Nonmember Edition
August 2006 | Vol. 7, No. 8
© 2006 American Massage Therapy Association®
All rights reserved.
Dear e-touch reader,
This month's e-touch has a new article by Jean Ives about the role of massage in the treatment of eating disorders. You can also preview the latest mtj™, find out about the newest online continuing education course, learn about hospitals' use of CAM therapies and more! And don't forget to check out the latest research and meeting news from the Massage Therapy Foundation.
Enjoy the issue!
~The Editors
e-mail: etouch@amtamassage.org
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PLEASE READ!
For any hyperlinks in this edition that prompt you to enter an ID and password to access your personal member page, remember that you need to enter your member ID number in the line provided, and the password is simply your last name.
THIS EDITION SPONSORED BY:
- Stronglite® Products For The Successful Practitioner.
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MASSAGE IN THE TREATMENT OF EATING DISORDERS
By Jean Ives
“I’m starving to death!” —a harmless exaggeration to most of us, but not so lighthearted to the more than 10 million Americans who struggle with an eating disorder. The causes of eating disorders are many and not fully understood, and the treatments are not altogether predictable. Massage, however, holds promise for some relief.
The National Eating Disorders Association identifies anorexia nervosa, binge eating and bulimia as the three most common eating disorders.
- Anorexia nervosa is characterized by self-starvation and excessive weight loss.
- Binge eating is characterized by frequent episodes of eating large quantities of food in short periods of time.
- Bulimia is characterized by a cycle of binging and self-induced vomiting.
Eating disorders are serious and life-threatening. In fact, victims of eating disorders have a far higher death rate that the general population. A 2001 study of the long term prospects of anorexia nervosa sufferers found that "approximately one half of patients with anorexia nervosa were fully recovered at 21 years but the other half had a chronic or lethal course."
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People with eating disorders often have an unhealthy preoccupation with weight. |
The reason eating disorders can be fatal is that people with eating disorders believe they are obese when they’re actually starving to death. Symptoms include preoccupation with food and diet, poor body image, low self-esteem, high anxiety, depression and perfectionist behavior. The symptoms of eating disorders on which massage has the most measurable effect are a person’s perception of body image and levels of anxiety and depression.
Eating disorders arise from a complex variety of physical, psychological, emotional, social and cultural issues. Some individuals who struggle with eating disorders have a history of sexual abuse or of having been ridiculed for their weight. Social issues include a pervasive culture that glorifies what “the perfect body” should look like. Recent research has also confirmed a genetic predisposition to the development of eating disorders.
Because of this complexity of issues, eating disorders are highly resistant to treatment.
No treatment for eating disorders has yet been found that is consistently effective and successful.
For example,
a June 2006 study
funded by the National Institutes of Health concluded that Prozac, an
antidepressant frequently used to treat anorexia, was not effective.
Common approaches to helping treat eating disorders or alleviate symptoms
include psychotherapy, medication, behavioral therapy and alternative therapies such as yoga,
acupuncture and massage. A study conducted at the
Touch Research Institute (TRI) concluded that massage
alleviates anxiety, depression, eating disorder symptoms, poor body image and biochemical abnormalities
for women diagnosed with anorexia nervosa. You can read an extended
summary of this study in a Word document.
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Research indicates that massage therapy can help those suffering from eating disorders learn about positive touch and reconnect with their bodies. |
In this study, “Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms Are Reduced by Massage Therapy,” massaged patients reported improved attitudes on the Eating Disorder Inventory, a 64-item self-report that scores drive for thinness, bulimia, body dissatisfaction, ineffectiveness, perfectionism, interpersonal distrust, interoceptive awareness (stimuli arising within the body) and maturity fears. In addition to the self-report data, decreases in saliva cortisol levels of the massage participants suggested reduced stress. The study also showed an unexpected increase in dopamine and norepinephrine levels, suggesting a positive effect on depression. These findings support previous findings on the benefits of massage therapy for bulimic women.
The authors of the TRI study suggest that a possible factor in the effectiveness of massage is that anorexic individuals report a strong desire for more nurturing touch. Compared with a nonclinical sample, anorexics have reported greater touch deprivation during their current lives as well as their childhood. Studies suggest that the inclusion of positive touch experiences such as massage therapy may be important for successful treatment.
Massage is included as part of the treatment regimen at The Anna Westin House, a residential eating disorder treatment center for women, which opened in Chaska, Minnesota, in 2003. In addition to giving massages, therapists there teach patients how to use self-massage for reducing anxiety, how to talk about their own physical sensations and how to set healthy and safe boundaries for touch.
