Massage Therapy – treatment option for back pain funded by the NHS?

I recently read an article on the BBC website which states that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (or NICE) in Britain suggests massage therapy as one treatment option for back pain sufferers. In addition, NICE also suggests that the NHS (National Health Service) fund certain alternative therapies to allow patient access.

In addition to massage therapy, acupuncture and exercise are also suggested as possible interventions for back pain. This is huge for practitioners of complementary and alternative therapies as well as back pain sufferers, that an organization as large as the NICE is, for the first time in its history, is openly advocating such types of interventions.

According to the article, one in 3 Brits suffer from back pain (no surprise there) – a condition where the cause can be very elusive, and which can quickly become debilitating if not treated successfully. For more information on the recommendations, check out the original article on BBC Health News.

This is the first of several posts dealing with back pain causes, symptoms and massage therapy as an intervention. In the meantime, check out the following informational video on managing back pain.

Massage Therapy and Anatomy – Arthrology Definition

Arthrology is the study of joints.

Joints occur where the surfaces of 2 or more bones meet. An articulation is another term which refers to a “joint”

Why is arthrology important to massage therapy?

Massage therapists work with the musculoskeletal system. Clients may present with symptoms which may be confusing – it is necessary for a therapist to assess a client’s presentation and form a clinical impression – meaning, his or her opinion on the cause of the symptoms. (remember, massage therapists are not permitted to provide a diagnosis).

Muscles cross joints to produce movement, and any joint dysfunction may lead to muscular imbalance and pain. Muscle tone which doesn’t support a joint (hypotonic – meaning not enough tone), or restricts movement too much (hypertonic – meaning excessive tone), may cause pain in the joint itself.

For a therapist to successfully treat the underlying cause of any symptom, he or she must understand the relationship between muscles and the joints which they cross, as well as the anatomy of the joint itself.