Body Sense

Published for ABMP members by Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals. Body Sense magazine is published for the purpose of educating the general public about the benefits of massage and bodywork, along with additional well-being topics. The information contained in this magazine is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Please consult your physician before under taking any form of medical treatment and/or adopting any exercise program or dietary guidelines. No par t of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without specific written permission from ABMP. Publisher cannot be held responsible for content of adver tisements. The information contained herein is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for a licensed health-care professional. Volume #21, Issue #2, Summer 2019 © 2019 All rights reserved. www.bodysensemagazinedigital.com www.massagetherapy.com Body Sense massage, bodywork & healthy living VALIDATION FEELS GOOD Massage has immense potential. Research tells us that massage reduces stress, improves sleep, bolsters the immune system, lowers blood pressure, and decreases injury and post-surgery recovery time, to name just a few of its benefits. And while research about massage and bodywork is still in its relative infancy, new studies continue to validate what we already know—massage therapy is good for you in so many ways. In this issue of Body Sense, we share what the research says about the effectiveness of massage with chronic conditions like arthritis, diabetes, fibromyalgia, and even multiple sclerosis. Our pathology expert, Ruth Werner, searched the most recent literary archives to tell us there are some exciting things taking hold for massage when it comes to working with these conditions. See her article on page 6. Over the past 20+years, I've been writing about massage and its benefits. I've talked with therapists who've seen their work do incredible things for paraplegic clients, parents who've seen their children transformed emotionally with bodywork, doctors who've seen massage prevent the amputation of a diabetic patient's foot, and researchers who've seen touch help premature babies thrive and grow. And I've talked with you, the clients, to hear your stories of how massage changes your quality of life. While these anecdotal testimonies help us build the context and the fabric of what we know massage and bodywork can do, it's the research that gives us the thread to weave it all together. And it never stops being exciting to add another important research finding to the list of massage benefits. It validates what we already know—massage is a very good thing! E D I T O R ' S N O T E K A R R I E O S B O R N , E D I T O R K A R R I E @ A B M P . C O M Karrie Osborn, Editor karrie@abmp.com Darren Buford, Contributing Editor darren@abmp.com Brandon Twyford, Contributing Editor brandon@abmp.com Mary Barthelme Abel, Contributing Editor marya@abmp.com Angie Parris-Raney, Director of Advertising angie@abmp.com Amy Klein, Art Director amy@abmp.com James Sutherlin, Senior Designer james@abmp.com staff Body Sense Editor Karrie Osborn 3,788,235 The number of US births in 2018 Pregnancy is a journey of ups and downs as moms-to-be deal with a host of physical and emotional challenges. Want to know how to support the pregnant women in your life? Read about prenatal massage on page 10. Body Sense 3

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