The authors of the TRI study conclude, “By helping women feel more comfortable with their bodies, massage therapy may have facilitated close physical contacts in intimate relationships, thereby satisfying the need for tactile nurturance. Continued research is needed to determine the relationship between body image and the need for tactile nurturance among anorexic women receiving massage therapy.”
Jean Ives is a frequent contributor to mtj.
The Fall 2006 issue of mtj will be arriving in your mailbox in the next few days. You can preview the issue today by visiting www.amtamassage.org/mtj.
The National Institutes of Health estimates that 80 percent of the population suffers from back pain. Chances are, you hear from clients complaining of these problems. You’ll want to check out “Bouncing Back” in the Fall issue. It explores the latest research that shows what many of you and your clients already know—massage is an excellent way to ease back pain.
And those of you who work in a spa—or any environment that sees a high volume of clients—won't want to miss "Safe Haven." This article explores in-depth what you and your clients need to know about making a spa experience a safe and serene one. And don’t miss our other content available online:
- Check out Part 2 of the CE course on cancer and massage. This part, also written by industry expert Tracy Walton, details what you need to know about massage for clients when they are undergoing cancer treatments.
- Also read up on your ethics by reading Dianne Polseno's q & a column! If you have an ethical dilemma you could use some advice on, just e-mail Dianne at ethics@amtamassage.org. Questions can be kept confidential.
- And be sure to answer this month’s “What do you think?” question: Do you work in a spa? If yes, what is your biggest challenge? If no, why or why not?
It’s all just a click away at www.amtamassage.org/mtj!
TAKE OUR SURVEY AND ENTER TO WIN
mtj is sponsoring a new survey on consumer product use by massage therapists. Take the survey today and opt in to win a quarterly or annual prize, or receive free samples from various vendors. Prizes for the drawing have been provided by Massage Minder® and are valued at $19.95 each. Twenty-five winners will be drawn.
Take the Lifestyle Survey now! You could be a lucky winner.
HOSPITALS SAY PATIENTS WANT CAM THERAPIES
Nearly 27 percent of hospitals surveyed are offering complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, including massage therapy, to
their patients, according to a
new report recently released by Health Forum, a subsidiary of the
American Hospital Association (AHA).
This report is based on Health Forum’s biennial survey of U.S. hospitals, conducted in 2005. Part of that survey, which shows that use of massage therapy in hospitals is rising sharply, was released earlier this year and reported in this news release from AMTA.
Hospitals say the primary reason they offer CAM therapies is because patients want them. Hospitals also cite a desire to treat "the whole person." In addition, offering CAM therapies helps hospitals create a market identity for themselves to attract new patients. However, hospitals also report that patients pay for the majority of CAM therapies out-of-pocket.
The entire Health Forum survey report is available for purchase from the AHA Online Store. For more information on what is considered a CAM therapy, please visit the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine’s website, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health.
MASSACHUSETTS PASSES MASSAGE THERAPY LAW
The Massachusetts legislature recently overrode Governor Romney’s veto of Senate Bill 2258, the massage therapy licensing legislation. The legislation was added to the Acts of 2006 on June 29 and will take effect in 90 days. This makes Massachusetts the 37th state, in addition to the District of Columbia, to regulate the massage therapy profession.
The law requires the Massachusetts state board of registration of massage therapy to be able to receive applications for licenses by May 1, 2008. The full text of the law is available at www.mass.gov/legis/laws/seslaw06/sl060135.htm.
The new Massachusetts law includes the “must-have” provisions identified by AMTA as necessary for fair and consistent regulation of massage therapy. AMTA believes that consistency in regulations across states could one day lead to portability of massage credentials, which would make it easier for therapists to move across city and state lines. Through its Government Relations Program and in collaboration with other stakeholders in the profession, AMTA is working to overcome the current patchwork of massage therapy regulations and exemptions.
For the full listing of AMTA’s “must-have” and “should-have” licensure provisions and a complete description of the goals of AMTA’s Government Relations Program, go to www.amtamassage.org/news/GRoverview.html on the AMTA website.
SEE YOU IN ATLANTA AT THIS
YEAR'S NATIONAL CONVENTION
“Quench Your Thirst for Knowledge” at AMTA's 2006 National Convention! Registration is now open. Early registration rate for AMTA members is only $377 through August 18. You’ll save more than $80 by registering now before rates go up.
