I feel that MassageTherapy is as important to our health as is seeing the Dentist.  Twenty years of reasearch has shown that not flossing the bacteria from our teeth could lead to a heart attack.  I hope we don’t take this many decades to realize how important Massage Therapy is. 
   Many people know that massage is an effective choice for managing pain, and problems associated with arthritis, diabetes and cardio-vascular health.  Massage Therapy is often the more economic choice.  I feel we need to expand our awareness of massage to prevention.  Yes, massage is great for repairing injuries and managing health problem, and it is also an excellent choice for preventing health problems and injuries.  Did you know that students get higher test scores after having a massage?  Now that would be preventing lower grades.
   A weekly massage keeps our stress down and our immune system up, and it keeps us from wearing out our bodies.  A good pro-active preventive massage program or "wellness" massage helps our brain and nervous system focus on what it needs to do to keep our bodies working well.
   I believe in our body’s natural ability to heal and that natural ability is activated by Massage therapy.    

   The American Massage Therapy Association has a Massage Therapy Foundation that has conducted scientific testing on massage therapy since 1990.  To review our Massage Therapy Foundation reseach go to www.amtamassage.org, click site map (four lines from the top on the far right), then in the right hand column labeled Alphabetical, scroll down to and click research database.
   In addition, since the 1950’s the Upledger institute in Florida has researched one basic dimension of massage with the aid of government grants.