How genetics can uncover links in chronic pain and other conditions

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How genetics can uncover links in chronic pain and other conditions

"In the recent Global Burden of Disease study, four of the top ten causes of disability worldwide were chronic pain conditions. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts beyond normal healing time – usually three months – and is one of the most common global causes of incapacity. It rarely occurs by itself, however, and is one of the most common conditions to present itself alongside other chronic conditions, such as diabetes and COPD. This increases the overall burden of disability, and the impact of each chronic condition."

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Recommended Resources for Massage Therapists

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Recommended Resources for Massage Therapists

A selection of readings - books and scientific journals that might be of interest to massage therapists that want to explore the topics introduced in more depth.

General reference books for massage therapists

• A Guide to Better Movement. Todd Hargrove
• Big Ideas Simply Explained
  • The Philosophy Book
  • The Psychology Book
  • The Science Book
  • The Sociology Book
• Cure. Jo Marchant. 
• Homo Deus. Yuval Noah Harari
• Humankind. Alexander Harcourt
• Mindware. Richard Nisbett
• Move your DNA. Kathy Bowman
• Neurocomic. Hana Ros
• Sapiens. Yuval Noah Harari
• Science Set Free. Rupert Sheldrake
• The Brain That Changes Itself. Norman Doidge
• The Brain's Way of Healing. Norman Doidge
• The Demon Haunted World. Carl Sagan
• The Story of the Human Body. Daniel Lieberman
• Touch. David Linden
• The Upright Thinkers. Leonard Mlodinow
• Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. Robert Sapolsky

General reference books on pain

• A Nation in Pain. Judy Foreman
• A Headache in the Pelvis. David Wise & Rodney Anderson
• Explain Pain. Lorimer Moseley and David Butler
• Migraine Brains and Bodies. C.M. Shifflett
• Migraines: More than a headache Elizabeth Leroux
• Pain: the science and culture of why we hurt. Marni Jackson
• Pain: from suffering to feeling better. Marie-Josée Rivard
• The Challenge of Pain. Ronald Melzack
• The Migraine Brain. Carolyn Bernstein
• The Sensitive Nervous System. David Butler
• Understanding Pain. Fernando Cervero

Clinical Textbooks

• Craniofascial Pain. Harry von Piekartz
• Examination of Peripheral Nerve Injuries. Stephen Russell
• Fascial Dysfunctions. Leon Chaitow
• Fascia in Sport and Movement. Robert Schleip
• Nerves and Nerve Injuries. Shane Tubbs
• Manual Therapy for Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes. Cesar Fernandez de las Pen
• Manual Therapy for the Peripheral Nerves. Jean-Pierre Barral
• Medical Acupuncture: A Western Scientific Approach
• Orthopedic Physical Examination Tests.  Chad Cook
• Pain in Practice. Hubert van Griensven
• Physical rehabilitation of the injured athlete. James R. Andrews
• The Oxford Textbook of Musculoskeletal Medicine. Michael Hutson
• The Placebo in Manual Therapy. Brian Fulton
• Therapeutic Stretching: Towards a functional approach. Eyal Lederman

Anatomy and Physiology Textbooks

• Anatomy Trains. 3e. Tom Myers
• Architecture of Human Living Fascia. Jean-Claude Guimberteau
• Color Atlas of Human Anatomy: Locomotor System. 7e Werner Platzer
• Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System. Carla Stecco
• Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. 13e
• Thieme Atlas of Anatomy: General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System 2e.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Acupuncture in Medicine
• American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• British Journal of Sports Medicine
• International Journal of Massage & Bodywork
• Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
• Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy
• Journal of Pain
• Musculoskeletal Science & Practice
• Physical Therapy in Sport
• PM&R

Massage Therapy: A List of Systematic Reviews

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Massage Therapy: A List of Systematic Reviews

The public and health-care professionals may not be aware of the growing body of evidence to support the work that we do as massage therapists. So in this post of have put together a list of systematic reviews that lend credibility to massage therapy.

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Many kids still don’t report concussion symptoms. How can we change that?

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Many kids still don’t report concussion symptoms. How can we change that?

"Entangled in the enthusiasm and attention to professional football is the conversation of concussive injury and how playing professional football is related to brain injuries, neurocognitive problems and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)."

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Sporting injuries are on the up and up – here’s what can be done about it

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Sporting injuries are on the up and up – here’s what can be done about it

"Movement screens such as the “functional movement screen” or “landing error scoring system” are an integral part of medical support within sport. They comprise a range of exercises that allow coaches and medics to assess how individuals move in a variety of ways common to the sport they take part in. The proviso for their use is that they help to identify individuals at risk of injury."

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Incorporating Research into Practice

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Incorporating Research into Practice

"Massage therapy continues to be more common in new environments: hospitals, sport medicine clinics and long term care facilities. These settings require massage therapists to work directly with physicians and allied health professions, this requires a sound understanding of the latest research findings."

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