Massage alleviates anxiety, depression, eating disorder symptoms, poor body image and biochemical abnormalities for women diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, according to a recent research study.

“Anorexia Nervosa Symptoms are Reduced by Massage Therapy” was conducted by researchers at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine. It was originally published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention.

Nineteen women undergoing inpatient or outpatient treatment for anorexia nervosa were randomly assigned by researchers to either a massage-therapy group or a standard-treatment group.

In addition to receiving standard care, the women in the massage-therapy group received a 30-minute Swedish massage twice a week for five weeks. Beginning in the supine position, the head and neck were massaged, followed by the arms, torso, legs and feet. In the prone position, the legs and back were massaged.

Inpatients in the standard-treatment only group participated in daily individual- and group-therapy sessions, worked with a dietician and engaged in movement therapy. The women in the outpatient program were under the care of a psychiatrist and attended group therapy.

On the first and last days of the study, researchers used the State Anxiety Inventory to evaluate the womens’ anxiety levels; the Profile of Mood States to measure their moods; saliva cortisol tests to measure stress-hormone levels; the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale to determine depression levels; and urine samples to measure dopamine values. The Eating Disorder Inventory was used to measure psychological and behavioral traits associated with anorexia nervosa, such as perfectionism, drive for thinness, interpersonal distrust and body dissatisfaction.
After the five-week treatment period, the massage-therapy group had lower scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory, compared to the standard-treatment group. (Higher scores suggest more symptoms associated with anorexia nervosa.)

Although improved mood was reported by women in the massage-therapy group, no changes were found in depression scores for either the massage-therapy or standard-treatment only group. The study suggests that a longer massage treatment period may be necessary to reduce depression for women with anorexia nervosa.

“That the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) scores were unchanged for the participants in the control group despite receiving standard treatment … is suggestive of the difficulty of treating eating disorders with only traditional therapies,” state the study’s authors.

Urine samples taken on the first and last days of the study revealed an increase in dopamine values for the women who received massage therapy in addition to standard care. “Dopamine depletion has been associated with a decrease in food intake and has been implicated in anorexia nervosa and feeding behaviors,” state the authors.

The results of this study, according to its authors, “suggest that massage therapy added to standard care may be effective for healing mind and body issues for individuals with eating disorders.”

- Source: The Touch Research Institute. Authors: Sybil Hart, Ph.D.; Tiffany Field, Ph.D.; Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D.; Graciela Nearing, Psy.D.; Seana Shaw, M.D.; Saul Schanberg, M.D., Ph.D.; Cynthia Kuhn, Ph.D. Originally published in Eating Disorders: The Journal of Treatment and Prevention, 2001, Vol. 9, pp. 217-228

Subjects susceptible to motion sickness reported significantly fewer symptoms when wearing Acuband, a commercially available acupressure band, during a recent research study.

“Acupressure relieves the symptoms of motion sickness and reduces abnormal gastric activity,” was conducted by Robert M. Stern, Ph.D., a professor of psychology and head of the gastrointestinal psychology laboratory at Pennsylvania State University, along with students Michael D. Jokerst, Eric R. Muth and Chris Hollis. The study was published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine.

Twenty-five subjects, ages 18 to 22, were prescreened for susceptibility to motion sickness and randomly assigned to one of six possible orders in which they would be tested: once with Acuband on the wrist, once with Acuband on the arm and once with no Acuband at all. Each of the three sessions occurred at least one week apart.

Subjects were tested in a rotating optokinetic drum with black and white stripes covering the inner surface. Each subject sat on a stool inside the drum, with his or her chin on a chinrest. A camera was mounted inside the drum to make sure the subject’s eyes were open and looking straight ahead at the stripes. For the first eight minutes, the drum remained stationary while baseline data were recorded. The drum was then rotated at 10 revolutions per minute for 16 minutes, or until the subject requested that it be stopped.

At the start of each session, electrodes were attached to the subject’s skin over the stomach to record the level of gastric tachyarrhythmia, an abnormal gastric activity often associated with nausea. A strain gauge was placed around each subject’s chest to measure respiration, and subjects were asked to describe any motion sickness symptoms over an intercom every two minutes.
Before an Acuband-wrist session, the Acuband was placed between the two tendons on the wrist and three finger widths up from the wrist crease. Before an Acuband-arm session, the Acuband was positioned three finger widths down from the elbow crease on the top side of the forearm. Subjects were told to apply circular pressure on the button of the Acuband as soon as they began to experience any symptoms of motion sickness.

Eighteen of the 25 subjects (72 percent) reported fewer symptoms of motion sickness with Acuband on the wrist, as compared with no Acuband. Sixteen of the 25 subjects (64 percent) reported fewer symptoms of with Acuband on the forearm, as well.

