Therapeutic Effects of Massage Therapy

The New York State Education Department, which offers the examination for licensing massage therapists, recognizes the ability of massage to "improve muscle tone and circulation…enhance well-being, reduce the physical and mental effects of stress and tension, prevent disease, and restore health." Although the mechanisms are not yet completely understood, massage therapy has long been considered a means of improving general health due to its ability to increase circulation, thereby aiding delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells and removing cellular metabolic waste. For most people, massage has a relaxing effect, which seems to soothe nervous system activity and deepen respiration, due to the way massage enhances parasympathetic activity.

Thanks to current research, we now know that massage creates tangible changes in the body. John Katomski, L.M.T., a faculty member of both the Massage Therapy Program and the Acupuncture Program, points out that, "The Touch Research Institutes at the University of Miami in Florida, is the first center in the world to do scientific research into the effects of massage. Under the direction of Tiffany Field, Ph.D., the Institute has conducted studies that provide evidence that massage can reduce cortisol (a hormone that indicates elevated stress response) and increase serotonin (involved in lessening depression). Many of their studies suggest massage can alleviate different kinds of pain, including pain from childbirth, chronic fatigue and burns.

“Studies done elsewhere have shown effectiveness with massage therapy for low back pain and cancer pain. There is some indication that massage can increase the movement and number of white blood cells, suggesting immune system benefit. Research points to some consistent benefits of massage therapy, most notably in the areas of stress reduction, pain reduction and enhanced function of the immune system.”

General Effects

Some of the traditional benefits long thought to be part of massage therapy's effects are:

• easing of muscle tension and stiffness
• enhanced healing of strained muscles and ligaments
• reduction of muscle spasm
• promotion of deeper breathing
• improvement of circulation of blood and lymph
• enhanced sense of well-being

The Swedish Institute's Stress Reduction Clinic provides massage therapy students an opportunity to offer wellness-based sessions for the community, using their training in both Swedish massage and Shiatsu. The Therapeutic Massage Clinic requires a doctor's referral and treats clients with medical needs, such as arthritis, fibromyalgia and soft tissue injuries.

Specific Effects

The scope of practice of massage is broad, and therapists can specialize by technique and/or special populations, such as:

• relaxation
• prenatal
• pediatrics
• medical
• rehabilitation
• sports
• geriatrics 
• emotional issues
• and more.

Practitioners of sports massage, for instance, focus on increasing circulation in order to help the body remove toxins from fatigued muscles more efficiently. Doing so is thought to help prevent injuries and improve performance. A practitioner working with clients with HIV/AIDS or cancer will most likely work with less depth of pressure than the sports massage practitioner, and will certainly put more emphasis on the demonstrated reduction in anxiety and depression that supportive touch offers.

People seeking massage should clarify their need and then look for a therapist who has expertise in that area. The benefits derived from massage, like any other form of health care, will depend in part on matching the client's need with the practitioner's specialty and competency. For instance, therapists who have most of their experience working with a geriatric population may not satisfy the athlete looking for help with a sports injury.

Says Katomski of the growing acceptance of massage therapy as part of complementary and alternative health care, "As a profession, massage therapy is in the beginning stages of conducting research into its benefits. The development of evidence-based treatment strategies will support the growing credibility and acceptance of massage. As it continues to grow in acceptance during the next ten years, I feel that massage therapy can become an essential part of the practice of medicine and be used for all kinds of conditions and people, from the very young to the very old."

For more information

Read Katomski's article on Stress Management and Massage Therapy.

Read Niamh van Meines' article on Cancer Care and Massage Therapy.

Read Diane Zeitlin's article on researching Academic Stress and Massage Therapy which suggests some benefits to the immune system.

Link to reports on research that can be found in the Massage Therapy Research section of Resources.

Go to Clinics to find out more about the Stress Reduction Clinic and Therapeutic Clinic.

Scope of practice of massage therapists in New York State can be found at www.op.nysed.gov/mtbroch.htm.

Other organizations that describe massage therapy benefits:

The Massage Therapy Foundation at www.massagetherapyfoundation.org.

Touch Research Institutes, University of Miami at www6.miami.edu/touch-research.

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