Effect of a corporate chair massage program

I recently came across a scientific study in slovenia on the impact of a corporate chair massage program.  As you can imagine, as I offer this service I was interested in the results of the study.

Ninteen female volunteers who were aged between 40 – 54, were given chair massages on-site at their office twice per week for 1 month.  They were all reporting various levels of aches and pains when they were working at their desks.  The Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire was used to track and measure the aches and pains, while a goniometer was used to track and measure range of motion measurements for the neck and spine.

The study showed a significant decrease for aches and pains in the neck and upper back.  In addition, it found significant increase in range of movement for cervical lateral flexion of 28.8% (moving your neck so your ear goes towards your shoulder) and cervical extension (moving your head back).

This study fits with me and my teams experience that after a Seated Acupressure Neck & Shoulder massages, clients are less tense, feel looser and are able to move their neck & shoulders more freely.

Reference

Sisko PK, Videmsek M, Karpljuk D, 2011, The effect of a corporate chair massage program on musculoskeletal discomfort and joint range of motion in office workers.  J Altern Complement Med, 17(7):617-22

 

Related Posts

  • Start eating prebiotics to reduce stress levels

    When we are under pressure, stressed or anxious our bodies react, for some people this means they develop tension in the neck & shoulders, for others they get butterflies in their stomach or their digestive system becomes more sensitive. Stress messes with your they bacteria in your gut and creates a viscous circle that makes stress and anxiety attacks even worse.  While we are all familiar with probiotics or good bacteria which you can buy in tablet form in health food shops or are added to yogurts.  What you may be less familiar with are  prebiotics which are the "food" for the good bacteria in your gut.  Prebiotics can undo the impact stress has on the gut.  They are found in plant fibers like

    • raw chicory root
    • raw Jerusalem artichoke
    • raw garlic
    • raw leeks
    • raw asparagus
    • raw and cooked onions
    Researches from the University of Colorado discovered eating prebiotics has a protective effect and can help to safeguard good bacteria in your gut during times of stress.  They also discovered eating prebiotics can even help reestablish good sleeping patterns. References https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28119579  
  • Does massage help you if you have achilles tendinopathy

    Achilles tendinopathy affects 150,000 pepole in the UK every year (Davies, 2019). Tendinopathy, also known as tendinitis or tendonitis, is a type of tendon disorder that results in pain, swelling, and impaired function. The pain is typically worse with movement.  Given the achilles tendon connects the calf muscles to the foot at the heel - so impared function impacts your ability to walk and exercise. Scientists at the University of Iceland and University of Copehagen recruited 60 patients with Achilles Tendinopathy and assigned them to three groups:

    1. Eccentric exercise protocol (rehabilitation exercises)
    2. Pressure massage
    3. Eccentic exercise protocol and pressure massage
    The scientists monitored all three groups progress.  In the second group the participants received pressure massage from a therapist twice a week for 6 weeks and once a week for the next 6 weeks. Symptoms in all groups improved, but the pressure massage group improved significantly more that the eccentric exercise protocol group after four weeks, suggesting that althought both exercise and massage improved outcomes, the pressure massage group acheived faster results. So if you have any issues with your achilles tendon why not book a massage? Reference: Stefansson SH, Brandsson S, Langberg H, Arnason A. Using Pressure Massage for Achilles Tendinopathy: A Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing a Novel Treatment Versus an Eccentric Exercise Protocol. Orthop J Sports Med. 2019;7(3)
  • Is there something in the quackery?

    Many people think that homeopathy is unscientific nonsense - however a new study reports that homeopathy can reverse the skin condition vitiligo, which are the white patches on people's skin. Classical homeopathy which is where individualized remedies are perscribed - has been sucessfully used on 14 vitiligo sufferers say researchers are the Centre for Classical Homeopathy in Bangalore , India.  The remedies reduces the white patches on skin in all 14 patients within an average of 5 years of starting treatment. With classical homeopathy, the remedy will vary and is determined by the characteristics of each individual patient, and so researchers are unable to point to one remedy that could treat the problem. Vitiligo is an autoimmune condition that causes the loss of melanin, the skin pigment.  Conventional medicine treats the condition with light therapy and drugs, which can restore some pigmentation but doesn't treat the underlying condition. Reference https://www.amjcaserep.com/abstract/index/idArt/905340