by Shane Tucker

Created on: June 20, 2009   Last Updated: July 01, 2009

The last decade has seen massage therapy gain popularity among many members of the medical community. Long viewed as ineffective, massage was believed to be simple quackery at best and even dangerous in the opinion of some doctors. Massage therapy's roots are traced back to China, India, and Egypt and therefore have often been looked upon has not having the scientific evidence that is desired in the realm of Western medicine. However, recent research has shown that massage, when used in conjunction with traditional treatment, has improved the well-being of patients suffering from a wide range of physical illnesses.

The journal Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine published an article in their June, 2007 edition which was authored by Jennie C.I. Tsao, PhD. The article, entitled "Effectiveness of Massage Therapy for Chronic, Non-malignant Pain: A Review", discussed relevant studies which showed the effects of massage on several types of ailments. According to the review, studies submitted strong evidence that massage was highly effective for non-specific low back pain. However, massage was less effective for other problems such as fibromyalgia, neck pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. It did, however, display moderately positive results for these conditions.

Massage is not only used for treatment of injury. Sports-massage therapists have been used to prepare athletes for rigorous competition and to cool down and relieve muscle tightness after the event. It is not uncommon to see lines of massage tables at large-scale running events such as the Boston Marathon. Therapists incorporate various techniques to warm up the muscle tissue by increasing blood flow which in turn lessens the likelihood of injury. The practitioners also stretch the athletes before the event in an effort to lengthen the muscle fibers and make them more pliable and after the competition to try to help remove lactic acid, which is a contributor to muscle soreness. Sports-massage therapists are so effective that many professional athletic teams in football, basketball, and baseball employ them full time to help ensure that the team members remain healthy for the entire season

I received my massage therapy license in 2002 and have administered numerous massages in my career. I have used massage to help relieve pain associated with tendonitis, strained muscles, and repetitive-use injuries. The satisfaction in helping someone manage their pain is very

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