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In this issue of To Your Health:

• Massage and Exercise Complement Each Other
• Massage and Arthritis Research
• Answers to Your Massage Questions: Highlights From This Month's "Ask a Massage Therapist" Online Forum

More and more gym rats and weekend warriors are discovering that regular massage therapy visits can benefit them in a variety of ways. Not only does it help any level of athlete to recover from injury more quickly, it also can be used as a great preventative tool for those who like to push their bodies to the limit.

For fitness diehards and those of us just trying to get back into shape, soft tissue damage can set us back for days and sometimes weeks. Chronic tension or injured muscles can result in decreased flow of oxygen and nutrients to the muscles. Combining massage therapy with whatever exercise regime you adhere to can increase the blood flow and promote healing. The benefits of massage include relieving muscle tension and chronic pain, reducing blood pressure, swelling and stress through increased blood circulation. Regular massage therapy also can help people who suffer from neuropathy, diabetes, rotator cuff problems, stroke, edema, tendonitis and arthritis. The sometimes painful symptoms of lupus and fibromyalgia also can be reduced with the regular use of massage therapy.

So, whether you compete in weekend triathlons or just need a technique to help relieve your work place stress, regular massage therapy sessions, along with improved diet and exercise can have you well on your way to a more healthy and relaxed lifestyle.

Arthritis is one of the most common chronic diseases in the United States, and this inflammatory condition frequently plagues the hands. It is estimated that 1 in 5 or 46 million U.S. adults live with arthritis today; and over 38 percent, or 17 million adults report some limitation of their day-to-day activities because of this debilitating condition. Several non pharmaceutical approaches have been proven to increase joint function and alleviate the pain associated with arthritis, including increased physical activity and losing excess weight. And now, following a recent study completed by the Touch Research Institute (TRI) and funded by BIOTONE, massage therapy can be added to the list.

Under the TRI-conducted, study, 22 adults ages 20 to 65 who complained of wrist and/or hand arthritis were assigned randomly to either a standard treatment control group or a massage therapy group. Adults in the massage therapy group received regular massage on the affected wrist/hand once per week over the course of four weeks. Each adult in the massage group was also instructed to self-massage his or her wrist/hand at home daily. Meanwhile, adults in the standard treatment group did not receive any such massage therapy over the four weeks.

The group who received regular massage therapy experienced a lowered level of anxiety and depressed mood score after the first and last sessions, and reported less pain and greater grip strength by the end of the four-week study. All in all, the massage therapy group exhibited greater improvement than did the standard treatment group on all measures.

Arthritis sufferers have ample reason to make an appointment with a massage therapist today. Looking ahead, and considering an aging boomer generation, it is projected that nearly 67 million, or 25 percent, of U.S. adults will have doctor-diagnosed arthritis by the year 2030, thus the positive results of TRIs arthritis study come not a moment too soon!

Question:I have a client who recently had triple bypass surgery and am curious if there are any contraindications for massage. Medications, I know that blood thinners are contraindicated but what about deep massage on the legs. Usually with cardiac patients you avoid that but is it ok if he just had surgery?

Answer: It is necessary to communicate with the physician as to when your client is ready to receive massage. When you have the okay, only light and soothing strokes are indicated. Many physicians recommend massage to those who have had heart surgery to relieve stress.

Rajam Roose, LMT

Note: Information provided in this Q&A section is drawn from the "Ask a Massage Therapist" online forum, in which massage therapists field questions relative to the massage profession. Readers are encouraged to post their questions at www.massagetoday.com/ask/. Answers should not be misconstrued as a diagnosis, prognosis or treatment recommendation and do not in any way constitute the practice of massage therapy or any other health care profession. Readers should consult their own health care providers for medical advice.

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