massage and bodywork professionals
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Research in the Classroom
Are you teaching research in your classrooms?
If so, which aspects (basic terms, read and interpret studies, research skills)?
How are you integrating research into other topics such as massage effects and treatment planning?
Views: 183
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Jenny Ray on
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The Geothermal Therapy Association was created specifically to insure that proper sanitation and safety protocols were being met in our modality. But our primary goal is to raise funds because we need research to prove that our anecdotal evidence is real.
56% of every dollar we raise through membership dues is going to fund administrative costs and development of a marketing plan to reach prospective members. The 44% balance is designated for research.
We are serious about research and willing to invest heavily in procuring the evidence we need to prove our modality benefits while eliminating undereducated practitioners from the holy grail of spa treatments...hot rocks!..
We applied for a research grant from the Complimentary and Alternative Medicine group of the National Institute of Health.. and were basically told that the millions of dollars available for research in CAM is going to the study of Chinese Medicine, including herbs and supplements but more specifically to acupuncture institutes.
Unless we at GTA have a medical doctor, or medical student interested in performing our research they were not interested in funding our projects. They know that most massage therapists are not adequately educated in proper research techniques.
This is unfortunate but the fact is, research is expensive if done correctly. I live near Spokane WA where the number one industry is health care and health care research. The various research facilities we contacted for assistance let us know that massage is not even on the radar for serious research....and they do not know the wide range of modalities in our profession.....hhhuummm me dost protest,
We need to find a voice to change policies for research grant funding at the federal government level. (any legislators in the family?..even a good lobbyist would help...is that a misnomer?)
Our modality involves temperatures ranging from 32 to 120 degrees used on the body with varying pressure and velocity. Now someone needs to prove the safety and contraindications as well as benefits of such an invasive modality. The only law suits filed for malpractice liability in the US during 2008-2009 involved serious third degree burns on clients receiving 'hot stone massage'. This is an outrage and while the Geothermal Therapy Association is rushing to educate the public on safety and the practitioners on common sense!...we need to fund extensive research to protect the client.
Yet it is like pulling teeth to get members to join...why? because any nut with 50 bucks can buy a DVD and a box of rocks and get CE credit for it to boot!! Next thing you know they are advertising the ever popular 'hot stone massage' and with no understanding of safety they harm clients causing law suits that raise insurance premiums for all of us.
Research is not only interesting, educational and supportive it is vital if we are to protect our industry.
Below is an address for anyone who wants to join our letter writing campaign. We are asking them for documented research data that could serve our needs and requesting that research begin immediately if it is not available. wheew...sorry to unload, but this is a very pet peeve of mine...
NCCAM
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov -
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Permalink Reply by Mike Hinkle on
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Jenny, I hope your Association will submit research findings for the 2011 Festival.
Jenny Ray said:The Geothermal Therapy Association was created specifically to insure that proper sanitation and safety protocols were being met in our modality. But our primary goal is to raise funds because we need research to prove that our anecdotal evidence is real.
56% of every dollar we raise through membership dues is going to fund administrative costs and development of a marketing plan to reach prospective members. The 44% balance is designated for research.
We are serious about research and willing to invest heavily in procuring the evidence we need to prove our modality benefits while eliminating undereducated practitioners from the holy grail of spa treatments...hot rocks!..
We applied for a research grant from the Complimentary and Alternative Medicine group of the National Institute of Health.. and were basically told that the millions of dollars available for research in CAM is going to the study of Chinese Medicine, including herbs and supplements but more specifically to acupuncture institutes.
Unless we at GTA have a medical doctor, or medical student interested in performing our research they were not interested in funding our projects. They know that most massage therapists are not adequately educated in proper research techniques.
This is unfortunate but the fact is, research is expensive if done correctly. I live near Spokane WA where the number one industry is health care and health care research. The various research facilities we contacted for assistance let us know that massage is not even on the radar for serious research....and they do not know the wide range of modalities in our profession.....hhhuummm me dost protest,
We need to find a voice to change policies for research grant funding at the federal government level. (any legislators in the family?..even a good lobbyist would help...is that a misnomer?)
Our modality involves temperatures ranging from 32 to 120 degrees used on the body with varying pressure and velocity. Now someone needs to prove the safety and contraindications as well as benefits of such an invasive modality. The only law suits filed for malpractice liability in the US during 2008-2009 involved serious third degree burns on clients receiving 'hot stone massage'. This is an outrage and while the Geothermal Therapy Association is rushing to educate the public on safety and the practitioners on common sense!...we need to fund extensive research to protect the client.
