Benefits of Massage Therapy

The Benefits of Massage Therapy

The benefits of massage therapy have been studied and documented for years now, the difference between massage techniques however has not been as well researched. In a study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics entitled Comparison of Massage Based on the Tensegrity Principle and Classic Massage in Treating Chronic Shoulder Pain, classic swedish massage was compared to massage based on the Tensegrity Principle. The Tensegrity Principle is based on stripping the muscles towards the painful area, directing and indirectly affecting the motion segment. The two techniques were applied to two different groups, each of which were experiencing shoulder pain at the time of the study. One group was given 10, 20 minutes classic swedish massages while the other group was given 10, 20 minutes tensegrity massages. At the end of the study the results obtained showed greater improvement with range of motion and pain scales in the group that received massages using the tensegrity principle, however the classic group showed overall improvement as well.

Here at Alpha Chiropractic, we have experienced massage therapists that have been trained in a wide range of techniques that can be tailored to each individual’s needs. Massage, in combination with Chiropractic and Physical Therapy, has shown to have great benefits in improving healing and recovery after an injury.

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

Volume 36, Issue 7 , Pages 418-427, September 2013

Comparison of Massage Based on the Tensegrity Principle and Classic Massage in Treating Chronic Shoulder Pain

Krzysztof Kassolik, PT, PhD

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes of classic massage to massage based on the tensegrity principle for patients with chronic idiopathic shoulder pain.

Methods

Thirty subjects with chronic shoulder pain symptoms were divided into 2 groups, 15 subjects received classic (Swedish) massage to tissues surrounding the glenohumeral joint and 15 subjects received the massage using techniques based on the tensegrity principle. The tensegrity principle is based on directing treatment to the painful area and the tissues (muscles, fascia, and ligaments) that structurally support the painful area, thus treating tissues that have direct and indirect influence on the motion segment. Both treatment groups received 10 sessions over 2 weeks, each session lasted 20 minutes. The McGill Pain Questionnaire and glenohumeral ranges of motion were measured immediately before the first massage session, on the day the therapy ended 2 weeks after therapy started, and 1 month after the last massage.

Conclusions

This study showed increases in passive and active ranges of motion for flexion and abduction in patients who had massage based on the tensegrity principle. For pain outcomes, both classic and tensegrity massage groups demonstrated improvement.