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Archive for the ‘Massage Research’ Category

Put Your Money Where Your Mind Is–Help Fund a Massage Research Study For the Price of a Cup of Coffee

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Research, Massage Therapy, tagged , on May 27, 2013 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Want to make a huge impact in the field of massage therapy for the price of a cup of coffee? You can today! Recently I learned of a scientific study that is underway to measure how massage therapy impacts our health. The study, conducted by a  respected researcher in the field, Christopher A. Moyer, Ph.D, author of  Massage Therapy Integrating Research Into Practice, is currently looking for a small amount of funding to compete the final report.

At present, the study is only short $285! Consider donating $5, $10 or any amount of money to this important study to help reach the goal of full funding at $700 (which is a huge bargain considering the thousands of dollars that many scientific studies cost).

EDIT 5-31-13: The study has been fully funded! Thanks so much to all who contributed. I will post details of the results as they become available in future blog posts.

Check out the short 5 minute video and explanation of the research and donate here.

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Why Contributing to this Study On the Effects of Massage Therapy is So Important

1. Most of the research that has been conducted in the massage field has been poorly designed and lacks the controls and scientific integrity that the medical community deems essential for it to be valid research. Much of the studies measuring similar biological and psychological effects were done by very well-meaning people who alas did not apply appropriate research methods for the studies to be considered valid.

2. Massage therapy has been shown, in valid research studies,  to improve symptoms of depression and anxiety,

two devastating but unfortunately prevalent disorders in the U.S. But we don’t know how or why massage has this effect. This current study may lend some insight into he mechanism of action of massage on our mental health.

3. Few studies on massage therapy are conducted in the public eye with the opportunity for clients and massage therapists to have a direct say into what we would like to be studied or what is important for us to learn about the effects of massage therapy. Funding this study is a way to vote with your wallet to let the massage community know what you consider to be important research.

From Dr. Moyer’s site, here are some of the reasons why this study is important:

A better understanding of how the autonomic nervous system responds to massage therapy moment-to-moment as it is occurring, and across the entire treatment session, will increase our understanding of this form of treatment and help us to answer important clinical questions such as:

• How is massage able to reduce anxiety and depression?
• How does massage help the body to recover faster from injuries and to cope with painful conditions?
• How much massage is necessary to provide a therapeutic effect?

• Are there any aspects of massage therapy that tend to increase sympathetic nervous system activity and/or which decrease parasympathetic nervous system activity?

How Will the Funds Be Used (from the Funding website)

The funds being requested are to ensure the completion of this project. Data collection for 60 sessions of massage therapy, which enabled collection of heart rate, heart rate variability, electrodermal response, and mood state, has already been completed under laboratory conditions. This data was collected while Dr. Moyer was an assistant professor of psychology at a university in the upper Midwestern United States. A family health emergency caused him to leave that position before the data analysis and report writing could be completed. Dr. Moyer is requesting funds which will allow me to complete this important study.

Who is Christopher A. Moyer, Ph.D. and Why Should We Listen to Him?

Christopher A. Moyer Ph.D.

Christopher A. Moyer Ph.D.

Christopher A. Moyer, Ph.D is a psychological scientist who uses a variety of methods (e.g., meta-analysis, clinical trials, psychophysiological and neuroscientific laboratory assessments, survey construction and administration, et al.), combined with and informed by clinical training and experience, to study when, for whom, and by what mechanisms massage therapy, the manual manipulation of soft tissue intended to promote health, wellness, and performance, can be beneficial. In addition to this main focus, I am also interested in studying other modalities, such as meditation, that involve self-regulation, both for their own sake and as a way to broaden my perspective for understanding massage therapy as an intervention. He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois.

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How Does Massage Benefit Your Health?