Yet it is like pulling teeth to get members to join...why? because any nut with 50 bucks can buy a DVD and a box of rocks and get CE credit for it to boot!! Next thing you know they are advertising the ever popular 'hot stone massage' and with no understanding of safety they harm clients causing law suits that raise insurance premiums for all of us.
Research is not only interesting, educational and supportive it is vital if we are to protect our industry.
Below is an address for anyone who wants to join our letter writing campaign. We are asking them for documented research data that could serve our needs and requesting that research begin immediately if it is not available. wheew...sorry to unload, but this is a very pet peeve of mine...
NCCAM
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov -
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Permalink Reply by Robin Byler Thomas on
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Hi Jenny,
Nice to see you here; I admire your spirit and share your interest in research.
We have American Indian Studies going on at the U of A in Tucson and they have their share of research. There's another Jennie you might want to contact who heads it up. Maybe you can spark some interest. Good luck.
Email: jrjoe@email.arizona.edu
Location: NARTC Office
Mailing Address: 1642 E Helen St | Tucson, AZ 85719
Jennie R. Joe, PhD, MPH, is professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine and directs the Native American Research and Training Center (NARTC). In addition to her appointment in the College of Medicine, Dr. Joe also teaches in the American Indian Studies graduate program. She received her doctorate from the University of California, Berkeley, and her research interests includes indigenous health, childhood diabetes, cancer and women’s health and is currently a member on the Institute of Medicine’s committee on health disparities. She also serves on the National Advisory Council for the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Among one of her more recent projects included coordinating a case study on the Office of Native Medicine in Chinle, Arizona, for the National Library of Medicine (NLM). The video illustrates the successes and challenges that traditional Navajo practitioners (traditional healers) encounter as they collaborate with physicians and other health care providers in the clinical care arena.
Jenny Ray said:The Geothermal Therapy Association was created specifically to insure that proper sanitation and safety protocols were being met in our modality. But our primary goal is to raise funds because we need research to prove that our anecdotal evidence is real.
56% of every dollar we raise through membership dues is going to fund administrative costs and development of a marketing plan to reach prospective members. The 44% balance is designated for research.
We are serious about research and willing to invest heavily in procuring the evidence we need to prove our modality benefits while eliminating undereducated practitioners from the holy grail of spa treatments...hot rocks!..
We applied for a research grant from the Complimentary and Alternative Medicine group of the National Institute of Health.. and were basically told that the millions of dollars available for research in CAM is going to the study of Chinese Medicine, including herbs and supplements but more specifically to acupuncture institutes.
Unless we at GTA have a medical doctor, or medical student interested in performing our research they were not interested in funding our projects. They know that most massage therapists are not adequately educated in proper research techniques.
This is unfortunate but the fact is, research is expensive if done correctly. I live near Spokane WA where the number one industry is health care and health care research. The various research facilities we contacted for assistance let us know that massage is not even on the radar for serious research....and they do not know the wide range of modalities in our profession.....hhhuummm me dost protest,
We need to find a voice to change policies for research grant funding at the federal government level. (any legislators in the family?..even a good lobbyist would help...is that a misnomer?)
Our modality involves temperatures ranging from 32 to 120 degrees used on the body with varying pressure and velocity. Now someone needs to prove the safety and contraindications as well as benefits of such an invasive modality. The only law suits filed for malpractice liability in the US during 2008-2009 involved serious third degree burns on clients receiving 'hot stone massage'. This is an outrage and while the Geothermal Therapy Association is rushing to educate the public on safety and the practitioners on common sense!...we need to fund extensive research to protect the client.
Yet it is like pulling teeth to get members to join...why? because any nut with 50 bucks can buy a DVD and a box of rocks and get CE credit for it to boot!! Next thing you know they are advertising the ever popular 'hot stone massage' and with no understanding of safety they harm clients causing law suits that raise insurance premiums for all of us.
Research is not only interesting, educational and supportive it is vital if we are to protect our industry.
Below is an address for anyone who wants to join our letter writing campaign. We are asking them for documented research data that could serve our needs and requesting that research begin immediately if it is not available. wheew...sorry to unload, but this is a very pet peeve of mine...
NCCAM
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov -
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Permalink Reply by Susan G. Salvo on
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Christopher, teaching students how to access and use research is probably the most basic skill - it is the skill they will use they most during their practice.
I liked your perspective about their being a hesitation regarding research in our profession. I wonder how much, even with new developments in research, what therapists do will really change. My own research has impacted the way I “think about” what I do, but it has yet to greatly impact what I do (not saying it won’t – it just hasn’t yet).
