Massage & Bodywork

March | April 2014

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I t p a y s t o b e A B M P C e r t i f i e d : w w w. a b m p . c o m / g o / c e r t i f i e d c e n t r a l 55 for researchers to develop larger studies on a topic. Most researchers are not in clinical practice, so they don't see the successes you do. However, reading the literature is a big part of the researcher's job. A case report might provide a rationale for further investigation. Researchers frequently use preliminary evidence when submitting grant applications, and a published case may act as the springboard toward higher levels of evidence. Limitations Even though case reports can be very positive additions to the literature, we also need to be aware of their limitations. First, we cannot apply the findings of a case report to a larger population. In other words, we cannot assume that just because one client's condition improved as a result of massage therapy, all future clients who receive the same treatment will also improve. Second, case reports do not identify cause and effect relationships between massage interventions and outcomes. Treating a client using a certain massage technique doesn't necessarily mean the client improved as a direct result of that technique; he may have improved due to the natural history of the condition. Finally, case reports do not provide strong evidence compared to other research methods. We cannot claim that the evidence of a case report carries the same weight as the evidence from a randomized clinical trial. Writing Your First Case Report Try to get as much information as you can before you start. There is a very helpful webinar series on writing case reports, developed by Associated Bodywork & Massage Professionals and the Massage Therapy Foundation, that includes an overview on getting started, what to write in the introduction and discussion sections, how to report your client's case, and more. The series can be viewed free at www. abmpeducationcenter.com/abmp-view-webinars. As an added incentive, the Massage Therapy Foundation has two case report contests annually: one is for students (due June 2, 2014) and one is for practitioners (due October 1, 2014). Cash prizes are awarded, contingent on the winners publishing their case reports. Learn more at www.massage therapyfoundation.org/grants-and-contests. JOIN A PRACTICE-BASED RESEARCH NETWORK A second way to get involved, especially good for therapists who don't have the time or experience to develop their own research, is to join a practice-based research network (PBRN). The researchers set up the study, approach practitioners who are members of the network, and work with those who agree to participate. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, a PBRN is "a group of practices devoted principally to the care of patients but also affiliated for the purpose of examining the health-care process that occurs in practices. They provide a 'laboratory' for studying broad populations of patients and care providers in community-based settings." In the massage therapy profession, there is a growing PBRN called MassageNet (www.massage net.org) that was started in 2009. Currently, it has more than 800 therapist members from 46 states and 17 countries. The purpose of this PBRN is to develop research studies that involve massage therapists in the field, so the results are grounded The Massage Therapy Foundation has two case report contests annually: one is for students (due June 2, 2014) and one is for practitioners (due October 1, 2014).

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