The authors are MK Brennan MS, RN, LMBT (retired); Natalie Lorick, LMT; Andrea Winzer M.Sc., BCTMB, PCC 

At the time that this review is being written, the world is dealing with covid-19 and along with it: social distancing, quarantine, illness, death, loss of income, and anxiety/stress about all of it. Through social networks, we stay connected and strive to lift each other up. Coping strategies are shared. Meditation and exercise videos are exchanged. Companies step up to help support employees. Nature reclaims some land and air with the decrease in society’s normal activities. Humans rediscover the beauty of nature with its calming, centering effects. 

Once we re-emerge from this, there may be a challenge to once again interact with each other as we did previously. Perceptions of normalcy may have shifted after a relatively long period of time in greater isolation. For massage therapists, especially those in private practices, it will be working to re- schedule clients, assuring that there is confidence of a disinfected environment, and possibly having to create some new marketing tools. 

How can massage support us through this process of re-emergence? As this month’s article shows, massage can be beneficial for helping individuals deal with anxiety and stress.1 Using three study groups, the authors found that stress symptoms and anxiety were reduced in both groups that included massage therapy. 

A total of 122 subjects were included in the study but 21 left during its course. The individuals were volunteers who had sought ambulatory care at the Institute for Integrated and Oriental Therapy (ITIO). The first group was designated as massage and rest and included 30 subjects. The second of 38 individuals received massage and reiki while the third group was the control without treatment consisting of 33 subjects. The sessions were scheduled twice a week for a total of eight sessions in a one month period of time. The massage sessions were scheduled for 20 minutes each and the Japanese massage technique Anmá was used. It was provided by ITIO students who followed a specific protocol under the supervision of their instructors. The reiki sessions lasted 10 minutes and included the laying on of hands for two and a half minutes on the eyes, occipital region, laryngeal region, and the breastplate. 

Data was collected pre and post study period using Vasconcelo’s Stress Symptoms List (LSS) and the Trait State Anxiety Inventory (IDATE). Socio-demographic information was also obtained. For the massage and reiki group, a major reduction was found in stress symptoms and anxiety while the massage and rest group showed an average reduction in these categories. The control group saw an insignificant change. _e following outcomes were reported in the study regarding observed changes: _e symptoms that obtained statistical differences for the Intervention Groups (1 and 2) in relation to the Control group (3) were: the feeling that they were about to faint, a lack of energy, no will to do anything, physical exhaustion, headache and an appetite that oscillates. 

The symptoms that only responded to the Massage and Rest group (1) were: thoughts that caused anxiety, the feeling of wanting to be alone and the feeling of worries. 

From the above, it seems important to note that the massage and rest group saw a reduction in their “thoughts that caused anxiety, the feeling of wanting to be alone and the feeling of worries”. In the post-COVID 19 environment, massage may well be a way for individuals to return to normalcy, though that may not be quite as it was pre-COVID. As we continue to work to come together again over the next number of months, may massage therapy be a healing force for all those impacted by this pandemic and hopefully help us find a new, more balanced normal. 

References:

1 Massage and Reiki used to reduce stress and anxiety: Randomized Clinical Trial Leonice Fumiko Sato Kurebayashi, 1 Ruth Natalia Teresa Turrini, 2 Talita Pavarini Borges de Souza, 3 Raymond Sehiji Takiguchi,4 Gisele Kuba, 5 and Marisa Toshi Nagumo 6

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5172615/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31586266

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