The results of this study, according to its authors, “indicate that an Acuband worn on the wrist and on the forearm relieves the symptoms of motion sickness and reduces gastric tachyarrhythmia, the abnormal electrical activity of the stomach that is a reliable physiological marker of motion sickness.”

- Source: Pennsylvania State University Gastrointestinal Psychology Laboratory. Authors: Robert M. Stern, Ph.D.; Michael D. Jokerst, MS; Eric R. Muth, Ph.D.; Chris Hollis. Originally published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, 2001, Vol. 7, pp. 91-94.

Following a month of daily massage therapy, administered by parents, the white blood cell and neutrophil counts of children with leukemia increased significantly, according to a recent study. The research also revealed decreased anxiety and lower levels of depression in both the children and their parents.

“Leukemia immune changes following massage therapy” was conducted by researchers at the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, in conjunction with staff at Hollywood Memorial Regional Hospital. It was originally published in October 2001 in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.

Twenty children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were randomly assigned to either receive massage therapy or remain in a standard-treatment control group. Throughout the one-month study, each child continued to receive standard care for leukemia.

On the first day of the research, parents in the massage-therapy group were trained to massage their children under the guidance of massage therapists. Beginning with the child in the supine position, parents were instructed to start by stroking the face, followed by the stomach, legs and arms. With the child in the prone position, parents were taught to massage the back; rub and knead the shoulders; and stroke along the back, as well as from the crown to the feet.

The parents were told to massage their children at bedtime for 15 minutes every day for one month. They were also told that the massage was expected to aid in relaxation and the reduction of anxiety and depression.

Parents in the control group completed questionnaires on the first and last days of the research, and they were given the option of learning the massage at the end of the one-month study.
Pre- and post-session assessments were made before and after the massage therapy and control sessions on the first day of research, to evaluate immediate effects. The State/Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) was used to measure the mood of the parents, who rated items such as “I feel nervous” and “I feel calm” on a scale that ranged from “not at all” to “very much so.”

The Profile of Mood States (POMS) was used to evaluate both the parents and children. It consists of 20 adjectives, such as “blue,” “sad” and “miserable,” which are rated on a five-point scale, from “not at all” to “extremely.” The State Anxiety Inventory for Children was also administered.

Long-term effects were measured on the first and last days of the study. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a 20-item scale that rates symptoms of depression throughout the past week on a four-point scale, from “rarely or none of the time” to “most or all of the time,” was used to rate the parents’ depression.

A complete blood count, which measures white blood cell and neutrophil counts, along with hemoglobin, was recorded from each child’s medical chart on the first and last days of the study.

On the first day of the study, following the massage session, parents in the massage-therapy group had lower anxiety and depressed mood levels than parents in the control group. Children in the massage-therapy group had lower anxiety and depression levels after the first massage, as well.

From the first to the last day of the study, the depression level of the massage-therapy group parents decreased, and their children’s white blood cell and neutrophil counts increased significantly.

According to the authors of this study, “The increased white blood count and neutrophil count following massage therapy suggests the usefulness of this therapy for maintaining optimal immune function over the course of cancer treatment.”

- Source: The Touch Research Institute. Authors: Tiffany Field, Christy Cullen, Miguel Diego, Maria Hernandez-Reif, Phillippa Sprinz, Kristen Beebe, Bonnie Kissell, Vivian Bango-Sanchez. Originally published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, 2001, Vol. 5, pp. 271-274.

Perineal massage in the second stage of labor showed a trend toward fewer third-degree tears of the perineum, shorter length of labor and a general lack of harm, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal.

“Perineal massage in labour and prevention of perineal trauma” was conducted by Georgina Stamp of the Centre for Research into Nursing and Health Care, at the University of South Australia; Gillian Kruzins of the North Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital; and Caroline Crowther of the University of Adelaide Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The study involved 1,340 women, at 36 weeks’ gestation, who expected the normal birth of a single baby. The women were randomly assigned to either the perineal-massage group or the control group.

Women in the massage group received massage and stretching of the perineum with each contraction during the second stage of labor. With two fingers inside the vagina, the midwife would use a sweeping motion and water-soluble lubricating jelly to gently stretch the perineum. For women in the control group, midwives used their normal techniques but did not employ perineal massage.

Degree of perineal trauma was the main outcome measured by the researchers. Standard definitions of such trauma were used: An intact perineum is one that does not require suturing; a first-degree tear involves the skin of the perineum and vaginal mucosa; a second-degree tear involves deeper layers of perineal muscle; a third-degree tear involves the anus; and a fourth-degree tear involves the anus and rectal mucosa.