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Research, Massage Therapy, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on April 25, 2013 | 2 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

For the past few years, I’ve been reading and learning more about evidence-based practices, research methods, and, sadly, the paucity of solid research backing up the medical benefits of massage therapy. While some members of the massage community are diligently working to improve the quality and quantity of massage research, there are many misconceptions about massage that have been taught to massage therapists in massage school and then passed on to massage clients. Some of these misconceptions have to do with the idea that “massage releases toxins” (technically, it does not and what people mean by “toxins”is unclear as well), that you must drink water after a massage (often as way to “flush” these said” toxins”). Some massage therapists and massage clients believe massage is a healing modality and that massage can release muscle “knots,”  While massage can reduce muscle tension, the conceptualization of knots in our muscles is misleading.  Many of these claims have either been seriously called into question, or explained to be misconceptions caused by massage school instructors trying to simplify physiological explanations.

More will be revealed about how massage therpy works

More will be revealed about how massage therapy works

That all said, I do believe that massage has some physical, mental and possibly, medical benefits. I do believe that most massage therapists genuinely want to help people feel better, want to use massage as  a healing tool and are doing their best to teach clients what they know about the benefits of massage. And I think that while it is important to understand the mechanism of how massage therapist works on our bodies and minds, for now until the research we need pours forth, I would like to propose a few simple explanations as to how massage can benefit us:

1. Most massage therapy, whether performed on a massage chair or massage table, puts the person being massaged into a really relaxing comfortable position. And in our culture, people rarely have a chance to relax or just sit. If we sit down to relax, we often think we are being lazy or unproductive. So giving ourselves permission to get a massage “for our health” or to “reduce stress” allows us to give ourselves permission to sit down and do relatively nothing for a period of time. It’s not magical. It’s not mystical. But relaxing is good for our health. By sitting down or laying down for a period of time, from 10 minutes to an hour or more, allows our nervous systems to move from sympathetic (fight or flight adrenaline pumping mode) to parasympathetic resting and digesting mode).

Just laying down on a massage table is relaxing

Just laying down on a massage table is relaxing

This may seem obvious to you, and you may think, “well what’s the big deal about that?” The big deal is this, in my experience few people in this culture will take the time to just sit down and do nothing or to lay down and relax, especially during a work day or when the kids needs help with homework or they want to spend time with friends. Relaxing is only socially acceptable if we do it in a structured environment like during a massage or while doing meditation. (Even though yoga was originally designed to calm the nervous system and relax the body, in the U.S., we even add words like “power” to yoga and add weight training to a yoga session! Which in my view, really defeats the purpose of doing yoga in the first place.)

2. Another aspect of our culture is that we are super “busy”…and often touch deprived. Our to do lists have to do lists. If we are not accomplishing, if we are not helping kids, parents or friends or making money (or being good consumers by spending money) we are not being “responsible, we are not being “productive” and we are not being “good” parents, children, neighbors, workers, bosses, employees, friends, community members. We are, in an unspoken way, not supposed to take time for ourselves (unless it is to work out, “power” style) because that is considered to be “selfish.” But getting a massage lets a person take care of him or herself without guilt. Instead of this being a selfish act, getting a massage is now seen an act of self caring. If we do not take care of ourselves, we cannot give to others because we will be too sick or too stressed out to be of much use! When you get a massage we allow ourselves to say, “hey this is my hour, or my ten minutes and I want the attention to be on me. I want to feel good, I want to be touched in a positive,  kind way, without the touch feeling sexual or violent or ticklish. And it is for my health so it’s okay in this instance for me to do something for my self.

Getting a massage gives you a little window of time for self care

Getting a massage gives you a little window of time for self care

Likely down the road, we will be able to use science to explain the psychology of massage through random clinical trails. Someday soon we will be able to point to research that shows more specifically how one person touching another via massage actually causes the recipient’s nervous system to shift into parasympathetic mode. But for now, I am content in my own explanations. I know my clients, and clients of other Working Well Massage therapists, benefit from our massages. I know people relax and enjoy getting massages. The science will come. Until then, we will keep providing relaxation, comfort and care to massage clients. And we will acknowledge and encourage their willingness to take care of themselves.

