Books

Massage Therapy: The Evidence for Practice

Edited by Grant Jewell Rich
Published by Mosby
ISBN 0 7234 3217 1

The opening chapter of this book discusses the question “Evidence–based massage therapy; A contradiction in terms?”

Those who read this book will find that there is no contradiction and the book will provide them with good evidence to persuade those who remain unconvinced.

Topics include:

Methodological issues in the design and conduct of massage therapy research;

Massage for immune disorders; Massage therapy following spinal cord injury;

Massage for the elderly;

Massage and the work place.

The book provides a good overview of recent research and is a useful starting point for anyone interested in wanting to do any research themselves.

Making Sense of Research

A Guide to Research Literacy for Complementary Practitioners
By Martha Brown Menard
Curties-Overzet Publications, Toronto, Canada.
ISBN 0 9685256 3 6

The book begins with an overview of the scientific method and descriptions of various study designs and critical evaluations of  several intervention studies.
There are chapters on both quantitative and qualitative research and the pros and cons of each are discussed. Menard clearly describes why each research concept that she describes is important to the massage therapist.