This is especially true when what I do is greatly appreciated by my clients, who state that (by their "subjective" experience) massage techniques are helping them achieve therapeutic outcomes.
Let's say research suddenly invalidates my primary method (Swedish). If I am attendee at a workshop you were conducting, what would you tell me?
Christopher A. Moyer said:Thanks for inviting me to join this discussion, Susan.
Training in research literacy is probably the most important thing. Most will never be involved in research, but all competent practitioners should know how to access it and how to use it.
To that I would add this observation - there is an inherent conflict between research and tradition. Many folks are coming out in favor of more research in the massage therapy profession, but it is important to realize that scientific research will validate some practices, and invalidate others. Depending on one's viewpoint, you could even say that research presents a risk to the profession, or more precisely, to parts of it. I'm not sure that is something which is fully appreciated. -
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Permalink Reply by Dawn M. Saunders on
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Good day...
We teach a 20 hour Research course as part of our 360 hour medical massage program. I am currently the Director of Education at UTMI in Albuquerque, NM, but at the time we were developing the curriculum for this advanced, post entry-level program I was an instructor who had just attended the 2005 Highlighting Massage Therapy in CAM Research conference. I pushed our administration and advisory board to accept that research was an integral part of a medical / clinical massage therapist's knowledge base. We utilize Glenn Hymel's chapter 2 in Sandy Fritz's Clinical Massage text. I think that chapter is too involved, too heavy on stats, and not an easy read, but it is a point of reference for our students.
Our course consists of: an introduction to the scientific method, why we ask questions in research, how to pose clinical questions with research, who / what organizations are currently conducting / publishing research (MTF, NCCAM, Touch Research Institute), how to find and read research articles, basic, basic intro to statistics, and how to translate research results into clinical applications (we have them choose a pathology, research what new forms of complementary medicine treatments there are "out there", then talk about what massage therapy clinical applications could be applied to their pathology of choice).
This is not an entry level course! Our therapeutic massage program is 720 hours. We utilize your Massage Therapy Practice & Principles text & online resources in our modality courses (i.e., case studies) and your Mosby's Pathology for Massage Therapists text & online resources in our Physiology & Pathology classes. However, we have not integrated research concepts into our entry level program.
It is challenging for some of our younger students in our TM program to see the connection between research and massage therapy. Only 17% of high school graduates in our state are prepared for the math & science courses at the college level!!! That statistic is a huge challenge for our school!!! Most TM students "glaze over" when math and science is mentioned because they are not prepared in high school for the level of education we are offering in our advanced program.
If I could integrate more research in our overall curriculum, I would. I know your text resources will continue to help me/us with that aspect. Thank you for what you are doing for our profession!
Dawn Saunders -
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Permalink Reply by Christopher A. Moyer on
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Pleased to make your acquaintance, Jenny.
If I may, something that you said illustrates the point I was making about research and tradition sometimes being in conflict: ...our primary goal is to raise funds because we need research to prove that our anecdotal evidence is real. That statement implies that the result is already known, or certain, but if that were the case there is no reason to do any research.
I think there is a misperception among some practitioners that they already know certain things that haven't been researched, but that they need the research to prove it to the scientists, because that is the only language the scientists understand. -
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Let's say research suddenly invalidates my primary method (Swedish). If I am attendee at a workshop you were conducting, what would you tell me?
Interesting question. The first thing that occurs to me is that it would be unusual, or maybe even impossible, for research to 'suddenly' invalidate your example of Swedish massage therapy. We would need a series of high-quality studies with consistent null results to reach that conclusion; this is even more true given we already have a fair amount of studies that demonstrate effects from Swedish massage therapy.
Allow me to alter your example a little. Let's say that you advertise yourself as a massage therapist specializing in reduction of painful condition X. Currently there are two massage modalities used for this condition, modality A and modality B. Both A and B have been around a long time, have their proponents, and seem to work, but no one has ever compared them scientifically. You happen to be trained in A.
Several well-designed studies are now performed in which A and B are compared. The findings show that A consistently reduces symptoms by about 15% better than no treatment, whereas B consistently reduces symptoms by about 45% better than no treatment. It's very clear that B is the better modality than A in all important respects.
What do you do now? Keep doing A, in which you were trained? (It does work, after all, just not very well.) Or do you abandon A and take the time, effort, and expense to learn B?
