FSMTB Releases Guidelines for Practice with COVID-19 Considerations
The Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) released its guidance for massage practitioners and schools during the COVID-19 crisis. The guidelines, created by a task force of experts from across the profession, are available at www.fsmtb.org/media/2319/fsmtb20200519guidelinesforpracticecovid-19.pdf. The introduction to the document states:
“Clean facilities, proper practitioner hygiene, procedures to ensure client safety, and disease prevention protocols have long been a cornerstone of professional massage and bodywork practice. The outbreak and rapid spread of coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) highlights the need for renewed attention and increased vigilance in these areas as states lift stay-at home orders (also called stay-in-place orders) and massage and bodywork practitioners return to practice.
“FSMTB recognizes that some customization and flexibility are necessary to allow these concepts to be of assistance in each jurisdiction and practice setting. Each massage practice will have its own time frame for returning to work based on the state’s stay-at-home orders, supply of personal protective equipment (PPE), funding for massage programs, availability of COVID-19 tests, COVID-19 testing rates, and stable or falling COVID-related hospitalization rates for two weeks or more. These recommendations and guidelines do not replace any directives or guidance provided by federal or state agencies, regulatory boards, or other authorities having jurisdiction. Where conflicts occur, the stricter requirement will apply.”
ABMP supported the project by reviewing and offering feedback on a draft of the guidelines.
ABMP’s Back-to-Practice Guide is available at www.abmp.com/back-to-practice.
Neck, Jaw, and Head Massage May be Effective in Reducing Frequency of Chronic Tension Headaches
A case series, published in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork, aimed to investigate whether massage therapy interventions for chronic tension-type headaches (CTTH) were more effective when muscles of the anterior neck, jaw, and cranium were included.
Four female clients suffering CTTH received six predetermined massage therapy interventions for 45 minutes each over a period of three weeks. Two subjects received interventions addressing shoulder, posterior neck, and occiput muscles; the other two subjects received interventions addressing the same areas, as well as the sternocleidomastoid, scalene, temporalis, and masseter muscles. The treatment consisted of myofascial trigger point release, neuromuscular therapy, and consideration of central sensitization mechanisms present in CTTH.
All four subjects experienced a reduction in headache frequency, and three subjects reported continued improvements after study completion. The subjects who received jaw, neck, and head massage had greater decreases in headache frequency and headache disability inventory scores. These results suggest that including neck, jaw, and head muscles in massage treatment strategies for chronic tension headaches may increase effectiveness of the treatment.