e mix of Australian and interna- tional papers, which were published between 1978 and 2008, included a variety of system-
WHAT’S NEXT?
Researchers at RMIT, Australia, highlight the many benefi ts of
massage in a new study on 740 existing papers
atic reviews, randomised controlled trials, comparative studies, case-series/studies and cross-sectional studies. A number of massage disciplines were
covered including acupressure, Bowen ther- apy, lymphatic drainage, myofascial release (see sb07/2 p78), refl exology, rolfi ng, Swed- ish massage, sports massage, infant massage, tui na and trigger point therapies. T e review found that there was moderate
to strong evidence (grade a and b) to support massage therapy in six out of 28 conditions. It was found to be most eff ective in treating nausea and vomiting, anxiety, chronic dis- ease management – especially lower back pain – delayed onset muscle soreness and pulmonary function. Lead researcher, Dr Kenny Ng says it was
also particularly helpful in relieving stress and aiding relaxation, as well as supporting
“the wellbeing of patients with chronic and terminal diseases such as cancer”.
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Tricia Hughes, chief executive of AAMT, says: “T ere’s a growing body of research supporting massage therapy as being an evidence-based therapeutic modality. We certainly hope this report leads the way for future research in the fi eld of massage therapy. T is groundwork provides reme- dial massage therapists, complementary and alternative medicine practitioners and the broader allied health community with a basis to pursue evidence-based practice.” T e promising benefi ts of massage therapy
for infants and people with specifi c health conditions were highlighted as two areas to further explore. It was also suggested that more research is required to determine the benefi ts of massage in people with depression and post-natal depression, labour pain, fi bro- myalgia, premenstrual syndrome, urinary symptoms in multiple sclerosis, myofascial pain and osteoarthritis in the knee. Cohen adds: “There’s also a need to
explore the economic benefi ts – reduced healthcare costs and increased industrial productivity – of providing massage serv- ices to people experiencing signifi cant stress and other chronic conditions.” ●
*Dr Ng, K & Professor Cohen, M. T e Eff ec- tiveness of Massage T erapy: A Summary of Evidence-Based Research. RMIT Univer- sity, Australia, November 2011
SPA BUSINESS 3 2012 ©Cybertrek 2012
MARCIN BALCERZAK/
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
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