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Although some massage therapists and clients may consider hot stone massage to be simply fashionable, the use of stones and gemstones for healing purposes dates back thousands of years. A Part Of HistoryBoth verbal and written history confirm the Chinese used heated stones more than 2,000 years ago as a means of improving the function […]

An estimated 10 million Americans suffer from a known hypothyroid condition, and 10 percent of adult American women may have some degree of such conditions, according to endocrineweb.com.January is National Thyroid Awareness Month, sponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, a time when massage therapists can learn how clients with thyroid disorders might benefit […]

Whether you have two years’ experience or 20, you have no doubt discovered that building and maintaining a full-time massage therapy practice places a large physical demand on your body. Massage therapists often develop overuse injuries from repetitive movements of the upper extremities. Many learn too late that self-care is critical for enjoying a long […]

About 15 percent of the current U.S. population is 65 years or older, and as the baby boomers continue to age, the size of this group will continue to grow. Combine this population with those who are chronically ill or have suffered a serious injury, and it’s easy to see how now and in the […]

Routine radiographic examination of the wrist is not difficult, but does require some attention to positioning. Keep in mind that to evaluate a joint on X-ray, one must be able to visualize the joint in two planes at 90 degrees to one other. The routine series for a wrist includes PA and lateral views. For further evaluation, […]

This past year was an eye-opening one for me, especially from an international perspective. It all started with the World Federation of Chiropractic’s biennial congress in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in April 2011. More than 1,000 enthusiastic attendees participated, and what particularly impressed me was the representation from the World Congress of Chiropractic Students. Students from all […]

Silent brain infarcts (subclinical strokes) “have an increased risk of dementia and a steeper decline in cognitive function than those without such lesions” for older people. This study found that “engaging in moderate to heavy physical activities may be an important component of prevention strategies aimed at reducing subclinical brain infarcts.” Abstract BACKGROUND: Silent brain […]

A study published and widely reported by mainstream media suggests conservative care consisting of either spinal manipulation or home exercise is more effective than over-the-counter and prescription medication for relieving acute and subacute neck pain. Spinal manipulative therapy was more effective than medication in both the short and long term, as was home exercise in the […]

The Default Mode Network (DMN) involves regions of the brain associated with mind-wandering – namely, the medial prefrontal cortex and the posterior cingulate corticies, that may cause lapses in attention and anxiety.   To assess whether mindfulness-based meditation can reduce activity along this brain axis, Judson Brewer, from Yale University School of Medicine (Connecticut, USA), and […]

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a plasticizer that is regarded as an endocrine disruptor that may be linked to  cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver abnormalities.  Commonly used in food can linings, Karin B. Michels, from Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues assessed the urinary bisphenol A (BPA) levels of 75 healthy men and […]

As an American Heart Association Strategic 2020 Goal, “ideal” cardiovascular health is one of elements that aim to improve Americans’ heart health by 20% and reduce deaths from heart disease and stroke by 20%.  Laura J Rasmussen-Torvik, from Northwestern University (Illinois, USA), and colleagues followed more than 13,000 healthy individuals for 13 years, measuring seven […]

Previous studies have reported an inverse association between physical activity and depression. Michel Lucas, from Harvard School of Public Health (Massachusetts, USA), and colleagues studied data co0llected on 49,821 US women enrolled in the Nurses’ Health Study, all of whom did not experience symptoms of depression in 1996. Surveying for physical activity a total of […]