The convention runs October 11-14 at the Hilton Atlanta. Expand your expertise in a growing profession by earning up to 19 continuing education contact hours. New in 2006 is an education track customized for massage teachers, in addition to courses for all massage therapists. Sign up now for classes taught by noted speakers, before they’re all sold out. For registration and schedule go to www.amtamassage.org, or call the National Office for more information at 877-905-2700, ext. 143.
Visit the Visitors Guide to Atlanta Attractions & Entertainment for more things to do and see while attending the AMTA 2006 National Convention.
ENJOY CONVENIENT CE CONTACT HOURS FROM AMTA
AMTA’s
Center
for Continuing Education is your source for all things CE: onsite conferences, discounts from AMTA’s publishing
partners and online training.
Now online is Part 2 of Tracy Walton’s course “Cancer and Massage Therapy.” Read the course in the Fall 2006 mtj, then go online to enroll, take the test and earn a certificate for 3 contact hours. Part 1 covered essential massage contraindications for common cancers. Part 2 explores the effects of cancer treatments and how massage therapy can alleviate the concerns of clients with cancer. Courses are only $12 per contact hour for members, and $15 per hour for nonmembers.
And, whether you or your colleagues need business, self-care, reference or modality titles, look no further than the Center for Continuing Education’s Books page. Publishers offering discounts through their online catalogs or through AMTA’s Shopping Mall now include Elsevier, Freedom from Pain, Human Kinetics, Lippincott, Prentice Hall-Pearson, Slack and Thomson Delmar Learning. AMTA members can save up to 25 percent on many titles!
Whether you like your CE served up in person, in print or online, turn to AMTA for convenience and savings!
AMTA EXPANDS MEMBER PRESENCE
AMTA’s new advertising campaign targeted at getting consumers to choose AMTA massage therapists is moving ahead.
Internet ads continue on Yahoo® and begin running August 1 on
www.DrWeil.com.
By the end of August, the September issue of
Health magazine will hit newsstands with a
full-page AMTA ad. You can view the magazine ads in the
News Room at the AMTA website.
AMTA’s advertising to consumers tells them to look for a massage therapist through AMTA’s Find a Massage Therapist® national locator service at its new URL, www.findamassagetherapist.org.
AMTA Promotes Members to Potential Employers
AMTA is planning other advertising and public relations efforts to promote AMTA members to a
variety of audiences, including the medical community and those hiring massage therapists for workplace massage.
AMTA is also using advertising to promote members who work in spas or want to work in spas. ISPA’s 2006–2007 Member Directory will include a full-page AMTA ad directing spa owners to AMTA members who have posted their resumes in the soon-to-be-activated AMTA Job Bank (an update of the Career Center).
AMTA’s vision for the future is for AMTA members to be society’s preferred choice for massage. These are just some of the efforts to accomplish that goal.
Not an AMTA member? Join today and start enjoying the benefits of being part of the largest non-profit massage therapy association. In addition to promoting members to consumers and employers, AMTA offers members liability and other insurance coverage, professional credibility, information resources such as the Massage Information Center and mtj, and convenient continuing education opportunities through its Center for Continuing Education.
FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES NEW DATABASE FEATURE
Live, pre-formatted PubMed searches are now easily accessible on the foundation website, www.massagetherapyfoundation.org. This exciting new feature allows a user to enter a PubMed search in real-time simply by clicking on a subject area of interest. PubMed is a public online database of research articles and is a service of the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health. To browse categories of interest that link to a live PubMed search, click here.
PREVIEW A LIST OF FOUNDATION POSTER PRESENTATIONS FOR THE 2006 AMTA NATIONAL CONVENTION.
RESEARCH GRANT UPDATE
“Massage Therapy Management of Chronic & Upper Extremity Pain
Syndromes,” Boulder College of Massage Therapy, Boulder, Colorado,
$20,000, 2002.
The objective of this study was to investigate the use of general and specific massage therapy protocols to treat symptomatology associated with clinical diagnoses of upper extremity pain syndromes, including carpal tunnel (CTS) and thoracic outlet syndromes (TOS). Twenty subjects were randomly assigned to a general upper body massage protocol and 20 to a specific upper body massage protocol, with two massage sessions per week for each subject for six weeks. Upper body disability in terms of strength, function, sensation, and pain were assessed at baseline as well as 2-, 4-, 6-, 8- and 14-week time points.
UPDATE: Both groups improved significantly. Read about other research projects we’ve funded.
