Increase in Lactate Without Change in Nutritive Blood Flow or Glucose at Active Trigger Points Following Massage: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Objective: To investigate changes in nutritive blood flow as well as interstitial glucose and lactate within an active myofascial trigger point (MTrP) following massage.

Design: Randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Subjects were recruited from the general population; procedures were conducted at a research center affiliated with a university hospital.

What Did I Do? Practitioner Awareness of Ethical Issues in Scientific Publishing.

Massage therapy practice as well as research in massage therapy is guided by ethical principles and boundaries of professional behavior. Scientific publishing is also guided by a set of ethical standards, about which all aspiring scientific authors should be aware. Honesty, integrity, and conflicts of interest are issues in science and these issues can also impact scientific publishing.

The Association Between Rheumatoid Arthritis and Adverse Postoperative Outcomes: A Retrospective Analysis.

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a high overall incidence of mortality, primarily because of cardiovascular complications. Thus, we tested the primary hypothesis that rheumatoid arthritis is independently associated with increased postoperative cardiovascular complications. Second, we determined whether rheumatoid arthritis is associated with increased thromboembolic complications, microcirculatory complications, and mortality.

Avoiding Common Writing Mistakes That Make Your Editors and Reviewers Cringe.

Writing for scientific journals is not an inherently simple task for most people. It requires purposeful effort and multiple revisions of the initial manuscript draft. While each author and article has its own individuality, writing well to address the core elements of a scientific report is necessary.

Myofascial trigger point-focused head and neck massage for recurrent tension-type headache: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Objective: Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are focal disruptions in the skeletal muscle that can refer pain to the head and reproduce the pain patterns of tension-type HA (TTH). The present study applied massage focused on MTrPs of patients with TTH in a placebo-controlled, clinical trial to assess efficacy on reducing headache (HA) pain.

Methods: Fifty-six patients with TTH were randomized to receive 12 massage or placebo (detuned ultrasound) sessions over 6 weeks, or to wait-list.

Massage efficacy beliefs for muscle recovery from a running race.

Background: Belief in efficacy of CAM therapies has been sparsely reported and may be different than reported use of the therapy.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify efficacy beliefs of massage for muscle recovery following a 10-km running race.

Setting: Finish zone of a 10-km race.

Depression, healthcare utilization, and death in heart failure: a community study.

Background: The increasing prevalence of heart failure (HF) and high associated costs have spurred investigation of factors leading to adverse outcomes in patients with HF. Studies to date report inconsistent evidence on the link between depression and outcomes with only limited data on emergency department and outpatient visits.

Methods And Results: Olmsted, Dodge, and Fillmore county, Minnesota residents with HF were prospectively recruited between October 2007 and December 2010 and completed a 1-time 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression categorized as: none to minimal (Patient Health Questionnaire score, 0-4), mild (5-9), or moderate to severe (≥10).

Changes in blood flow and cellular metabolism at a myofascial trigger point with trigger point release (ischemic compression): a proof-of-principle pilot study.

Objective: To demonstrate proof-of-principle measurement for physiologic change within an active myofascial trigger point (MTrP) undergoing trigger point release (ischemic compression).

Design: Interstitial fluid was sampled continuously at a trigger point before and after intervention.

Setting: A biomedical research clinic at a university hospital.

Phase III, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of long-acting methylphenidate for cancer-related fatigue: North Central Cancer Treatment Group NCCTG-N05C7 trial.

Purpose: Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients with cancer. This trial was developed to evaluate the efficacy of long-acting methylphenidate for improving cancer-related fatigue and to assess its toxicities.

Patients And Methods: Adults with cancer were randomly assigned in a double-blinded manner to receive methylphenidate (target dose, 54 mg/d) or placebo for 4 weeks.

Gabapentin for the management of hot flashes in prostate cancer survivors: a longitudinal continuation Study-NCCTG Trial N00CB.

Hot flashes are a complication of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. A phase III study showed that use of low-dose gabapentin was well tolerated and moderately decreased the frequency of hot flashes due to androgen deprivation therapy when taken for 4 weeks. The current study, an open-label continuation of the randomized study, examined the efficacy and toxicity of gabapentin when taken for (an additional) 8 weeks.

Changes in Psychological Parameters in Patients with Tension-type Headache Following Massage Therapy: A Pilot Study.