Should modality A even be taught anymore? Should it be abandoned by the profession? -
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Permalink Reply by Stephen Jeffrey on
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Robin you said
I had the opportunity, a couple weeks ago, to guest lecture for the research applications class at their second meeting. This group had elected to add a 4th quarter to a 3 quarter program; from 750 to 1000 hours. So, they wanted to be there, however, research was their least favorite class. From what I could tell that's because they were so new to the idea of research, and of course, they were dying to become experienced with hands on techniques.
They also couldn't relate to research at all. However, after we went around the room getting some basic background information and what their interests were, I was able to share with them the research being done along those lines and where to find the proper resources for study information. They became very animated, asked tons of questions, and my one hour visit turned into three.
How lucky those students were to have you.....can you not vidoe your next talk, then get a condensed version online ? It may help educators to realize there is a budding researcher wanting to be born from within some/most students ?
It may get other students interested ? you may even find some old stick in the muds like me have a reawakening to research.?
Susan, or indeed all of you :-
How about asking about the volume of time students might like allocated learning research out on the main forum? just in case you are not (in your enthusiasm for research ) forgetting just how tough the first rung of the ladder already is ?
Or is this envisaged for advanced courses?
Jenny
Chris gives us fair warnings about research and findings,..so how prepared are any of us for results that make us out to be fake. Its something I personaly would get very upset about.?
Respectfully yours. -
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Mike, We have completed some in house research with the CDC and found some pretty scary trends in the spa industry, the results of our study have provided us with new sanitation and hygiene criteria..not just specific to stones, but to all massage tools...if you like I can plan to deliver that information this year if you have a time slot...hope to have it pushed through nationals by next year...but that is like pushing string...so who knows...the big threat is MRSA with H1N1 and HIV also creating problems...a 5 star hotel spa in Greece was closed due to MRSA last fall...this staph infection is highly contagious and can be deadly...let me know if ya want a blip on it sooner than later...
Mike Hinkle said:Jenny, I hope your Association will submit research findings for the 2011 Festival.
Jenny Ray said:The Geothermal Therapy Association was created specifically to insure that proper sanitation and safety protocols were being met in our modality. But our primary goal is to raise funds because we need research to prove that our anecdotal evidence is real.
56% of every dollar we raise through membership dues is going to fund administrative costs and development of a marketing plan to reach prospective members. The 44% balance is designated for research.
We are serious about research and willing to invest heavily in procuring the evidence we need to prove our modality benefits while eliminating undereducated practitioners from the holy grail of spa treatments...hot rocks!..
We applied for a research grant from the Complimentary and Alternative Medicine group of the National Institute of Health.. and were basically told that the millions of dollars available for research in CAM is going to the study of Chinese Medicine, including herbs and supplements but more specifically to acupuncture institutes.
Unless we at GTA have a medical doctor, or medical student interested in performing our research they were not interested in funding our projects. They know that most massage therapists are not adequately educated in proper research techniques.
This is unfortunate but the fact is, research is expensive if done correctly. I live near Spokane WA where the number one industry is health care and health care research. The various research facilities we contacted for assistance let us know that massage is not even on the radar for serious research....and they do not know the wide range of modalities in our profession.....hhhuummm me dost protest,
We need to find a voice to change policies for research grant funding at the federal government level. (any legislators in the family?..even a good lobbyist would help...is that a misnomer?)
Our modality involves temperatures ranging from 32 to 120 degrees used on the body with varying pressure and velocity. Now someone needs to prove the safety and contraindications as well as benefits of such an invasive modality. The only law suits filed for malpractice liability in the US during 2008-2009 involved serious third degree burns on clients receiving 'hot stone massage'. This is an outrage and while the Geothermal Therapy Association is rushing to educate the public on safety and the practitioners on common sense!...we need to fund extensive research to protect the client.
Yet it is like pulling teeth to get members to join...why? because any nut with 50 bucks can buy a DVD and a box of rocks and get CE credit for it to boot!! Next thing you know they are advertising the ever popular 'hot stone massage' and with no understanding of safety they harm clients causing law suits that raise insurance premiums for all of us.
Research is not only interesting, educational and supportive it is vital if we are to protect our industry.
Below is an address for anyone who wants to join our letter writing campaign. We are asking them for documented research data that could serve our needs and requesting that research begin immediately if it is not available. wheew...sorry to unload, but this is a very pet peeve of mine...
