International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork: Research, Education, and Practice最新文献

This article focuses on the use of massage therapy for mental health in refugees, immigrants, and asylum seekers. First, the article reviews data and definitions concerning this population in the United States. Next, the article reviews data and evidence concerning the mental health challenges experienced by this population. Finally, the article summarizes data and evidence on the effects of massage therapy for mental health issues. Particular attention is devoted to clinical considerations that are unique or special regarding massage therapy for this population, including cultural concerns and trauma-informed care. Suggestions for future research are noted.

Massage therapy, often regarded as a tool for physical relief, has untapped potential in addressing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. The somato-relational framework (SRF) offers a structured model to bridge manual therapies with modern mental health care by focusing on three interdependent pillars: embodiment, relational dynamics, and integration. By emphasizing body awareness, therapeutic connection, and the integration of healing experiences, SRF positions massage therapy as a biopsychosocial approach to holistic mental health care. This paper explores the applications of SRF in practice, education, and research, highlighting its potential to position massage therapy as a cornerstone of integrative care. Addressing current limitations and emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, the SRF invites innovation and sets the stage for transformative advancements in both massage therapy and mental health.

Background: Sexual abuse (SA) and domestic and family violence (DFV) are a worldwide issue with high incidence rates. While massage therapists are not generally frontline responders, they may see individuals presenting with the lifelong sequelae of DFV/SA.

Purpose: The aim of this scoping review is to characterize the nature, scope, quality, and potential reach of publications within the massage therapy and research fields that focus on massage and massage therapy treatment for those who have or are currently experiencing DFV and/or SA. Additional objectives for this review are the intent to compile a summary of practice- and evidence-based recommendations and completion of an appraisal of included publications.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's six-step scoping review framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The electronic databases PubMed, ProQuest, CENTRAL, CINHAL, Web of Science, and MEDLINE as well as Google Scholar were searched to identify publications. Summaries of the publications were undertaken as the included publications did not yield enough rich qualitative data to undertake a thematic analysis.

Results: Twenty-six publications were included from five countries with the most papers coming from the United States. The review demonstrated multiple psychological benefits of massage with the majority of publications presenting mental health improvements as the predominant impact of massage therapy on individuals who had experienced DFV/SA; however, the majority of the interventional benefits came from SA research.

Conclusion: The review highlighted a void in the interventional research on massage and DFV with no interventional study focusing on DFV and massage solely despite anecdotal evidence of benefit. There was also a lack of evidence of impact of massage in clinical practice for individuals with any history of DFV/SA. There is potential that massage therapy may be a useful tool in aiding survivors' recovery, if administered by trained individuals.

This special issue of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork focuses on the intersection of massage therapy and mental health, highlighting the growing body of research exploring its role in psychological well-being. With contributions from leading researchers and practitioners, this issue examines the mechanisms, applications, and outcomes of massage therapy in supporting mental health across diverse populations. Through the collaborative efforts of authors, reviewers, and guest editors Dr. Cynthia Price and Dr. Sarah Fogarty, this collection of work aims to deepen our understanding of how massage therapy can be integrated into mental health care and broader health-care systems.

Almost 1 million US adults are diagnosed annually with post-traumatic stress disorder related to medical trauma. Individuals who experience life-threatening illness or injuries, frequent hospitalizations, and multiple invasive procedures are more likely to develop post-traumatic stress and touch aversion, making it difficult for them to relax and feel safe in healthcare settings. Psychological and somatic symptoms can complicate recovery and decrease quality of life. While massage has been shown to offer a variety of physical and psychological benefits, little is known about the benefits of massage for those diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and touch aversion related to medical trauma. A 44-year-old female was referred to massage therapy for muscle pain and generalized weakness, symptoms of a chronic degenerative illness with limited treatment options. Complicated by multiple diagnoses, her long-standing anxiety and depression had worsened, and she suffered from post-traumatic stress and touch aversion due to significant medical trauma. The patient's goals included relaxation, decreased pain and anxiety, as well as improvements in her aversion to touch when receiving necessary medical care. A wide variety of massage techniques were offered based on the patient's physical and psychological symptoms, and her receptivity to touch. Over the course of 2 years, the patient's anxiety and distress decreased as her ability to communicate her needs increased. A trauma-informed approach is essential when providing massage for those with post-traumatic stress and touch aversion from medical trauma. A pre-massage consultation and customization of the massage allowed the patient to provide consent and have control over where and how her body was touched, something that is often not possible with medical procedures. Further research is needed to determine how best to provide massage therapy to these individuals and measure outcomes related to effectiveness and symptom improvement.

