Issue link: https://www.massageandbodyworkdigital.com/i/72312
SOMATIC RESEARCH One informatics issue that I am deeply involved in and committed to is the integration of research information into practice, as well as the other way around. Practice needs to inform research and to play an important role in setting research agenda, while research needs to generate useful, applicable information for use in practice. This two-way flow of information is essential. Without that connection, much of the information generated from studies doesn't give practitioners anything they can use directly. A big step in building that interactive flow of information is the development of research literacy— the ability to read, understand, and apply information from published research—which is a skill that we will continue to mentor in this space. Among us we have a great deal of collective experience regarding massage, but few reliable ways to communicate that experience with each other. The two-way information flow can integrate these separate domains—practice can help determine what research is relevant, and research can provide insight into what we can use in practice. That leads us into the realm of research capacity—the ability to participate in designing and carrying out research—another skill that we will talk about and foster in these pages. One of the roles I envision for this column is an embodiment of that process of communication—I do not want this to be a lecture where I present facts for you to passively receive and digest. Instead, I see it as a dialogue. I want it to be as interactive as it possibly can be, given, of course, the limitations of the printed column format. I have been away from practice for a while, since I returned to school. I will share with you what I have learned during that time and what I continue to learn. In return, I want to hear from you about what information active practitioners are now seeking. I hope to hear from you about what is important for you to know, and in that way, we will create a dialogue on massage research. Ready? Let's begin. WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT One of the exciting aspects of research in massage is the sheer number of topics and specialties it touches. A sample information search in PubMed (a national database of journal articles related to medical topics) for articles related to massage, returns studies on the following topics: • Complementary and alternative medicine usage among children in a Scottish ear, nose, and throat hospital. • A review of compression in lymphedema management. • A case of someone who experienced blood clots in the lungs after receiving leg massage. • Aromatherapy for children who were deprived of oxygen at or shortly before birth. • How reflexology from a partner affects pain and anxiety in cancer patients. • A model for developing and carrying out policy regarding massage in a medical center. 144 massage & bodywork january/february 2008 • Massage as a comfort treatment for patients undergoing heart surgery. • Breast cancer patients' experience of massage while undergoing chemotherapy. • How massage affects the biceps femoris muscle as it undergoes isometric contraction. And these are just some of the first articles of more than thirty-six hundred in just one database. The diversity and range of topics on research in massage never fails to amaze me, and I will share that wonder with you each time by selecting a particular topic to examine. In addition to the broad scope of topics we will look at, we will also take the opportunity to examine various research issues in depth: ethical issues surrounding research on vulnerable populations, the policy and practice implications of research outcomes, social justice aspects of access to information, and contributions to the development of research agendas. BECOMING RESEARCH LITERATE First, let's clarify what we mean by research literacy. A massage practitioner who is research literate can read a research article, understand the essential take-home points, and apply them in practice with clients. By "understand the essential take-home points," we're certainly not talking about analyzing every detail of the article, nor about getting bogged down in every technical issue. Rather, it means condensing the article into a message and determining the meaning of that message for your practice.