NCCAM
National Institutes of Health
9000 Rockville Pike
Bethesda, Maryland 20892 USA
E-mail: info@nccam.nih.gov -
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Christopher,
Excellant catch on my languaging...of course the hope is that research could prove our anecdotal results are real...however I also want to find out how to stop some of the non-sense promotional language out there...how can someone say they offer 'balance and harmony of the body mind spirit...?' what the heck?..I am guilty of using that new age sales pitch and when I read it after it is printed I feel a bit ugly inside..I have no idea what those words really mean!... I have a strong feeling that when we claim to lower blood pressure through vasodilation due to the heat offered with the stones that this is a true statement....I have worked on family and friends with a blood pressure cuff in place and constant monitoring showed we did lower blood pressure,...but is it due to relaxation from the massage stroke or from vasodilation due to heat?...these are the point specifics that only accurate scientific research can validate or disprove.
I am not afraid of the negative results and proofs of some research projects, because I feel there are too many false claims and statements out of our scope of practice running around in the advertising realm of our profession...
great conversations...
thanks everyone!
Stephen Jeffrey said:Robin you said
I had the opportunity, a couple weeks ago, to guest lecture for the research applications class at their second meeting. This group had elected to add a 4th quarter to a 3 quarter program; from 750 to 1000 hours. So, they wanted to be there, however, research was their least favorite class. From what I could tell that's because they were so new to the idea of research, and of course, they were dying to become experienced with hands on techniques.
They also couldn't relate to research at all. However, after we went around the room getting some basic background information and what their interests were, I was able to share with them the research being done along those lines and where to find the proper resources for study information. They became very animated, asked tons of questions, and my one hour visit turned into three.
How lucky those students were to have you.....can you not vidoe your next talk, then get a condensed version online ? It may help educators to realize there is a budding researcher wanting to be born from within some/most students ?
It may get other students interested ? you may even find some old stick in the muds like me have a reawakening to research.?
Susan, or indeed all of you :-
How about asking about the volume of time students might like allocated learning research out on the main forum? just in case you are not (in your enthusiasm for research ) forgetting just how tough the first rung of the ladder already is ?
Or is this envisaged for advanced courses?
Jenny
Chris gives us fair warnings about research and findings,..so how prepared are any of us for results that make us out to be fake. Its something I personaly would get very upset about.?
Respectfully yours. -
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Jenny - Thanks for the clarification. This is interesting stuff you have told us about.
Stephen - For what it's worth, "fake" is a strong word. I personally do not think there are many fakers or deliberate frauds out there. There is, however, a good amount of pseudoscience that gloms onto the massage therapy profession. -
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Dawn,
I feel for you with the challenge of undereducated high school grads...I spent a few years teaching on the Umatilla Indian Reservation...it was determined that since we were a 'trade school' the the students who dropped out of high school with only 10 years education could qualify to come to our program. It was so difficult for them that we started a pre-education program to bring them up to speed on reading and math and offered study guide courses to help them learn how to learn....
Dawn M. Saunders, BS, LMT, RMTI said:Good day...
We teach a 20 hour Research course as part of our 360 hour medical massage program. I am currently the Director of Education at UTMI in Albuquerque, NM, but at the time we were developing the curriculum for this advanced, post entry-level program I was an instructor who had just attended the 2005 Highlighting Massage Therapy in CAM Research conference. I pushed our administration and advisory board to accept that research was an integral part of a medical / clinical massage therapist's knowledge base. We utilize Glenn Hymel's chapter 2 in Sandy Fritz's Clinical Massage text. I think that chapter is too involved, too heavy on stats, and not an easy read, but it is a point of reference for our students.
Our course consists of: an introduction to the scientific method, why we ask questions in research, how to pose clinical questions with research, who / what organizations are currently conducting / publishing research (MTF, NCCAM, Touch Research Institute), how to find and read research articles, basic, basic intro to statistics, and how to translate research results into clinical applications (we have them choose a pathology, research what new forms of complementary medicine treatments there are "out there", then talk about what massage therapy clinical applications could be applied to their pathology of choice).
This is not an entry level course! Our therapeutic massage program is 720 hours. We utilize your Massage Therapy Practice & Principles text & online resources in our modality courses (i.e., case studies) and your Mosby's Pathology for Massage Therapists text & online resources in our Physiology & Pathology classes. However, we have not integrated research concepts into our entry level program.
It is challenging for some of our younger students in our TM program to see the connection between research and massage therapy. Only 17% of high school graduates in our state are prepared for the math & science courses at the college level!!! That statistic is a huge challenge for our school!!! Most TM students "glaze over" when math and science is mentioned because they are not prepared in high school for the level of education we are offering in our advanced program.
If I could integrate more research in our overall curriculum, I would. I know your text resources will continue to help me/us with that aspect. Thank you for what you are doing for our profession!
Dawn Saunders -
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