Research Perch

Pain and Validation with Whitney Lowe and Doug Nelson

Learn more about the mechanisms of pain and the importance of pain validation in client care. Join us for Research Perch, as host MTF Vice President Lindsay Bodkin, BA, LMT, CPT, speaks with educators Whitney Lowe (Academy of Clinical Massage) and Douglas Nelson, LMT, BCTMB (Precision Neuromuscular Therapy Seminars).

IJTMB Writing Mentorship [Research Perch]

Listen in to Research Perch, as MTF President, Adrienne Asta, speaks with Dr. Amanda Baskwill, Executive Editor of International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, about the journal's writing mentorship program.

Research Literacy with Whitney Lowe [Research Perch]

Learn more about Basics of Research Literacy (BRL), an online continuing education course for massage therapists and educators about incorporating principles of research literacy in your practice and teaching. MTF President Adrienne Asta speaks with author/educator Whitney Lowe (Academy of Clinical Massage) about the new and revised 3-hour NCBTMB-approved interactive skill-building experience, which was created as a fundraiser for the Foundation.

MTF Grant: MABT for Chronic Pain Implementation Study [Research Perch]

“How do we take a [randomized controlled trial] mind-body massage protocol and then actually access it—actually make it accessible to patients in the real world?’ What would that look like?” Hear from Kathryn Hansen, ANP-BC, who is the Principal Investigator of the 2022 MTF Research Grant-funded project, Mindful Awareness in Body-Oriented Therapy (MABT) for Chronic Pain: An Implementation Science Pilot Study., Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn.. Learn more about implement...

NIH Study: MABT for Opioid Use Disorder [Research Perch]

Mindful Awareness in Body-oriented Therapy (MABT) combines manual, mindfulness and psycho-educational approaches to teach interoceptive awareness and related self-care skills. Learn more about MABT and an NIH-funded study looking at how it can be used to combat the opioid epidemic, as MTF President Adrienne Asta interviews researcher Cynthia Price and Megan Sherman, one of the LMT research interventionists on the project.

MassageNet Study—MT Mental Health Knowledge [Research Perch]

Join us for Research Perch! Listen in as MTF Research Committee Chair, researcher Dr. Niki Munk, interviews doctoral student Sami Zabel, about her MassageNet study exploring massage therapists’ knowledge and attitudes about mental health and mental illness—and how you can participate!

Efficacy of Perinatal Massage Part 2 [Research Perch]

Join us for Research Perch! In Part 2 of this two-part episode, host Adrienne F. Asta welcomes Michele Kolakowski, LMT, CD & CPD (DONA), CLC, and Carole Osborne, BCTMB, two of the co-authors of the highly successful book, "Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy." The trio discuss recent research into the efficacy of massage and birth narrative storytelling for women immediately following unplanned cesarean birth. Additional links and materials at  https://massagetherapyfoundation.org/perinatal-m...

Efficacy of Perinatal Massage Part 1 [Research Perch]

Join us for Research Perch! In this two-part episode, host Adrienne F. Asta welcomes Michele Kolakowski, LMT, CD & CPD (DONA), CLC, and Carole Osborne, BCTMB, two of the co-authors of the highly successful book, “Pre- and Perinatal Massage Therapy.” The trio discuss recent research into the efficacy of massage and birth narrative storytelling for women immediately following unplanned cesarean birth.

Integrative Healers Action Network Community Service Grant [Research Perch]

Join us for Research Perch, as MTF Vice President and Community Service Grant Proposal Review Committee Chair, Adrienne Asta, BA, LMT, speaks with Jenny Harrow-Keeler, MA, of the California-based Integrative Healers Action Network (IHAN) about their work providing integrative health services during wildfire events and other crises. IHAN is the recipient of a 2021 MTF Community Service Grant for their project entitled, "Community Clinics for Disaster-Impacted Communities." To learn more about ...

Project COPE Wrap Up

Starting in April of 2020, researchers from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Prisma Health, Clemson University, and Indiana University (IUPUI) began conducting a survey to gather information about the experiences of all healthcare providers/professionals during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. Join host Robin Anderson as she welcomes back Project COPE investigators Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy (USC Greenville) and Smith Heavner (Prisma Health), for a final update on t...

Educational Pathways of MT Researchers [Research Perch]

How does a massage therapist become a massage therapy researcher? Join us as MTF President Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS, MTF Trustee Niki Munk, PhD, LMT, and Graduate Student Sami Zabel discuss the educational pathways to becoming a massage therapy researcher.

