Recommended Resources for Massage Therapists

Recommended Resources for Massage Therapists

A selection of readings - books and scientific journals that might be of interest to massage therapists that want to explore the topics introduced in more depth.

General reference books for massage therapists

• A Guide to Better Movement. Todd Hargrove
• Big Ideas Simply Explained
  • The Philosophy Book
  • The Psychology Book
  • The Science Book
  • The Sociology Book
• Cure. Jo Marchant. 
• Homo Deus. Yuval Noah Harari
• Humankind. Alexander Harcourt
• Mindware. Richard Nisbett
• Move your DNA. Kathy Bowman
• Neurocomic. Hana Ros
• Sapiens. Yuval Noah Harari
• Science Set Free. Rupert Sheldrake
• The Brain That Changes Itself. Norman Doidge
• The Brain's Way of Healing. Norman Doidge
• The Demon Haunted World. Carl Sagan
• The Story of the Human Body. Daniel Lieberman
• Touch. David Linden
• The Upright Thinkers. Leonard Mlodinow
• Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers. Robert Sapolsky

General reference books on pain

• A Nation in Pain. Judy Foreman
• A Headache in the Pelvis. David Wise & Rodney Anderson
• Explain Pain. Lorimer Moseley and David Butler
• Migraine Brains and Bodies. C.M. Shifflett
• Migraines: More than a headache Elizabeth Leroux
• Pain: the science and culture of why we hurt. Marni Jackson
• Pain: from suffering to feeling better. Marie-Josée Rivard
• The Challenge of Pain. Ronald Melzack
• The Migraine Brain. Carolyn Bernstein
• The Sensitive Nervous System. David Butler
• Understanding Pain. Fernando Cervero

Clinical Textbooks

• Craniofascial Pain. Harry von Piekartz
• Examination of Peripheral Nerve Injuries. Stephen Russell
• Fascial Dysfunctions. Leon Chaitow
• Fascia in Sport and Movement. Robert Schleip
• Nerves and Nerve Injuries. Shane Tubbs
• Manual Therapy for Musculoskeletal Pain Syndromes. Cesar Fernandez de las Pen
• Manual Therapy for the Peripheral Nerves. Jean-Pierre Barral
• Medical Acupuncture: A Western Scientific Approach
• Orthopedic Physical Examination Tests.  Chad Cook
• Pain in Practice. Hubert van Griensven
• Physical rehabilitation of the injured athlete. James R. Andrews
• The Oxford Textbook of Musculoskeletal Medicine. Michael Hutson
• The Placebo in Manual Therapy. Brian Fulton
• Therapeutic Stretching: Towards a functional approach. Eyal Lederman

Anatomy and Physiology Textbooks

• Anatomy Trains. 3e. Tom Myers
• Architecture of Human Living Fascia. Jean-Claude Guimberteau
• Color Atlas of Human Anatomy: Locomotor System. 7e Werner Platzer
• Functional Atlas of the Human Fascial System. Carla Stecco
• Guyton and Hall Textbook of Medical Physiology. 13e
• Thieme Atlas of Anatomy: General Anatomy and Musculoskeletal System 2e.

Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Acupuncture in Medicine
• American Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• British Journal of Sports Medicine
• International Journal of Massage & Bodywork
• Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
• Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy
• Journal of Pain
• Musculoskeletal Science & Practice
• Physical Therapy in Sport
• PM&R


Mindfulness may help ease low back pain

Mindfulness may help ease low back pain

First off let me preface this by stating that patients should consult with their doctors about both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to help manage their pain. Mindfulness is not a panacea, it is an option for patients who are willing to explore non-pharmacological options for pain management. A number of recent scientific publications confirm that simple mindful actives help people manage their pain. Mindfulness meditation is a practice premised on directing nonjudgmental attention to arising sensory events, this reduces pain by distracting the mind from the pain sensations. 

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