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Happy New Year from Working Well Massage in 2012

Posted in Ergonomics, Health and Wellness, Massage Research, Stress Management, Wellness Coaching, Workplace Wellness, tagged , , on January 1, 2012 | 2 Comments »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions because I don’t think they work and often make people feel guilty about taking a stand without really having a concrete plan to back up lifestyle changes. Changing habits takes a lot more than just making a statement. it takes a lot of planning and effort. And often, support from a coach, a personal trainer or other wellness support staff. I am more into planning and goal setting (which is natural from my coaching background!). The first day of a new year is always a good time for reflection and planning for me.

2011 in review

This past year has been a great year for Working Well Massage. We’d added some new team members to our happy group of professional therapeutic massage therapists: Aaron, Jennifer and Allison. And we bid a fond farewell to Janice, one of our chair massage team members, on her way as she travels to India for four months. We added a new Assistant Manager, David McClinton, to our chair massage stations in the Fall of 2011. David has done a fantastic job of sprucing up our booths and keeping things running smoothing for both our massage therapists and our clients.

In 2011, our corporate chair massage team has continued to provide many stressed out and sore office workers with relaxing chair and table massages in their office. This arm of our business has continued to grow and we are both grateful for the business and happy that our many corporate office worker clients have management teams that are progressive enough to know that providing in-house massages to their staff can mean more productive, less tense employees. (Note: I don’t mention the names of our corporate clients to preserve their anonymity. We enjoy our relationship with our clients and don’t want to exploit those relationships for promotional purposes.)

In 2011, we tried out a new business venture with Whole Foods Market’s new Wellness Clubs in Lincoln Park.  Sadly, the idea of adding a table massage location to our already successful chair massage business in the store proved to be less desirable for clients than we had anticipated. Most of our chair massage clients appreciate the convenience and location of our chair massage stations. Few people wanted to venture upstairs to the Mezzanine level of the Lincoln Park Whole Foods Market to get a table massage so, rather than scatter our resources further, we quickly closed the table location and let the Wellness Club focus on the nutritional counseling and fitness needs of shoppers upstairs while we do what we do best, walk in chair massage, on the main floor.

On this blog, Working Well Resources, in 2011, I wrote 94 new posts, growing the total archive of my blog to 395 posts. I uploaded 194 pictures in 2011.. The tops posts accessed in 2011 were as follows:

My most commented on post in 2011 was Helping Chicago Get and Stay Calm-Calm Chicago. My blog was viewed about 39,000 times in 2011.

The busiest day of the year was April 12th with 230 views. The most popular post that day was Find the Top Tweeters on Nutrition.

What’s Ahead for 2012?

In 2012, we at Working Well Massage plan on continuing to grow our corporate chair massage business, providing quality massage professionals with access to corporate office clients and providing office workers with much-needed (and much appreciated) stress relieving massage sessions. We are also looking to add some yoga classes and other fitness options to some of our corporate client sites.

In 2012, we are going to continue to improve our WWM chair massage stations inside both the Lincoln Park and Gold Coast Whole Foods Markets in Chicago, Illinois. We will be changing the carpeting, adding some new art and stretching posters and incorporating some of our new team members into the lineup at the two stores. I will personally be offering some new training and advising opportunities to my WWM team, to keep us all up to date on the latest research on massage therapy and best ways to help our chair massage clients enjoy our chair massages in the stores.

At Working Well Massage, we aim to not only give our clients the most relaxing and enjoyable chair massages and corporate massage experiences, but to help our highly skilled,  professional team of massage therapists connect with great clients!

As far as the blog goes, this year I plan on providing some new video content to give our readers visual tips on workstation ergonomics, relaxing videos of amazing nature scenes, and some helpful illustrations of how to use the Miracle balls as well as tennis balls and the yoga bolster to stretch muscles and relax your nervous system. I will also aim to provide new info on the latest massage and fitness research.

In 2012, I will personally continue to work towards my master’s degree in Clinical Professional Psychology, to give me more tools to help my clients relax and deal with stress and to help make me an even better coach for my current clients, massage therapy team and potential new coaching clients. I will also make the extreme sacrifice (wink) to continue hiking and taking photos of wonderful natural forest preserves and other nature spots to share with you in this blog!

