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February 2008 [Volume 7, Issue 2]
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In this issue of To Your Health:
SpaFinder.com has listed the top trends for therapists and clients to watch in 2008. The emphasis seems to be more on meeting the needs of clients who want a different sort of experience – whether it's a way to boost fertility, the ability to explore more unusual services or just general wellness.
The "Feng Shui'd" Gym: look for fitness spaces to take on a more important role in the spa setting, partially due to the growing emphasis on wellness. Wellness, Wellness, Wellness: It's becoming increasingly central to the spa experience, with fitness, nutrition and education, as well as alternative practices such as energy medicine, Reiki and traditional Chinese medicine all becoming important aspects of spa. Luxury Detox and Bootcamps: Detox programs and weight loss bootcamps have long been associated with deprivation and suffering. But many spas are beginning to treat them less as punishments and more as celebrations.
Fertility Tranquility: Spas are beginning to offer treatments and diet regimes designed to boost fertility. Fertility-oriented acupuncture is becoming especially popular as a natural alternative for couples worried about the health effects of fertility hormones. Hydro and Thermal Super-Experiences: The European tradition of alternating hydro/thermal experiences is catching on worldwide and being interpreted in new and often spectacular ways.
Look for these trends as you explore your spa options. No matter what your preference is or how adventurous you feel in trying new modalities, it looks to be the year of the client in 2008.
Easing Pain and Aiding Recovery
A recent study conducted by Allison R. Mitchinson, MPH, NCTMB, of the Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System found that a 20-minute back massage might help relieve pain and reduce anxiety following major surgery when given in addition to pain medications.
Mitchinson and colleagues conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 605 veterans (average age of 64) undergoing major surgery (chest or abdominal operations) between 2003 and 2005. Patients were randomly assigned to one of three groups for the five days following surgery: 203 received routine care; 200 received a daily 20-minute back massage; and 202 received 20 minutes of individual attention each day from a massage therapist but no massage.
According to the authors, "The purpose of this group was to assess the effect of emotional support independent of massage. Patients were asked daily to rate the intensity and unpleasantness of their pain, plus their level of anxiety, on scales of one to 10."
"The effectiveness of massage in reducing both the intensity and unpleasantness of pain suggests that it may act through more than one mechanism," the authors continue. "Massage may ameliorate suffering by helping to relieve the anxiety that so effectively synergizes with pain to create distress. It could also generate mood-boosting endorphins or create a competing sensation that blocks pain."
Massage and Muscle Cramp Question
Question: My son plays basketball. From time to time he gets muscle cramps in his thighs as well as in his calves. What is the best thing or technique to do for this problem?
Answer: Athletes generally get cramps due to fatigue, dehydration and/or electrolyte imbalance. A quick way to help relieve a cramp is by applying static pressure (direct compression) over the area of the cramp and holding until the cramp dissipates.
Rajam Roose
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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