Investigations into complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches to address stress, depression, and anxiety of those experiencing chronic pain are rare. The objective of this pilot study was to assess the value of a structured massage therapy program, with a focus on myofascial trigger points, on psychological measures associated with tension-type headache. Participants were enrolled in an open-label trial using a baseline control with four 3-week phases: baseline, massage (two 3-week periods) and a follow-up phase.

Changes in Clinical Parameters in Patients with Tension-type Headache Following Massage Therapy: A Pilot Study.

Complementary and alternative medicine approaches to treatment for tension-type headache are increasingly popular among patients, but evidence supporting its efficacy is limited. The objective of this study was to assess short term changes on primary and secondary headache pain measures in patients with tension-type headache (TTH) receiving a structured massage therapy program with a focus on myofascial trigger point therapy. Participants were enrolled in an open label trial using a baseline control with four 3-week phases: baseline, massage (two 3-week phases) and follow-up.

Physiological adjustments to stress measures following massage therapy: a review of the literature.

Use of massage therapy by the general public has increased substantially in recent years. In light of the popularity of massage therapy for stress reduction, a comprehensive review of the peer-reviewed literature is important to summarize the effectiveness of this modality on stress-reactive physiological measures. On-line databases were searched for articles relevant to both massage therapy and stress.

Comparison of a targeted and general massage protocol on strength, function, and symptoms associated with carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized pilot study.

Objective: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a major, costly public health issue that could be dramatically affected by the identification of additional conservative care treatment options. Our study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two distinct massage therapy protocols on strength, function, and symptoms associated with CTS.

Design: This was a randomized pilot study design with double pre-tests and subjects blinded to treatment group assignment.

Therapist education impacts the massage effect on postrace muscle recovery.

Purpose: The intention of this study was to assess the effectiveness of massage on muscle recovery as a function of therapist education in participants who completed a 10-km running race.

Methods: Race participants were offered a 12- to 15-min massage immediately post-event. Participants were randomly assigned to a student therapist with either 450, 700, or 950 h of didactic training in massage.

Sports massage. A comprehensive review.

The science of sports massage is of interest to many populations including athletes, athletic trainers, coaches, as well as sports physiologists. While evidence to support or refute the effects of massage on sports performance is insufficient to make definitive statements, new reports and trends within data help formulate an understanding of sports massage. This article will review sports massage research on topics including lactate clearance, delayed onset of muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle fatigue, the psychological effect of massage, and injury prevention and treatment.

Habitual physical activity facilitates stress-induced HSP72 induction in brain, peripheral, and immune tissues.

The mechanism(s) for how physically active organisms are resistant to many damaging effects of acute stressor exposure is unknown. Cellular induction of heat-shock proteins (e.g.

Massage therapy and frequency of chronic tension headaches.

Objectives: The effect of massage therapy on chronic nonmigraine headache was investigated.

Methods: Chronic tension headache sufferers received structured massage therapy treatment directed toward neck and shoulder muscles. Headache frequency, duration, and intensity were recorded and compared with baseline measures.

Elevated IL-1beta contributes to antibody suppression produced by stress.

Acute stressor exposure can facilitate innate immunity and suppress acquired immunity. The present study further characterized the potentiating effect of stress on innate immunity, interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), and demonstrated that stress-induced potentiation of innate immunity may contribute to the stress-induced suppression of acquired immunity. The long-term effect of stress on IL-1beta was measured by using an ex vivo approach.

Voluntary physical activity prevents stress-induced behavioral depression and anti-KLH antibody suppression.

The current study addressed whether physical activity can buffer stress-induced "behavioral depression" and immunosuppression. Adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were housed with either a mobile (physically active) or immobile (sedentary) running wheel and exposed to either stress (inescapable tail shock) or no stress (home cage control). Voluntary wheel running began 4 wk before stressor exposure.

Treadmill running produces both positive and negative physiological adaptations in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Exercise training produces a vast array of physiological adaptations, ranging from changes in metabolism to muscle mitochondrial biogenesis. Researchers studying the physiological effects of exercise often use animal models that employ forced exercise regimens that include aversive motivation, which could activate the stress response. This study examined the effect of forced treadmill running (8 wk) on several physiological systems that are sensitive to training and stress.

Differential expression of stress proteins in rat myocardium after free wheel or treadmill run training.

High-intensity treadmill exercise increases the expression of a cardioprotective, inducible 72-kDa stress protein (SP72) in cardiac muscle. This investigation examined whether voluntary free wheel exercise training would be sufficient to confer a similar response. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to either treadmill (TM-Tr) or free wheel (FW-Tr) training groups.