FOUNDATION COURSE OFFERINGS AT THE 2006 AMTA NATIONAL CONVENTION
2006 AMTA POST-CONVENTION WORKSHOP DETAILS
VISIT THE REMODELED AMTA SHOPPING MALL
You can do your shopping for your practice without leaving your home
through AMTA's online Shopping Mall. With a brand new look, new products and improved navigation,
you can purchase your massage therapy products quickly and easily.
The redesigned site makes it easy to shop with improved product images, the ability to view your previous orders, and a running dollar total displayed in the right corner of the page reminding you how much is in your cart while you shop.
You'll find recently added items include Stronglite® massage tables; Ergo-Pro massage chairs, accessories, carts and carrying cases; textbooks; and more. Be sure to visit the Shopping Mall often for more new products.
CLICK 'N' PICK: HELP KEEP THE SHOPPING MALL UP-TO-DATE
AMTA wants to make sure the Shopping Mall meets your needs. Please spend a few moments to let us know your shopping preferences at the link below. It’s quick, and it’s easy! See the results in the next issue of e-touch.
Last Month's Results
Number of responses: 312
In the last month, how many stories have you seen on massage therapy, in any media outlet?
Was the coverage of massage therapy:
Did you see mention of AMTA in any of the stories?
MARKETING TIP: MAKE NEW CLIENTS INTO REGULAR CLIENTS
By Amy Roberts
You’ve heard me speak about good energy and a positive attitude. Now I’ll share something else with you that will be very valuable. It’s a little secret that helped keep clients coming back for me, and turned new clients into regular clients. After each massage I used to ask them if they wanted to book another appointment. Most of them said yes.
The reason it works is because it’s fresh in their minds what a great massage they just experienced. Asking them then and there if they want to experience it again is the time to gain their repeat business.
As soon as they’re off the table and dressed, you can simply ask, "How do you feel?" Most people will say, “Good." Then you can ask, "Would you like to book another session?" or they might say, "When do you think I should have another one?"
Be honest. Try to give them a clear assessment of what treatment you think they need. Your response might be, "Well, you have some tightness in your shoulder area that needs work. If you came back next week you’d be really starting to get rid of that pain and your tension headaches should be a lot better.”
Then let them know how often you think they should come back. You could give them a schedule such as, “I recommend starting with eight weekly treatments, which should get you to a stage where you have significant reduction in your headaches, and then you can tell me when you want to come. We should be able to maintain the relaxed state of your shoulders and neck with sessions once a month after that. How does that sound?"
By responding like this, you’ll be demonstrating that your interest is for them to get better. If they have hectic lives and are stretched for time, acknowledge that, too, and respond accordingly.
It's not good to respond with something like, “You should come whenever you can afford it." That puts the focus on money, not on massage.
Massage is about healing. The clients will figure out whether they can afford it; that's not your job. Your job is to have them come back, so you can help them heal and increase good business for you.
I used this method many times and most times people said yes. Not all your clients will come back, and that's okay. Let them go. But you’ll find if you open your heart and mind to asking for what you want, it will be provided to you. And it all starts with a simple question, "Do you want to make another appointment?"
Good luck!
Amy Roberts is a massage therapist living in Australia. She coaches and writes about business for massage therapists in countries around the world. To read more, visit her websites at www.massagesuccess.blogspot.com or www.massagetherapysuccess.com.
Tired, sore feet???
For tired sore feet take a can of cold soda. While seated, lay the can on the floor and gently place your foot on it. Roll your foot and the can back and forth for several minutes.
Bobbi Weikert
Waynesboro, Pennsylvania
For a different massage tip each week, visit AMTA’s Massage Room.
We’d like to hear from you!
Do you have a massage tip you'd like to share? See your tip in an upcoming issue of e-touch and on AMTA’s website. Send your ideas to etouch@amtamassage.org today!
Share your valuable knowledge with others! If you have written, or would like to write, an article on a specific topic dealing with your area of massage expertise, send an e-mail to: etouch@amtamassage.org. Articles should be original work. The editors of e-touch reserve the right to edit articles for space and for appropriateness to AMTA members, nonmembers and consumers. Please follow the Writer’s Guidelines for submission posted on the AMTA Web site.
**Please note: AMTA does not necessarily share the views of its contributors or condone their practices.**
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LEGAL NOTICE:
Articles submitted by individual authors are copyrighted by those authors and reprinted with their permission. Views expressed in these articles are not necessarily the views of the American Massage Therapy Association®, and should in no way be construed as an endorsement. They are for informational purposes only.AMTA Mission
To serve AMTA members while advancing the art, science and practice of massage therapy.
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Evanston, IL 60201-4695