Happy New Year to our team, our clients and of course, to all our loyal readers of our Working Well Resources blog!

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Runner’s World Sheds Some Light on the Confusing Reporting of Massage Research

Posted in Health and Wellness, Massage Research, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , , on September 26, 2011 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

The world of massage research is in many ways, still in its infancy.  As such there is a lot of conflicting studies that can easily lead people to draw incorrect conclusions. mainstream press often takes the most sensational points from a study and broadcast those points to the world as if it were the Gospel. How do concerned citizens, loyal readers and fellow massage aficionados cope with the deluge of conflicting and confusing information about massage research?  one magazine that does a pretty good job of reporting on massage reasearch is Runner’s World.  In his article, Massage Q+A: Does it Work?, author Sam Murphy writes about a number of studies and explains how research results can be misleading when they don’t compare apples and oranges. or in this case, when research doe snot compare the effects of multiple massage session with the effects of a  single 8-minute session. Runners and research consumers,  take a few minutes to read Sam Murphy’s article. It may clear up questions you have about using massage to improve your athletic performance and or aid recovery from muscle injury.

 

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Meet Heather Rabitt, Infant Massage Instructor in Chicago

Posted in Massage Research, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , , , on November 4, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Infant massage helps baby's digestion and gassiness

I met Heather Rabbit recently at the AMTA-IL Strategic planning meeting. After spending a day with Heather and chatting with her over lunch, I can say that, if I were pregnant, she is the massage therapist I would most likely go to for pregnancy massage. And if I had a new born, I would also pick her as my number one Infant Massage Instructor. Heather is not only fit, smart, professional, knowledgeable and articulate, she is also warm and compassionate. And Heather has a passion for infant massage instruction as well as massage therapy in general. She is also a nationally certified and state licensed massage therapist practicing in Chicago, Illinois. She teaches parents how to give their babies massage in her Infant Massage Class at Swedish Covenent Hospital. Her website is here.

Read this excerpt about infant massage as explained by Heather from an article by Anne E. Stein, a Contributing writer in WellCommunity, a publication of Swedish Covenent Hospital.:

“Believe it or not, babies get stressed out,” Rabbitt says. “Massage helps them learn what relaxation is at a young age, and studies have shown they’ll be more relaxed as they grow.”

In addition to calming a baby, massage helps with digestion and gassiness by stimulating the stomach and large intestine. Tummy massage, explains Rabbitt, is extremely helpful for soothing colicky babies.

Other studies have shown that, like adults, babies derive a significant amount of relaxation and good feeling from massage because it decreases the stress hormone cortisol, which is harmful for brain development. Reduction in this hormone can cause an increase in the antibodies that fight infection and facilitate healthy weight gain.

More studies still have found that infant massage may increase babies’ alertness, attentiveness and ability to learn.

“Overall, brain development is defined and guided by our environment, and infant massage helps create a physical and emotional environment for baby that is open to learning,” Rabbitt said. “The sensation of touch can facilitate this brain development and creates denser and more comprehensive brain cells.”

This theory is based on the fact that babies (by about age 1) naturally have about 150 percent more neural connections (brain cells) than adults do. As babies age, their bodies start to shed the connections that are not being used. But if their brains are well stimulated at an early age, they retain more information, and are more responsive to learning.

Therefore, it is essential that babies take in as much sensation and information as possible during that time, and infant massage can serve as the needed stimulus.

Massage is a great tool for parents, especially if swaddling and rocking aren’t working. When a parent gets home from work, for example, infant massage provides quality time that comforts baby and decreases the parent’s stress.

The connection created by massage can be especially important for dads, who often feel left out because they haven’t carried the baby for nine months and don’t experience the intimacy of breastfeeding.

