Massage & Bodywork

July/August 2010

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not extend that disclosure to the controversy surrounding the statement about litigation hindering recovery. I did a simple search of PubMed, typing in the keywords "litigation and whiplash." The search resulted in 44 citations. Of the 44, nine specifically stated that litigation hindered recovery, 16 found no correlation between litigation and recovery, and four did not address the issue in question. The other citations did not have abstracts or full texts available, so could not be tallied (search conducted on March 28, 2010). The most recent article on the subject, a meta-analysis, reviewed all articles on the subject and concluded that there is no correlation between litigation and recovery.23 While Mr. Luchau meant no harm and clearly had no difficulty finding sources to support his statement, this is an example of how researching the research can help avoid perpetuating information that potentially undermines our clients' faith and trust in us when treating complex conditions such as whiplash. TIL LUCHAU RESPONDS Thank you to Diana Thompson for her work to raise the standard of our professional writing. Regarding tertiary sources, I do think that it can be useful, credible, and appropriate to reference non-primary sources, such as when it is the secondary or tertiary source's own interpretation or framing of primary information that the author wishes to reference. In my own research for the article, I found the same Google Books source she cites, but decided that Dr. Grottkau's statements in his New England Journal of Medicine review were clearer and more relevant to my article—and although made in the context of a book review, were phrased as statements in their own right. However, her point about primary sources generally having more academic weight and credibility is very well taken, and will certainly influence my future citation choices. Although Ms. Thompson disputes my statement that "… legal or insurance difficulties may complicate or even hinder recovery" from whiplash, I do stand behind this assertion, at least as long as it includes the conditional "may." Most of us have probably worked with clients whose legal or insurance complications are as great a pain in the neck as their physical injuries. Raising our sensitivity to the burden that these challenges can place on recovery was the point of the phrase quoted. I suspect that Ms. Thompson and I would find ourselves on the same side of any controversy about this subject, in agreement with each other about the primacy of the client's experience and needs. 1984, Diana Thompson has created a varied and interesting career out of massage: from specializing in pre- and postsurgical lymph drainage to teaching, writing, consulting, and volunteering. Her consulting includes assisting insurance carriers on integrating massage into insurance plans and educating researchers on massage therapy theory and practice to ensure research projects and protocols are designed to match how we practice. Contact her at soapsage@comcast.net. A licensed massage practitioner since NOTES 1. Available at www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary- sources.html (accessed May 2010). 2. Available at http://library.uwsp.edu/guides/ webtutorials/primary.htm (accessed May 2010). 3. University of St. Thomas, "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources." Available at www. stthomas.edu/libraries/research/tutorials/basic/ sourcetype.html (accessed May 2010). 4. Available at http://library.uwsp.edu/guides/ webtutorials/primary.html (accessed May 2010). 5. University of St. Thomas, "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources." 6. Available at www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary- sources.html (accessed May 2010). 7. Available at http://library.uwsp.edu/guides/ webtutorials/primary.htm (accessed May 2010). 8. Available at www.lib.umd.edu/guides/primary- sources.html (accessed May 2010). 9. University of St. Thomas, "Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Sources." 10. Colorado State University, Writing @ CSU, "Glossary of Key Terms." Available at http://writing.colostate. edu/guides/research/glossary/ (accessed May 2010). 11. S. Sidani et al., "Influence of Treatment Preferences on Validity: A Review," Canadian Journal of Nursing Research 41, no. 4 (December 2009): 52–67. 12. C.M. Hughes et al., "Reflexology for the Treatment of Pain in People with Multiple Sclerosis: a Double-Blind Randomized Sham-Controlled Clinical Trial," Multiple Sclerosis 15, no. 11 (November 2009): 1329–38. 13. L. Kimber et al., "Massage or Music for Pain Relief in Labour: A Pilot Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial," European Journal of Pain 12, no. 8 (November 2008): 961–9. 14. K.M. Wesa and B.R. Cassileth, "Is There a Role for Complementary Therapy in the Management of Leukemia?" Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy 9, no. 9 (September 2009): 1241–9. 15. Lacomba M. Torres et al., "Effectiveness of Early Physiotherapy to Prevent Lymphoedema After Surgery for Breast Cancer: Randomized, Single Blinded, Clinical Trial," British Medical Journal 340 (January 12, 2010): b5396. 16. R. Ogai et al., "Effects of Petrissage Massage on Fatigue and Exercise Performance Following Intensive Cycle Pedaling," British Journal of Sports Medicine 42, no. 10 (October 2008): 834–8. 17. A. Moraska, "Sports Massage. A Comprehensive Review," Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness 45, no. 3 (September 2005): 370–80. 18. Andrew Malleson, "Whiplash and Other Useful Illnesses." Available at http://books.google.com/b ooks?id=naDghccZhEwC&printsec=frontcover& dq=whiplash+and+other+useful+illnesses&cd=1# v=onepage&q=&f=false (accessed May 2010). 19. E. Loundsberry, "Doctor, 73, Lauded as Charitable, Caring, Gets Jailed for Mail Fraud," Philadelphia Inquirer (August 31, 1998). 20. J. Lyons, "It's Not a Wonderful Situation," Forbes (February 4, 1991): 90–1. 21. J.E. Mack, Alien Encounters, Human Encounters with Aliens (New York: Simon & Schuster). 22. H. Schrader et al., "Examination of the Diagnostic Validity of 'Headache Attributed to Whiplash Injury': A Controlled, Prospective Study." Available at www.ncbi. nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17038037 (accessed May 2010). 23. N.M. Spearing and L.B. Connelly, "Is Compensation 'Bad for Health'? A Systematic Meta-Review," Injury (January 7, 2010). connect with your colleagues on massageprofessionals.com 121

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