Impact of massage therapy in the treatment of

/Home/Chiropractic Treatment for Other Symptoms/Chiropractic Treatment - Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Impact of massage therapy in the treatment of
linked pathologies: Scoliosis, costovertebral
dysfunction, and thoracic outlet syndrome
Received 12 May 2005; received in revised form 12 September 2005; accepted 11 October 2005
Michael Hamm, LMP
Journal of
Bodywork and
Movement Therapies
ELSEVIER

1729 12th Avenue, Apartment 208, Seattle, WA 98122, USA

Summary
Objectives: To investigate the efficacy of massage therapy in the concurrent
treatment of three related, but discrete, disorders: scoliosis, costovertebral
dysfunction, and thoracic outlet syndrome.
Methods: A 34-year-old female subject reported steadily increasing pain in the right
shoulder over the previous 8 months. Chiropractic diagnosis and assessment by the
authorĖs clinical supervisor had identified these three conditions. Massage therapy
was administered twice weekly for a total of 8 sessions. Each 75-min session included
15 min of intake and assessment, during which pain levels (PLs), sleep patterns, and
functional limitations were recorded. Treatment was applied in the remaining
60 min, and consisted of Deep Tissue, Neuromuscular, and Muscle Energy techniques.
The clinical supervisor conducted three extended assessments, which were
performed prior to, halfway through, and after the treatment series.
Results: Reported PLs, sleep patterns, and functional limitations all showed
substantial improvements over the course of treatment, despite a re-injury to the
affected shoulder before the seventh session. Assessment by the Clinical Supervisor
confirmed these results.
Conclusions: Massage therapy is an appropriate tool for the concurrent treatment of
these three conditions. Further research should focus on the ability of massage to
address pathologies normally dealt with as separate entities.
& 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Please visit the website to view the article in its entirety.