Infant massage techniques are similar to adult massage techniques though gentler, and generally 20 minutes is the maximum time for massage. It’s extremely easy to learn, said Rabbitt. At Swedish Covenant Hospital, up to two caregivers can attend three, 60 to 90-minute classes with their baby (Rabbitt also provides in-home sessions). The massage techniques are designed for babies from birth to one year, but classes are typically taken between four weeks to just before the baby starts to crawl.

Infant massage is also being used in a research project in the hospital’s special care nursery for late pre-term babies (27-34 weeks). Babies receive three massages a day for five days, with a goal of increasing their weight gain faster so they can go home sooner. Previous studies have shown that early pre-term infants gained 47 percent more weight and were discharged earlier than infants who weren’t massaged.

Link to the entire article here.

Heather Rabbit, LMT, Infant Massage Instructor

In 2008, Heather received a grant from the Massage Therapy Foundation entitled: Increasing Infant-Mother Interaction, Decreasing Depression – Teaching Infant Massage to Women With Symptoms of Postpartum Depression. With this grant, she was able to help 15 new mothers use infant massage as a tool to decrease anxiety, create a healthy and loving relationship with their new babies, and make sure their babies were developing properly for their age.

Heather is certified in Pre, Peri and Postnatal massage, as well as orthopedic massage. She is also the Secretary on the Board of Directors for 3300 member-Illinois chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association and she has BA from Ohio State University.

Watch Heather explain infant massage in this video, You Tube link here. Link to Heather’s website here.

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Is Massage is the New Metramucil?

Posted in Massage Research, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , , , on August 17, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

List of images in Gray's Anatomy: XII. Surface...
Colon in blue. Image via Wikipedia

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

One of the things massage therapists learn in massage school is how to give a proper abdominal massage. Along with gliding and kneading techniques, we learn to massage the abdomen in the same direction as waste products move through the colon (large intestine). This movement helps move waste material away from the small intestine and towards the exit of the colon. Since our colons work by peristalsis (actually contracting and releasing to move waste through the tubelike structure of the column), massaging the abdomen, especially tracing the colon with gliding strokes, can be useful in relieving constipation. Logically, the mechanism of physically moving waste material out of the colon by pressing or kneading material through the colon is pretty simple and makes sense. However, don’t take my word for it. The Journal of Advanced Nursing recently published an article about research that showed that abdominal massage helped relieve constipation and could be a considered a cost-effective way to improve patients quality of life in this area.

The study, conducted by Umeå University in Sweden, evaluated changes in health-related quality of life for people with constipation receiving abdominal massage and estimated the cost-effectiveness of two alternative scenarios developed from the original trial.  In the study, a randomized controlled trial, 60 participants in Sweden between 2005 and 2007 were given either laxatives or massage. The control group continued using laxatives (control group) and the intervention group received additional abdominal massage.  In the self-massage scenario patients learned to give self-massage, and in the professional massage scenario patients in hospital received abdominal massage from an Enrolled Nurse.  The researchers determined health-related quality of life was statistically significantly increased after eight weeks of either self-massage and professionally provided abdominal massage.

“Abdominal massage may be cost-effective in the long-term and it is relevant to consider it when managing constipation,” the report noted.

What does this mean for you? If you have problems with constipation, you may want to try a little self massage of your own abdomen. However, consult your physican before attempting any abdominal massage. If you have a bowel obstruction massage or if your constipation has lasted longer than a day or so, seek medical attention.

Here is a link to  directions for self massage of your own abdomen.

The research, “Abdominal massage for people with constipation: a cost utility analysis,” ran in the June 16 edition of the Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Source: lämås k., lindholm l., engström b. & jacobsson c. (2010) Abdominal massage for people with constipation: a cost utility analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(8), 1719–1729.

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Cash In on Great Hiking, Golfing, Water Recreation in Cashiers, NC

Posted in Fitness, Health and Wellness, Massage Research, Nature and Stress, Stress Management, tagged , , , , , , on June 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment »

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

This May we traveled to Cashiers, North Carolina to scout for locations for future seminars and group trips. One of my clients had told me to travel to Cashiers versus Asheville, NC for great hiking and a more outdoorsy experience. He was absolutely right! I found a great Inn on Trip Advisor. (My favorite travel site. If you don’t know about it, check it out! Similar to Yelp, but for travel, Trip Advisor provides user-generated reviews of hotels, cities, attractions, national parks, etc.)

