I feel that it is important to know the stories behind those who are working hard in the field to bring forward massage therapy research. Interviews with massage therapy researchers will now occasionally be included in the Journal as a new editorial feature. The first interview is with Virginia S. Cowen, PhD, LMT a New York State-licensed and NCB board-certified massage therapist with a PhD fro...

The International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (IJTMB) has as its core a key interest in and mission to develop the practice of therapeutic massage and bodywork by contributing to the field's body of knowledge. The IJTMB Editorial Board understands that one's daily practice provides the initial testing ground for the development of practice-based knowledge and, ultimately, expert...

Objective: Capsular contracture, the most common complication following breast augmentation with implants, is a complex inflammatory reaction that ultimately leads to fibrosis at the contact site between the implant and tissue. A number of peri-, pre-, and postoperative techniques have been postulated and implemented by many surgeons to reduce the incidence of capsular contracture. Breast massa...

Massage is considered as one of the oldest therapy used to treat various ailments. It was not only used as a preventive measure but also as a measure to cure disease. Ayurveda being a holistic system of medicine has emphasized the utility of Massage in various conditions. Ayurveda explained Massage as Abhyanga which infers anointing the body. Abhyanga not only prevents and delays normal ageing ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of lessons in the Alexander technique, massage therapy, and advice from a doctor to take exercise (exercise prescription) along with nurse delivered behavioural counselling for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain. DESIGN Factorial randomised trial. Setting 64 general practices in England. PARTICIPANTS 579 patients with chronic or recurrent l...

Modalities for Massage and Bodywork,a edited by Elaine Stillerman, LMT, introduces the top twenty-one modalities in massage and bodywork. I had a favorite book, Bodywork Basics,(1) which covered many bodywork modalities in brief. Stillerman’s book is more detailed. This is not an “introduction to massage” book, but an overview of the top modalities. And each modality is covered in reasonable de...

BACKGROUND The massage therapy profession in the United States has grown exponentially, with 35% of the profession's practitioners in practice for three years or less. Investigating personal and social factors with regard to the massage therapy profession could help to identify constructs needed to be successful in the field. PURPOSE This data-gathering exercise explores massage therapists' p...

Objective To determine the effectiveness of lessons in the Alexander technique,massage therapy, and advice froma doctor to take exercise (exercise prescription) along with nurse delivered behavioural counselling for patients with chronic or recurrent back pain. Design Factorial randomised trial. Setting 64 general practices in England. Participants 579 patients with chronic or recurrent low bac...