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Massage Therapy Research Study wins FIRST place in Research Day Poster Presentation

Wow! I just finished my first research study: Does Massage Reduce Pain in Hospitalized Children

It was a 3 month study evaluating pain scores before and after a massage therapy session. 108 massage sessions were provided, how-ever only the first massage score was used in order to reduce patient/therapist bias. The study was presented this week at research day, and the poster presentation was judged by the attending clinical staff and the research board. The massage poster won FIRST place, beating out some very experienced researchers.

The study concluded

N=24

massage therapy reduced pain 79.2% of the time.

This study was a replicated study, the first time it was initiated, massage reduced pain 77% of the time!

I am applying to the Internal Review Board again, to start another massage study.

Massage rocks, it is NOT just a fluffy feel good therapy! It is an evedence based, pain intervention

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Comment by Wendy Smith,LMT,MTI, on May 9, 2010 at 6:52pm: Hi Daniel,
The study covered both acute and chronic pain patients. The degree of pain reduction was done by rating thee pain before and after massage on a 0-5 scale. So long as they had a reduction of pain of 1 on the scale they were included. Like the duration add on. Thanks

Comment by Daniel Cohen on May 9, 2010 at 11:54am: The next time you do a study, perhaps you could include the duration and degree of pain reduction. Were these chronic or acute pains?

Comment by Christopher A. Moyer on May 7, 2010 at 5:55pm: Great work and congratulations.

What file format is your poster saved as? Is it possible for you to send it to me as an attachment? I'd be interested to see it if you are willing to send it.

Comment by Vlad on May 6, 2010 at 12:59pm: Brilliant!

Well done! That was a great accomplishment.
It's also fabulous to read that replicated studies are being done.

THANK YOU for your hard work and dedication to research, Wendy. It's appreciated!

Comment by Stephen Jeffrey on May 5, 2010 at 9:32am: Wendy Smith you rock !

Comment by Kim Goral on May 2, 2010 at 1:17pm: Congrats!!! That's great that you are doing research. Keep up the great work and be proud of yourself :)

Comment by Susan G. Salvo on May 2, 2010 at 12:03pm: Way to go Wendy. Keep up the good work!