Massage Medical Applications Project (MMAP)

Comments and input from Larry Warnock

Larry Warnock
The Student/Athlete Educational Foundation, Inc.
22 Woburn Street, Suite 36
Reading, MA 01867
http://www.chap.com/

also Tufts University Health Services

 

17 December 2005

One outcome criteria I use is a range of motion scale to indicate improvement with both trigger point therapy as well as clinical massage. This scale works well with athletes, in particular, but can be applied to anyone actually.

There are four “checkpoints” in the scale:

  1. Too tight (below acceptable range of motion)
  2. Normal (within acceptable range of motion)
  3. Elite (within the top 10 percent of normal)
  4. Hypermobile (in excess of the Elite range)

I use a printed form with each major muscle pictured with its normal range of motion indicated. For athletes coming to our center, we test all major muscle groups to establish a benchmark.

When an athlete is referred or for any patient, for that matter, we test prior to treatment and post-treatment. Those scores are reported to referrers and noted in the case notes. Orthopedic physicians and other traditional health care providers appreciate the technical nature of the report.

This process can be used to determine whether scar tissue has been released, triggers have been reduced or eliminated, hypertonicity released, etc.

16 December 2005

One question: will subjective reports from the patient/client be included in the evaluation of improvement? For example, massage for fibromyalgia may not reduce need for medication but may reduce the severity of pain, which would be a subjective response from the patient/client.

[Any medically accepted means of tracking patient response and progress will be included. This certainly includes objective reporting of subjective perceptions such as severity of pain or fatigue].

Your final list will be a boon for both the medical world and massage therapy.

I receive many referrals from the clinical staff of the Tufts Health Service. I have chart privileges, meaning I can write in the patient's charts the results of my work with the patient. Some of the referral conditions have been TMJ, neck and shoulder pain (we call it “tufts Neck Syndrome” — caused by constant leaning over a laptop, etc.), fibromyalgia and MPS, lumbar back strain, among others. I also get referrals for mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and ADD. I am often brought in on the diagnostic stage as a consultant.

Good luck with your project.