Background: Serious illness "is a health condition that carries a high risk of mortality and either negatively impacts a person's daily function or quality of life or excessively strains their caregivers."

Purpose: The aim of this review was to explore the contribution of massage and massage therapy to the mental health and well-being of individuals living with a serious and potentially life-limiting illness.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's six-step scoping review framework and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The electronic databases PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE (OVID), PsychINFO, CENTRAL, Web of Science, PROQUEST Dissertations and Theses, and Scopus were searched to identify qualitative or mixed-methods studies. The qualitative data were coded from the studies and themes emerged. For the final stage of analysis, a thematic synthesis was utilized.

Findings: Sixteen papers were included from eight countries. The overarching theme was "the effable and ineffable impacts of massage" informed by the following themes: massage as a transcendent experience, existential respite, massage helping to preserve dignity, increased inner resources, well-being and relaxation as part of the individualized and personalized vocabulary for massage for the seriously ill, and varied outcomes of the effect of massage on physical symptoms.

Conclusion: Good mental health and well-being are important aspects of living well with serious illness. The review found there is a considerable body of research which points to the value and impact of massage on outcomes of well-being and mental health and, broadly, on patient experience.

Introduction: Dissociation is a transdiagnostic phenomenon common among trauma survivors. Key characteristics include depersonalization, derealization, absorption, and amnesia. Chronic dissociation is correlated with autonomic nervous system hypoarousal and other neurophysiological adaptations that impact survivors' ability to make gains in conventional psychotherapy. Therapeutic massage has demonstrated stimulatory effects on cortical regions that exhibit functional dysregulation in dissociation and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This case study explored whether therapeutic massage and homecare could reduce persistent dissociation in a client with PTSD.

Case presentation: The study participant was a 35-year-old Indigenous female who was diagnosed with PTSD at age 18. Intake assessment via the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (DES-II) confirmed pathological levels of dissociation consistent with PTSD. Intervention comprised 10 sessions conducted by a massage therapy student over a period of 12 weeks. Each session included an initial interview, therapeutic massage, homecare prescription, and closing interview. Manual techniques were selected to promote parasympathetic tone while providing tactile stimuli; homecare techniques were selected to promote conscious proprioception. Dissociative progress was evaluated using four discrete DES-II samples, while somatic awareness was assessed during structured, 15-min massage periods in each session. Both tracked indicators showed improvement with intervention, with DES-II scores decreasing by 53.7% from initial baseline, and real-time awareness of somatic stimuli improving by 78%. These improvements were consistent with the participant's subjective reports of increased somatosensory awareness.

Discussion: As a low-risk intervention, therapeutic massage shows promise as an adjunct therapy in PTSD recovery. While the participant demonstrated improvements in tracked indicators, further research is needed to isolate the effects of massage from those of homecare exercises and the data collection process itself. Collaboration with psychiatry would enhance future study rigor by incorporating diagnostic assessments beyond the scope of massage therapy.

Interprofessional collaboration enhances health care by fostering communication, improving patient outcomes, and integrating diverse expertise. For therapeutic massage and bodywork (TMB) practitioners, engaging in interprofessional practice remains a challenge due to professional silos, limited research engagement, and other barriers to integration within health-care teams. This article explores the potential of research as a mechanism for strengthening interprofessional collaboration, positioning TMB practitioners as active contributors to evidence-informed health care. By fostering a stronger research culture, TMB can enhance its role within health-care systems, create new opportunities for integration, and contribute meaningfully to interdisciplinary patient care.

Pain and anxiety affect nearly half of patients with cancer, and high symptom burden causes stress during treatment. Both massage therapy and interventions focused on resilience building have been reported to ease symptoms. Resilience theory explains how a patient's resilience can help them navigate stressful events and return to health. Resilience at the family and health system level also affects a patient's ability to cope, recover, and rehabilitate after illness. Massage therapy is reported to reduce pain and anxiety, but its effect on resilience has not been studied. The purpose of this paper is to propose resilience theory as a framework for the role of massage therapy, symptom burden, and resilience, and how these might interact in patients with cancer.