Practice-Based Research Network 101 [Research Perch]

What is a Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN)? Join us as MTF President Robin B. Anderson, MEd, LMT, BCTMB, CEAS, MTF Trustee Niki Munk, PhD, LMT, and Graduate Student Sami Zabel discuss the purpose and benefits of PBRNs for massage therapists, students, researchers, and clients.

MTF Ergo Project Data Collection

Learn more about how data was collected during Phase One of the MTF Ergonomics Project. Join us as host Robin Anderson speaks with Stefan Schulz and Paula Kalmeta from Briotix about this fascinating process.

Call to Action: Share Your Knowledge with IJTMB [Research Perch]

Get excited to share your practical and creative knowledge by submitting an abstract to the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (IJTMB)! Join host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, as he speaks with IJTMB Executive Editor Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH, and IJTMB Practice & Education Section Editor Amanda Baskwill, PhD(c), MSc, BEd, RMT about the recent IJTMB article, “Trends of Publication in the Education and Practice Sections of the IJTMB: A Call to Action.” Learn abou...

Trauma Informed Massage MTF Community Service Grant [Research Perch]

Listen in as MTF Community Service Grant Committee Chair Adrienne Asta interviews Chanda Santana from the DIVAS Who Win Freedom Center, Inc., Athens, Georgia. DIVAS is a 2020 MTF Community Grant recipient for their program, SHE Retreats: Trauma Informed Massage and Self-Care. Learn more about this innovative program to support women who are survivors of sex trafficking and/or overcoming addiction and trauma to aid them in successfully reentering society.

Ergonomics Explained [Research Perch}

Join MTF President Robin Anderson and Stefan Shulz from Briotix as they discuss the fundamentals of ergonomics, and how ergonomic principles were studied in MTs over the course of Phase One of the MTF Ergonomics Project.

MT for Multiple Sclerosis: A Case Report [Research Perch]

Listen in as host Robin Anderson and 2019 MTF Student Case Report Silver Award Winner Amy Frost-Hunt from MacEwan University, Edmonton, Alberta, discuss her report, Effects of Massage Therapy on Multiple Sclerosis: a Case Report. This student case report was later published in MTF's journal, the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, and made into poster format.

Update: MT Client 2020 Pandemic Survey [Research Perch]

In this follow-up episode of Research Perch, host Doug Nelson welcomes Dr. Niki Munk, Associate Professor at Indiana University (IU) School of Health and Human Sciences, and IU student, Board-Certified massage therapist Mica Rosenow, to discuss the currently ongoing research project, "Assessing Affective Measures in the 2020 Pandemic," and how you can be a part of the study. Participate here through March 31, 2021: https://massagetherapyfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/IU-Study-Flier-for-...

Massage Therapy Program at Blessing Hospital Part Two

Learn more about hospital-based massage therapy by tuning in to MTF’s two-part Research Perch podcast interview with guests Laura Bliven-Leapley, RN, MSN, NE-BC, RN-BC, BS, and Karen Kerns, M.S., CCC-SLP, MBA, and Cynthia Spake, B.S.Ed., LMT, from the Massage Therapy Program at Blessing Hospital, Quincy, Illinois. Part Two is a continuation of the details of how Blessing's MT Program works, how it has affected patients patient care, and what it is like to be a massage therapist in this setti...

Massage Therapy Program at Blessing Hospital Part One [Research Perch]

Learn more about hospital-based massage therapy by tuning in to MTF’s two-part Research Perch podcast interview with guests Laura Bliven-Leapley, RN, MSN, NE-BC, RN-BC, BS, and Karen Kerns, M.S., CCC-SLP, MBA, and Cynthia Spake, B.S.Ed., LMT, from the Massage Therapy Program at Blessing Hospital, Quincy, Illinois. In Part One, learn about the reasons for and inspiration behind the massage therapy program at Blessing Hospital and how it works. Part Two(coming soon) will detail how Blessing'...

Massage for Muscle Atrophy [Research Perch]

Massage has promising potential to help rebuild muscle in those who cannot handle weight-bearing or resistance exercise. In this episode of Research Perch, learn more about MTF’s 2018 Research Grant award to the University of Kentucky Research Foundation for their study, Massage as an Intervention for Muscle Atrophy, as host Doug Nelson speaks with study investigators Esther Dupont-Versteegden, PhD, and Tim Butterfield, PhD, ATC, FACSM, FNATA. 

