Orthopedic   Massage

Finding Therapy That's Right For You

Is Touch an Effective Treatment?

The first Touch Research Institute was formally established in 1992 by Director Tiffany Field, Ph.D. at the University of Miami School of Medicine via a start-up grant from Johnson & Johnson. The TRI was the first center in the world devoted solely to the study of touch and its application in science and medicine.

The TRI's distinguished team of researchers, representing Duke, Harvard, Maryland and other universities, strive to better define touch as it promotes health and contributes to the treatment of disease. Research efforts that began in 1982 and continue today have shown that touch therapy has numerous beneficial effects on health and well being. For the Cardiologists reading this I have highlighted specific information pertaining to stress and hypertension.

Research Literature & Technical Resources on Pain & Therapy

Back Pain: Massage lessened lower back pain, depression and anxiety, and improved sleep. The massage therapy group also showed improved range of motion and their serotonin and dopamine levels were higher. Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Krasnegor, J., Theakston, T., (2001). Low back pain is reduced and range of motion increased after massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience,106, 131-145.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A daily self-massage for stretching tendons alleviated pain after one month. Cullen, C., Field, T., Hartshorn, K., Gruskin, A., Hernandez-Reif. M., Escalona, A., Sunshine, W., Burman, I. (in review), Carpal tunnel syndrome is lessened following massage therapy.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Immediately following massage therapy depressed mood, anxiety and stress hormone (cortisol) levels were reduced. Following 10 days of massage therapy, fatigue related symptoms, particularly anxiety and somatic symptoms, were reduced, as were depression, difficulty sleeping and pain. Stress hormone (cortisol) also decreased and dopamine increased. Field, T., Sunshine W., Hernandez-reif. M., Quintino, O., Schanberg, S., Kuhn, C., & Burman, I., (1997). Chronic fatigue syndrome: Massage therapy effects on depression and somatic symptoms in chronic fatigue syndrome. Journal of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, 3, 42-51.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome: Massage therapy (as compared to transcutaneous electrical stimulation) improved sleep patterns and decreased pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and cortisol levels. Sunshine, W., Field, T., Schanberg, S., Quintino, O., Fierro, K., Kuhn, C., Burman, I., & Schanberg, S. (1996). Fibromyalgia benefits from massage therapy and transcutaneous electrical stimulation. Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, 2, 18-22.

Fibromyalgia: Fibromyalgia patients slept better (showed lower activity levels suggesting more deep sleep), and had lower substance P levels and less pain following a month of biweekly massages. Field, T., Cullen, C., Hartshorn, K., Hernandez-Reif, M., & Sunshine, W. (in Press). Fibromyalgia patient's experience improved sleep pattern, lower substance p levels and pain reduction following massage therapy. J Clin Rheumatol

Hospital Job Stress: Hospital nursing and physician staff members were provided massage therapy, relaxing therapy and music therapy. These therapies significantly reduced anxiety, depression and fatigue as well as increased vigor. Field, T., Quintino, O., Henteleff, T., Wells-Keife, L., & Delvecchio-Feinberg, G. (1997). Job stress reduction therapies. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 3, 54-56.

Hypertension: Massage therapy decreased diastolic blood pressure, anxiety and cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Hernandwz-Reil, M., Field, T., Krasnegor, J., Theakston, H., Hossain, Z., & Burman, I. (2000) High blood pressure and associated symptoms were reduced by massage therapy. Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 4, 31-38.

Job Performance/Stress: Massaged subjects showed 1) decreased frontal EEG alpha and beta waves and increased delta activity consistent with enhanced alertness; 2) math problems were completed in significantly less time with significantly fewer errors after the massage; and 3) anxiety, cortisol (stress hormone) and job stress levels were lower at the end of the 5 week period. Field, T., Ironson, G., Scafidi, F., Nawrocki, T., Goncalves, A., Burman, I., Pickens, J., Fox, N., Schanberg, S., & Kuhn, C. (1996). Massage therapy reduces anxiety and enhances EEG pattern of alertness and math computations. International Journal of Neuroscience, 86, 197-205.

Labor Pain: Massage therapy during labor decreased anxiety and pain. In addition, the massaged mothers had shorter labor, shorter hospital stay and less depressed mood. Field, T., Hernandez-Reif, M., Taylor, S., & Quintino, O., & Burman, I. (1997). Labor pain is reduced by massage therapy. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 18, 286-291.

Migraine Headaches: Massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms and increased serotonin levels. Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Dieter, J., Swerdlow, & Diego, M., (1998). Migraine headaches were reduced by massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience, 96, 1-11.

Spinal Cord Injuries: Massage therapy improved functional abilities, range of motion and muscle strength in spinal cord injury patients. Diego, M., Hernandez-Reif, M., Field, T., Brucker, B., Hart, S. & Burman, I. (in Press). Spinal cord injury benefits from massage therapy. International Journal of Neuroscience.