Massage & Bodywork

MARCH | APRIL 2015

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F r e e m u s i c d o w n l o a d s f o r C e r t i f i e d m e m b e r s : 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 17 NEWS NOTES compiled by Brandon Twyford ABMP Assistant Editor | brandon@abmp.com New Name for NCCAM The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCA M) has a new, congressionally mandated name—it is now the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH). The change is aligned with the strategic plan guiding the center's research priorities and public education activities. Surveys have found that the use of alternative medicine in place of conventional medicine is rare. However, integrative health care, defi ned as an approach that combines complementary and conventional therapies, is more common. "Since its establishment 16 years ago, the center has funded thousands of important research projects. Without this work, the American public would lack vital information on the safety and effectiveness of many practices and products that are widely used and readily available," says Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health. The center's research also encourages self-care methods that support healthier lifestyles and uncovers potential usefulness and safety issues of natural products. The practices and products studied by the center are prioritized by four guiding principles: scientifi c promise, amenability to be studied using the highest quality research methods, use by the American public, and the potential impact on public health. Visit NCCIH's new website, http://nccih.nih.gov, for more information. Case Report Contest Winners Announced The Massage Therapy Foundation has honored fi ve projects as winners of the 2014 Practitioner Case Report Contest. Portia Resnick of the University of Hawaii at Manoa won the gold prize for her case report, which compared the effects of rest and massage on return to homeostasis following submaximal aerobic exercise. The other winners are: • Silver: Paul Lewis of Paul Lewis Services. • Bronze: Sandra Gustafson. • Honorable Mentions: Rosi Goldsmith of Integration Massage and Stacey Meek of WODbody Sports Massage, LLC. For more information, or to submit an entry for the 2015 contest, visit www.massagetherapyfoundation.org/ student-practitioner-case-report-contests. Review Article Examines Myofascial Pain Research In an article published in the January 2015 issue of the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, researchers reviewed dozens of recent publications on myofascial pain, trigger points, and other related topics to determine the effectiveness of various bodywork modalities on myofascial pain syndrome. Techniques examined included myofascial release, deep-tissue massage, trigger- point therapy, dry needling, and injection therapy. Results from the reviewed studies and articles varied, but generally the research into soft-tissue approaches shows promise regarding the effectiveness of massage on myofascial pain syndrome. In most cases, further studies were recommended. Read the full text at www.goo.gl/wCPs47. Submissions Open for Successful Hands Grants The Successful Hands Grant Program, launched in 2014 to support massage therapy students in their educational pursuits, is accepting submissions for its 2015 contest. Eight $1,000 grants will be awarded this year, up from the fi ve grants awarded last year. Each winner's school will also receive a $500 grant and a $500 product package. The program, sponsored by Performance Health, Biofreeze, Massage Envy Spa, and Bon Vital', invites students to submit an essay of 200 words or less that answers the question "What does being a successful massage therapist mean to me?" Winners will be chosen by a committee of thought leaders from within the massage therapy profession. For more information, please visit www.successfulhandsgrants.com.

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