Hand Self-Shiatsu for Sleep [Research Perch]

Listen in as host Doug Nelson speaks with Shiatsu Therapist Leisa Bellmore, MSc, ST, about her research studying hand self-Shiatsu massage for sleep, and her work at Toronto Western Hospital’s Al & Malka Green Artists' Health Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Indiana University Study: MT Client 2020 Pandemic Survey [Research Perch]

Contribute to research while connecting with your clients during the COVID-19 pandemic— whether or not they are visiting your practice. In this episode of Research Perch, host Doug Nelson welcomes Dr. Niki Munk, Associate Professor at Indiana University (IU) School of Health and Human Sciences, and IU student, Board-Certified massage therapist Mica Rosenow, to discuss the currently ongoing research project, Assessing Affective Measures in the 2020 Pandemic, and how you can be a part of the s...

Update on Project COPE: Share Your Story [Research Perch]

In this special follow-up episode of Research Perch, host Doug Nelson brings back Project COPE investigators Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy (USC Greenville) and Smith Heavner-Sullivan (Prisma Health), for an update on the progress of this important study and information on how you can help be a part of capturing a unique moment in history. View our first Research Perch interview with Project COPE investigators here: Project COPE: Share Your Story [Research Perch]

Join the Research World: Submit a Case Report to IJTMB

How can you become involved in research? Join host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, as he speaks with Executive Editor of the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (IJTMB), Dr. Ann Blair Kennedy, LMT, BCTMB, DrPH, about the value of submitting a case report to IJTMB. Learn more about how you can dive into research and move the profession forward through writing about the work you already do with your clients.

MTF Community Service Grant Program [Research Perch]

Learn more about the MTF Community Service Grant program. Host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, and MTF Community Service Grant Review Committee Chair, Adrienne F. Asta, BA, LMT, discuss the purpose and value of MTF Community Service Grants and describe some of the projects that have been funded over the history of the program.

Project COPE: Share Your Story [Research Perch]

As of April 16, 2020, researchers from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville, Prisma Health, Clemson University, and Indiana University (IUPUI) are conducting an ongoing survey designed to gather information about the experiences of all healthcare providers/professionals (including physicians, nurses, allied health, complementary and integrative medicine practitioners, those in dentistry, mental health and any students in these fields) during and after the Covid-19 p...

MTF Research Grants [Research Perch]

Learn more about MTF Research Grant opportunities. Host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, and MTF Research Grant Proposal Review Committee Chair JoEllen Sefton, PhD, ATC, CMT, discuss the history and evolution of MTF Research Grants and some of the valuable projects that they have funded.

Locating Research with the MTF's Teaching Research eBook [Research Perch]

Listen as we discuss how instructors can use MTF's free downloadable eBook, "Instructors’ Guide to Teaching Research.," to help students become comfortable accessing research related to different client conditons. Host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, and MTF Education Committee Chair Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT, speak with educator and MTF Education Committee volunteer Pete Whitridge, BA, LMT, about how to get the most out of the chapter he wrote for the eBook. Download the Instructor's Guide a...

Enhancing Curriculum with MTF's Teaching Research eBook [Research Perch]

Listen as we discuss how instructors have used MTF's free downloadable eBook, "Instructors’ Guide to Teaching Research.," to help enhance massage therapy curriculum. Host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, and MTF Education Committee Chair Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT, speak with Beverley Giroud, LMT, Director of Education at the Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy, Samara, Costa Rica, about how she has implemented the eBook in her classes.

Intro to the MTF Instructors' Guide to Teaching Research eBook

Listen in as we discuss free downloadable MTF eBook, "Instructors’ Guide to Teaching Research." Host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB welcomes educator and eBook collaborator Brent Jackson, M.Ed., BS, LMT, and new instructor Jordan Meyer, LMT, from the Blue Sky School of Professional Massage & Therapeutic Bodywork in Grafton, Wisconsin, to talk through how instructors can use the eBook to teach research concepts to their students. Download this and other FREE MTF eBooks here.

Research Article Discussion Club at Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Learn more about the enriching possibilities of participating in a research article discussion club in this podcast interview with guest Deborah Zerkle, LMT, CA, CIMT, CPMT, from the Massage Therapy Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH), Columbus, Ohio.

The Value of Student Case Reports

Writing a case report expands student's skills and deepens their level of understanding. Listen as MTF President Doug Nelson speaks with educators whose students consistently rank at the top of submissions we receive to the yearly MTF Student Case Report Contest.

Massage Therapy Program At Nationwide Children’s Hospital Part Two

Hospital-based massage programs are on the rise as care providers seek non-pharmacological modalities for pain and stress relief. Learn about how these programs work by tuning in to MTF’s two-part Research Perch podcast interview with guests Corrie Frey, LMT, CIMI, CPMT, and Deborah Zerkle, LMT, CA, CIMT, CPMT, from the Massage Therapy Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. Part One gives an overview of how the massage therapy program at NCH got started and the services t...