View from top of Glen Falls, one of 17 area waterfalls near Cashiers, NC. Image by Sue Shekut

We stayed at the Laurelwood Mountain Inn, which is a sweet hotel sitting in the middle of beautiful downtown Cashiers!  “Downtown” Cashiers consists of the Inn, a gas station, a number of restaurants (from the BBQ at the farmers market store to the high-end Italian Restaurant, Horacio’s, to Bucks Coffee House with free WI-FI). There are also some antique shops and other small businesses but it’s mainly a two street town (at the junction of highways 64 and 107).

Farmer's Market in Beautiful Downtown Cashiers, NC, Image by Sue Shekut

The biggest find and a great surprise to us, was that there is a hiking store, Highland Hiker, just 1 block away from Laurelwood Mountain Inn. For a small “town” in the middle of the mountains, it was a shock to find such a large well equipped hiking store. The shop keepers we met were all avid hikers and gave us great service in helping us find new camel backs and hiking gear for our day hikes in the area.

Laurelwood Mountain Inn was a fantastic find. We stayed in one of their “suites” which is really a duplex condo, 2 bedroom, 2 bath with a two-person hot tub in the master bath. (A well deserved treat after hiking all day.) The condo had all the amenities of home with cable TV, a small kitchen (with mini-fridge versus a full size fridge) and was built by the current owner.

Laurelwood Mountain Inn Condo Staircase. Quality craftsmanship throughout. Image by Sue Shekut

The owner of the Inn built a waterfall right outside the door of our cabin (long before we came to stay, of course) along with a  gazebo. Eric, the Innkeeper, told us that the owner’s waterfalls were so popular he got busy building waterfalls for area residents. Now the owner is too busy to run the Inn so he hired the Innkeeper and his wife. After spending time in Cashiers, I could see why people would want to leave the big city and live up in the mountains!

Waterfall outside our suite at Laurelwood Mountain Inn. Image by Sue Shekut

Note: There are a number of vacation rentals in the area for large families and groups. Check out VBRO (Vacation rental by Owner), Trip Advisor or the GoCashiers site here for pics of great homes to rent on nearby Lake Glenville. Cashiers Chamber of Commerce also has a listing for accommodations here. There is also a higher end hotel with a golf course and tennis courts, High Hampton Inn & Country Club.

And, yes, the waterfalls at the Laurelwood Mountain Inn are a lovely but a small replica of the actual waterfalls to be found all around the Cashiers area. There are about 17 waterfalls near Cashiers. We did a day hike to Glen Falls and were not disappointed! It was a very active hike with a fair amount of climbing and many many photo opportunities like this one below!

Glen Falls, Cashiers, NC area. Image by Sue Shekut

Descending to the next level of the Falls we were glad to have brought our hiking poles!

Hiking Glen Falls, NC. Image by Sue Shekut

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is only an hour away from Cashiers so we were able to take another day hike to see the actual “Smoke” from along the Great Smoky Mountains. (The “smoke” in the Great Smoky Mountains comes from the mystical blue mist (from water vapors) shrouding its peaks.)

View from Newfoundland Gap Trail in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Image by Sue Shekut

Our last view of the Great Smoky Mountains from Jump Off Point.

Great Smoky Mountains Jump off Point. image by Sue Shekut

Would we go back? As often as we can!

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Something Special for Expectant Mothers–Prenatal Massage Tips

Posted in Massage Research, Massage Therapy, tagged , , , , , on April 20, 2010 | 4 Comments »

Image courtesy of Birth Balance Blog

By Sue Shekut, Owner, Working Well Massage, Licensed Massage Therapist, Certified Prenatal Massage Therapist, Certified Wellness Coach, ACSM Personal Trainer

Prenatal massage therapy is an area that is generating more and more research. Right now a few of my massage clients are pregnant. I thought I’d share some of the tips on prenatal massage with you that I share with them!

