April 2017 - Monthly list of noteworthy finds

April 2017 - Monthly list of noteworthy finds

Welcome to the April edition of the First Five

I have committed myself to compiling a monthly list of recent noteworthy finds applicable to massage therapy. Posts are designed to be short and will go out the first friday of every month. As always, please let me know your requests and suggestions through email or social media.

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Massage Therapy and Postoperative Care

Massage Therapy and Postoperative Care

The use of massage therapy has been shown to improve outcomes in post-op patients. One recent paper published in the journal PM&R, looked at the use of fascial manipulation following total hip arthroplasty. Another recent study published in The Journal of Knee Surgery looked at the effect that soft-tissue treatments with hand-held instruments have on post-surgical knee stiffness. In the study soft-tissue treatments was shown to improve knee flexion deficits by 35° and knee flexion contractures by 12° in a small cohort of individuals who had failed to respond to traditional rehabilitation and manipulation under anesthesia. 

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How genetics can uncover links in chronic pain and other conditions

How genetics can uncover links in chronic pain and other conditions

"In the recent Global Burden of Disease study, four of the top ten causes of disability worldwide were chronic pain conditions. Chronic pain is defined as pain that lasts beyond normal healing time – usually three months – and is one of the most common global causes of incapacity. It rarely occurs by itself, however, and is one of the most common conditions to present itself alongside other chronic conditions, such as diabetes and COPD. This increases the overall burden of disability, and the impact of each chronic condition."

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