Massage Therapy Program At Nationwide Children’s Hospital Part One

Hospital-based massage programs are on the rise as care providers seek non-pharmacological modalities for pain and stress relief. Learn about how these programs work by tuning in to MTF’s two-part Research Perch podcast interview with guests Corrie Frey, LMT, CIMI, CPMT, and Deborah Zerkle, LMT, CA, CIMT, CPMT, from the Massage Therapy Program at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio. Part One gives an overview of how the massage therapy program at NCH got started and the services t...

Integration of Massage Therapy in Outpatient Cancer Care: Part Two

Integration of Massage Therapy in Outpatient Cancer Care Part One

Join host Doug Nelson, LMT, BCTMB, CNMT, as he facilitates a discussion of, "Integration of Massage Therapy in Outpatient Cancer Care," with study author Virginia Cowen, PhD, LMT, and Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD. This article is published in the Foundation’s open-access, peer-reviewed journal, the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork. You can view the full article at: http://www.ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/article/view/393/422 

Massage Therapy Restores Peripheral Vascular Function Following Exertion

Listen in as we discuss "Massage Therapy Restores Peripheral Vascular Function Following Exertion.” Ruth Werner and Dr. Nina Cherie Franklin walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Comparing the Effects of Rest and Massage on Return to Homeostasis Following Submaximal Aerobic Exercise: a Case Study

Listen in as we discuss “Comparing the Effects of Rest and Massage on Return to Homeostasis Following Submaximal Aerobic Exercise: a Case Study.” Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron and Ruth Werner walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Massage Therapy Treatment and Outcomes for a Patient with Parkinson’s Disease: a Case Report

Listen in as we discuss “Massage Therapy Treatment and Outcomes for a Patient with Parkinson’s Disease: a Case Report". Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron and Ruth Werner walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Bowenwork for Migraine: a Case Report

Listen in as we discuss “Bowenwork for Migraine Relief: a Case Report.” Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron and Ruth Werner walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Dynamic Angular Petrissage as Treatment for Axillary Web Syndrome Occurring after Surgery for Breast Cancer: a Case Report

Listen in as we discuss “Dynamic Angular Petrissage as Treatment for Axillary Web Syndrome Occurring after Surgery for Breast Cancer: a Case Report.” Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron and Ruth Werner walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Intradialytic Massage for Leg Cramps Among Hemodialysis Patients: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

Listen in as we discuss "Intradialytic Massage for Leg Cramps Among Hemodialysis Patients: a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial." Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron and Ruth Werner walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Effects of Thai Foot Massage on Balance Performance in Diabetic Patients with Peripheral Neuropathy

Listen in as we discuss “Effects of Thai Foot Massage on Balance Performance in Diabetic Patients with Peripheral Neuropathy: A Randomized Parallel-Controlled Trial  .” Dr. Jerrilyn Cambron and Ruth Werner walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.  

Massage for Pain in the General Population: Part 1 [Research Perch]

Listen in as we discuss "The Impact of Massage Therapy on Function in Pain Populations—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials: Part I, Patients Experiencing Pain in the General Population. Jerrilyn Cambron, LMT, DC, MPH, PhD and Ruth Werner, BCTMB walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Perceptions of Massage Therapists Participating in a Randomized Controlled Trial

Listen in as we discuss "Perceptions of Massage Therapists Participating in a Randomized Controlled Trial." Ruth Werner and Niki Munk walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Report of the NIH Task Force on Research Standards for Chronic Low Back Pain

Listen in as we discuss "Report of the NIH Task Force on Research Standards for Chronic Low Back Pain." Ruth Werner and Niki Munk walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Relief from Back Pain Through Postural Adjustment: a Controlled Clinical Trial of the Immediate Effects of Muscular Chains Therapy (MCT)

Listen in as we discuss "Relief from Back Pain Through Postural Adjustment: a Controlled Clinical Trial of the Immediate Effects of Muscular Chains Therapy." Ruth Werner and Niki Munk walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Massage Therapy for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease: Alleviating a Pain in the Neck?

Listen in as we discuss "Massage Therapy for Cervical Degenerative Disc Disease: Alleviating a Pain in the Neck?" Ruth Werner and Niki Munk walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.

Concussion Treatment Using Massage Techniques: a Case Study

Listen in as we discuss "Concussion Treatment Using Massage Techniques: a Case Study". Ruth Werner and Niki Munk walk us through the implications, how it can grow our practices, and how it can help us serve our clients better.