Benefits of Prenatal Massage

Pregnancy Today’s Kelly Lott, RMT, suggests that, in addition to feeling good, prenatal massage therapy can have other benefits for the mom-to-be and her baby, too.  ”A study conducted by Dr. Tiffany Field at the University of Miami School of Medicine showed that massage actually reduces stress hormones in the body. Touch is vital to the mother’s physical and emotional well-being as she adapts to her new body image. Regardless of individual circumstances, a pregnant woman’s body is challenged, changed and stressed in many ways. Massage gives special attention to the mother-to-be, which in turn nurtures the new life that grows within her.”

In addition, other benefits include:

  • Relieves swelling/edema in legs
  • Reduces low back pain
  • Relieves muscle soreness and pain in neck and shoulder area
  • Gives mothers-to-be a place to be pampered, to relax and feel nurtured!
  • And according to Shirley Vanderbilt at MassageTherapy.com, “Recent studies from the Touch Research Institute (TRI) in Miami, Fla., indicates that pregnancy massage provides more than just symptom relief for the mother. A group of 26 pregnant women were given either massage or relaxation therapy during a five-week study. In addition to experiencing a reduction in symptoms of anxiety, stress, sleep problems and back pain, the massage group had fewer complications in their delivery. Their newborns also had fewer postnatal complications. Another TRI study reported massage during labor resulted in shorter labor times for the mothers, shorter hospital stays and less postpartum depression.” (Read more from Shirley Vanderbilt on Pregnancy Massage at massagetherapy.com here.)

Cautions for Prenatal Massage

There are, however, times when expectant mothers should avoid seeking massage therapy. Because of the increased risk for miscarriage in the first trimester, it is commonly recommended to wait until second or third trimesters to explore prenatal massage. If an expectant mother is experiencing any of the following complications or conditions, she should abstain from prenatal massage as well:

  • heavy discharge (watery or bloody);
  • diabetes;
  • contagious illness;
  • fever;
  • vomiting;
  • unusual pain;
  • preeclampsia;
  • high blood pressure;
  • morning sickness;
  • abdominal pain;
  • diarrhea;
  • any malignant condition.

Additionally, areas of the body that should not be massaged include:

  • skin rashes, open sores, bruises
  • raised or distended varicose veins
  • Points on the hand between the thumb and index finger*
  • Points on the inside of the lower leg about 4 inches above the inner ankle bone*

*These are accupressure points thought to stimulate contractions and labor

Prenatal Massage Positioning

For table massage, pregnant women should not lie on their stomachs. Prenatal massage should be done with the mother to be in a side lying position, usually hugging  a body pillow. Some massage therapists will also use a body cushion system that allows the mother-to-be to lay face down with her belly supported by the pillows. Pregnant women love this pillow because ti allows them to lay face down without any pressure on their bellies. However, there is some concern that this body cushion position may over stretch ligaments in the woman’s abdomen and some massage therapists (myself included) prefer to avoid the risk and use the side lying position exclusively.

For chair massage, most massage chairs have a “pregnancy bolster” which allows the expectant mother to sit in the chair without putting any pressure on her belly. The massage chairs at Working Well massage stations are designed to move the breast plate high enough to that the expectant mother’s belly is under the breastplate.

Finding a Good Prenatal Massage Therapist

Massage therapists must be certified in prenatal massage to perform prenatal massage. If you already see a massage therapist, ask him or her if they have this certification or if they can refer you to a massage therapist that does. If you are in Chicago, I, myself, am certified in prenatal massage and I also know of several massage therapists with prenatal certification I can recommend.

To find a reputable prenatal massage therapist in the US, visit the Association of Bodywork and Massage Professional’s massage locator service here. Or visit the National Massage Therapy Certification Board and search for ‘pregnancy massage.’

Read more at Suite101: Benefits of Prenatal Massage: When and Why to Get a Massage During Pregnancy

Read “12 Reasons to Administer Prenatal Massage Therapy” here.

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