Does massage help you if you have achilles tendinopathy

I would like to write a series of blog articles on the scientific evidence for massage.  I think it is important to start by stating the obvious that while massage can be studied, not many scientists are interested in studying it and not many massage therapists have scientific training.  This means that massage is woefully under researched.  In addition it is amazingly difficult to find 100 people with the same problem, who need exactly the same massage treatment, so large scale studies are very rare, which means a weakness of most studies is their size. Finally, while, most scientists are interested in how massage works, we don't have to know how something works to know if it works.  I know most of my clients are interested in scientific evidence but equally important is anecdotal evidence, their own opinion and experience of the treatment. What it crystal clear from scientific data and widely agreed upon by massage therapist researchers is that massage

1. Reduces anxiety
2. Reduces depression
3. Reduces stress
4. Reduces high BP

A few years ago now, I moved to London and one of my concerns about moving to London was that I would loose easy access to open green spaces.  I have always found that walking through natural green spaces which feel very open have always had a restorative affect on my mental health and general sense of well-being.  I know that now I live in London I am very lucky to live within walking distance of Blackheath, so I can still get my "nature top up".  My reaction to nature, made me wonder if their is any scientific evidence of the benefits of nature on health. A narrative review from Mount Royal University in Canada looked at how contact with nature could help the emotional & mental well-being of cancer survivors.  Researches were encouraged by findings that concluded nature could have a positive impact on the well-being of cancer survivors. Gladwell et al  show that lunchtime walks in nature-based environments may provide a greater restorative effect and may improve essential recovery during night-time sleep, potentially enhancing physiological health.  While it may be difficult to take a nature-based walk at lunchtime, it is much easier in the summer to take one in the evening. For those of you that may be thinking, "walking through parks is all very well for you Joanne, but where am I going to find the time for that!".   Please read on... In 201o researched in the UK looked at evidence from 1,250 people in 10 studies and found fast improvements in mood and self-esteem from green exercise.  (Green exercise is defined as activity such as walking, cycling, running, climbing etc in nature).   The study found the strongest impact was in young people and just five minutes of green exercises can boost mental health. References Ray H and Jakubec SL (2014) Nature based experiences and health of cancer survivors, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice 20(4): 188 - 192 Gladwell, V.F.; Kuoppa, P.; Tarvainen, M.P.; Rogerson, M. A Lunchtime Walk in Nature Enhances Restoration of Autonomic Control during Night-Time Sleep: Results from a Preliminary Study. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2016, 13, 280. Barton J and Pretty J (2010) What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health? A Multi-Study Analysis Environ. Sci. Technol., 2010, 44 (10), pp 3947–3955

Mindfullness is very trendy right now because it is claimed to help you cope with anxiety and stress and build resilience.  But does it help you if you are depressed?  This is the question that researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine tried to answer in a recent study. During the study, 31 women most of whom had done nothing to help themselves to deal with their depression in the last 12 months, participated in an mindfullness group.  They practicied mindfullness meditation and yoga on average 150 minutes per week.  Before starting the study 45% said they had no experience of mediation and 71% said they had never tried yoga. The primary outcome, depression and secondary outcomes (stress, mindfulness, functioning, well-being and depression stigma) were assessed at start of the study and then again at weeks 8 and 16 weeks .  The depressive symptoms significantly decreased during the study, in addition the stigma of depression increased from the start of the study to 8 weeks and then significantly decreased between 8 to 16 weeks of the study.  A significant decrease in stress and significant increase in mindfulness was found at week 8 and the end of the study when compared to the start of the study.  In addition, the women reported increased sense of well-being including self-acceptance and growth. In conclusion mindfulness medication can reduce levels of depression and stress as much as powerful drugs and psychotherapy do. Reference I E Burnett-Zeigler, M D Satyshur, S Hong, A Yang et al, 2016, Mindfulness based stress reduction adapted for depressed disadvantaged women in an urban Federally Qualified Health Centre, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice;  25; 59 - 67 see >> http://www.ctcpjournal.com/article/S1744-3881(16)30072-X/abstract