Utilizing Massage Therapy Research

Materials

• Text - 272 pages
• Multiple-choice test
• Certificate upon completion

Description

Written by the Director of the world-renowned Touch Research Institutes, the course text examines the practical applications of important massage therapy research findings and describes the conceptual application of those results to practice. Each chapter of this comprehensive text provides a clear and authoritative review of what is reliably known about the effects of touch for a variety of clinical conditions such as depression, pain management, movement problems and functioning of the immune system. Coverage also includes the benefits of massage to specific populations such as pregnant women, neonates, infants, and adolescents.

In this course, you will:

• gain a background regarding the necessary elements needed to formulate a research question and select treatment and control groups for massage therapy research
• recognize the importance of research protocol used for growth and development, attention & attention disorders, psychiatric conditions, pain syndromes, autoimmune disorders and immune disorders
• review studies on reducing prematurity, enhancing growth and development, increasing attentiveness, decreasing depression and aggression, improving neuromuscular function, movement, pain reduction and enhancing immune function
• analzye research finding from the following areas of inquiry: anxiety, aromatherapy, blood pressure, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, the elderly, reflexology, sports, and surgery

This course provides a thorough yet concise review of recent research related to the importance of touch.

Course Objectives

1. Identify the essential elements in formulating a research question and selecting treatment and control groups for massage therapy research.
2. Recognize the importance of at least one research protocol used by this author for each of the following conditions:
• Growth & development
• Attention & attention disorders
• Psychiatric conditions
• Pain syndromes
• Autoimmune disorders
• Immune disorders
3. Identify at least one key element in the method and one finding in the results in each of the 3 studies on reducing prematurity.
4. Identify at least one key element in the method and/or the results in each of the 4 studies on enhancing growth and development.
5. Identify at least one key element in the method and/or the results in each of the 6 studies on increasing attentiveness.
6. Identify at least one key element in the method and the key results in each of the 3 studies on decreasing depression and aggression.
7. Identify at least one key element in the method and the results in each of the 5 studies on improving neuromuscular function.
8. Identify at least one key element in the method and/or the results in each of the 4 studies on movement studies.
9. Identify at least one key element in the method and the results in each of the 4 studies on pain reduction.
10. Identify at least one key element in the method and the results in each of the 4 studies on enhancing immune function.
11. Recognize 1 significant research finding from at least 5 of the following areas of inquiry: anxiety, aromatherapy, blood pressure, cancer, cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, the elderly, reflexology, sports, and surgery.

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Instructors

Sharon Burch, MSN, RN, NCTMB

Sharon Burch holds a Masters Degree in Nursing and has been practicing as a nurse since 1974. She is currently a Registered Nurse in the state of Arkansas. Additionally, Ms. Burch studied under many of today's leaders in massage therapy and bodywork during the 1980s, became Nationally Certified through the NCBTMB in 1993 and holds a professional membership with the AMTA.

As founder of Health Positive!, Ms. Burch has created over 60 home study nursing and massage continuing education programs, performed over 65 public, live educational presentations, has written two published books, served as a member on the NCBTMB Continuing Education committee and was a founding member of the National Association of Nurse Massage Therapists.

Sharon is an instructor on many of the Institute's programs and has authored and co-authored various ethics courses and additional titles such as Touch for the Seriously Ill, Stress Reduction Through Bodywork, Staying Well – Naturally, Cardiopulmonary Health and Illness, Chronic Pain Management, Marketing Massage in Four Easy Steps, Preventing Medical Errors, HIV Update for Massage Therapists and Bodyworkers, Understanding HIV, Massage for Edema and more.