IMTRC 2025 Attendee Study—Evidence-Based Massage Therapy in Practice

Massage Therapy Foundation’s (MTF) International Massage Therapy Research Conference (IMTRC) was established to bridge the gap between research and practice in the massage therapy profession, by bringing together massage therapy researchers and massage therapists in clinical practice.  At 2025 IMTRC in Alexandria, VA, MTF Research Committee members harnessed this opportunity to learn more about the implementation of evidence-based practice from the clinical practitioners themselves.

Any conference attendee with a current clinical practice, identified as having a minimum of one client per month, was invited to participate in surveys designed by MTF Research Committee members Robin Miccio and Dr. Portia Resnick. The survey had three parts, including demographic information, a validated evidence-based practice beliefs scale (adopted from nursing) and questions that were generated specifically for the study. What follows is a sneak peek into what was learned about the practitioners present at 2025 IMTRC.

The demographic portion of the survey generated very interesting data about the types of massage treatments given by the massage therapists. When asked, “what types of treatments do you do?” the 63 participants generated 39 unique combinations with most massage therapists using a combination of 3 to 6 treatment types. The minimum number of treatments provided was 2, Swedish/relaxation and Manual Lymphatic Drainage, by one massage therapist. Five people provided all 8 treatment types (excluding “other”). Swedish massage was included in 33 of the 39 treatment combinations and performed by 57 of the 63 participants. Both deep tissue and myofascial release were performed by 52 of the participants, but not the same 52 participants, meaning some used one but not the other.

When asked about their client population, there were 36 unique combinations of client populations. The largest population included those seeking general health and wellness with 48 of the 63 participants using this descriptor for the clients. The 48 included 8 people who exclusively worked with those seeking general health and wellness. The next most popular participant descriptor included athletes/active individuals and medical/oncology, both being treated by 30 of the participants (but not the same 30 participants). There were 24 participants who worked with a geriatric population and 16 who worked with prenatal/postpartum clients.

The data from the evidence-based practice beliefs and other additional questions are still being analyzed by the research team. The team intends to submit findings for publication by the end of the 2025, so hopefully you can read more in an issue of International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (IJTMB) in 2026 or 2027!

Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis of Institutional Research Partnerships in Complementary and Integrative Health: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators

Collaborative partnerships between clinicians and researchers are integral to MassageNet’s mission. Practice-Based Research Networks, like MassageNet, facilitate collaboration to make it easier for important research questions to be asked and answered, yet often face difficulties in creating and maintaining relationships among groups. This Research Highlight examines a survey study looking at barriers to and facilitators of  collaboration among complementary and integrative health (CIH) institutions and research (R1) institutions.

A research group through the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine developed the study to investigate researchers’ experiences associated with CIH and R1 institutions that were part of collaborative research projects. Specifically, they wanted to know more about how they established and maintained collaborative relationships and how prior collaborative experiences can inform future efforts. The investigators created their own survey questions about various aspects of collaborative research relationships, including both quantitative and open-ended questions.

Twenty-six entries were included in analysis: two R1 institutions and 24 CIH institutions. Chiropractic (57.7%) and acupuncture (34.6%) were the most commonly represented disciplines, and 19.2% of participants reported massage therapy as part of their research area. Some of the benefits of collaboration included research funding and publications, increased opportunities, and institutional changes. Challenges included lack of CIH research infrastructure and experience, credentialing and regulation of CIH, and lack of physical and scheduling space.

The major takeaway from this study is that collaboration can be productive and beneficial, but creating and strengthening relationships can take a lot of effort. The results of collaboration between CIH and R1 institutions can help increase understanding of real-world practice of CIH therapies, which can help improve patient care and outcomes. This is, after all, the goal for all massage clinicians, CIH practitioners, and healthcare providers across the board. By joining MassageNet, you probably feel that way, too!

Read the full study article here: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39648830/

Anderson B, Munk N, Moonaz S, Healey D. Cross-Sectional Survey Analysis of Institutional Research Partnerships in Complementary and Integrative Health: Identifying Barriers and Facilitators. J Integr Complement Med. 2024 Dec 9. doi: 10.1089/jicm.2024.0382. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39648830.

Open-Access Journals

When it comes to accessing up-to-date research, a barrier for many clinicians not associated with a large organization is cost. Many academic journals are pay-to-access. These subscriptions can be costly, in the hundreds of dollars per year for a single journal. Some publishers sell access to single articles for up to $50 per article. Without the support of a university or library, potentially important research information can be well out of reach of clinicians. Open-access (OA) journals, however, are free to read. OA is an international movement that provides scientific articles and research information online at no cost. OA journals generally comply with the same rigorous peer review processes as other journals in order to maintain a high standard of publishing. Many OA journals also have fewer or no copyright restrictions compared to conventional journals. Although OA journals are free to the reader, they often require fees for authors to publish their works. A valuable resource for the public, OA journals provide a gateway for clinicians to learn about information that could impact patient care.

The International Journal of Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork (IJTMB) is an open-access journal specifically aimed at massage therapy-related topics. The journal publishes quarterly issues with articles about massage research, education, and practice. Many articles are contributed to by clinicians who want to share their knowledge with other clinicians and researchers. Read the latest issue and archives at www.ijtmb.org 

To learn more about OA, you can watch the video below:

MTF Ergonomics Project: Phase 2

Phase 2 of Massage Therapy Foundation’s Ergonomics Project seeks to identify key factors inherent in individual practitioner participants and their work practices to better understand the significance/role those factors play in the development of work-related fatigue.

Objective and subjective data will be collected from massage therapists working in community-based massage therapy settings. Data collection will leverage wearable sensor technology and practitioner surveys.

Participants in the study will wear the sensors for seven days during which they will see their normal client/patient load.  Sensors will be positioned to not interfere with the massage therapy treatment and treatment protocols will be expected to follow the massage therapist’s clinical rationale for that session.  Following each massage session, the massage therapist will fill out a brief questionnaire about the session and the client. Following the seven days of data collection, sensors will be cleaned and returned.  Participants will receive access to their data dashboard to learn more about themselves. Aggregate data from the study will be used by the MTF to assist in developing best practices. The MTF hopes to be a leader in the promotion of practitioner career longevity and sustainability.

If you are interested in participating in this study, please complete The Massage Therapy Foundation Ergonomics Project Interest Survey

To learn more about this project, please visit: https://massagetherapyfoundation.org/mtf-ergo-project/