In
order to understand how
pain science research affects
massage therapy practice,
it is helpful to first understand what
all the hoopla is about. To be clear,
"pain science" is not a new modality
or treatment technique. Rather, the
phrase simply refers to science that
seeks to understand and explain
the process of pain perception. As
such, pain science informs our work,
rather than dictates protocols.
For those working within the model of massage as a health-
care practice, we seek to inform our treatment approaches
with scientific principles whenever possible. New findings in
the pain science realm might influence our understanding
of treatment strategies in the same way that research in
biomechanics, physiology, or anatomy could. That influence
may or may not change what we do in the clinic.
By Whitney Lowe