Secondary measurements were pain at three days, 10 days and three months postpartum; resumption of sexual intercourse; and urinary and faecal urgency. Additional details of labor and infant outcomes were collected and compared, as well.
“There was a trend toward reduced risk for the rarer outcome of a third degree tear in the perineal massage group,” state the study’s authors. “The only fourth degree tear was sustained by a woman in the control group.”

There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of intact perineums, first- and second-degree tears, or the secondary outcomes.

“Although perineal massage in labor did not increase the likelihood of an intact perineum, our trial does provide good evidence of lack of harm that in itself may be of value,” state the authors.

The trial also provided evidence that perineal massage may reduce the amount of time a woman is in labor. “Although difference between groups in the length of the second stage was not a hypothesis,” wrote the authors, “the mean length of the second stage for nulliparous women [those who have not previously born children] in the massage group was 11 minutes shorter than the control group.”

- Source: Centre for Research into Nursing and Health Care. Authors: Georgina Stamp, Gillian Kruzins, Caroline Crowther. Originally published in the British Medical Journal, Vol. 322, pp. 1,277-1,280.

Senior citizens who participated in four movement-therapy sessions showed improved balance and gait, increased leg strength, and significantly decreased leg pain, according to a recent research study.

“Senior citizens benefit from movement therapy” was conducted by Kristen Hartshorn, Jesse Delage, Tiffany Field, Ph.D., and Loren Olds of the University of Miami School of Medicine. Field is the director of the university’s Touch Research Institute. The study was published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies.

Thirty-two subjects with an average age of 86 were recruited for the study from two retirement communities and randomly assigned to either a movement-therapy group or a wait-list control group.

The movement-therapy group attended four 50-minute sessions throughout a two-week time period. Each session began with a warm-up, during which subjects typically sat in a circle and focused on breathing; raised their arms and legs; and rolled their necks. Self-massage was also performed.

After the warm-up, participants engaged in large, whole-body movements, such as swaying, pushing, stamping, twisting, turning, stepping and swinging.

This was followed by resting and sharing, when participants took a break to notice any changes in themselves, such as increased heart rate or expanded respiration.
The last portion of the movement therapy was most intensive, as subjects were encouraged to fully explore the dynamics of a movement, such as the feeling of rocking or swaying. At times they worked in pairs, mirroring each other, or used props to take the movement further. Breathwork, progressive relaxation of the entire body, imagery and visualization were also used.

Range-of-motion data and self-reports were collected from subjects in both the movement-therapy and the control group on the first and last days of the study.

Overall body pain, back pain and leg pain were rated on visual analogue scales (VITAS) ranging from 0/no pain, to 10/worst possible pain. Leg strength was rated on a 10-point scale, from very weak to very strong.

The Tinetti balance and gait evaluation was used to measure subjects’ range of motion. Each item was rated from 0-2, and a higher total score was considered optimal. The balance evaluation included items such as sitting balance, arising, standing balance, turning 360 degrees and sitting down. The gait evaluation included items such as step length and height, step continuity, step symmetry and walking stance.

“Although there were trends in the reduction of back pain, only the leg pain significantly decreased over the course of the study,” state the study’s authors.

Results showed that those who participated in the movement therapy improved in their functional motion on the Tinetti scale, specifically in terms of gait. Leg strength increased, and leg pain was decreased significantly. The change in the means for overall pain and back pain were in a positive direction, but not significant.

“The combined effects of the movement therapy on leg strength, gait, and reduction of leg pain suggest that this may be an effective therapy for these problems in the elderly,” state the study’s authors. “The freer movements and lesser degree of structure and concentration required of the elderly make this a more enjoyable kind of movement therapy than the more frequently studied Tai Chi.”

- Source: University of Miami School of Medicine. Authors: Kristen Hartshorn, Jesse Delage, Tiffany Field, Loren Olds. Originally published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, January 2002, pp. 55-58.

Adults with subacute low-back pain reported improved function, less intense pain and a decrease in the quality of pain and anxiety after six sessions of massage therapy and remedial exercise, according to a research study.

“Effectiveness of massage therapy for subacute low-back pain” was conducted by Michele Preyde, a Ph.D. student in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Toronto and a member of the College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. It was originally published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Ninety-eight subjects with an average age of 46 participated in the study. Each subject complained of subacute low-back pain lasting anywhere from one week to eight months, and 60 percent of the participants said their pain lasted longer than three months.

Subjects were randomly assigned to one of four groups: comprehensive massage therapy, which included soft-tissue manipulation, remedial exercise and posture education; soft-tissue manipulation only; remedial exercise and posture education only; or a placebo of sham laser therapy. Each participant received six treatments in one month.

Members of the comprehensive massage-therapy group received half-hour massages aimed at promoting circulation and relaxation of spasm or tension, through techniques such as friction, trigger-point and neuromuscular therapy. This group’s members were also taught to perform stretches for the trunk, hips and thighs, including flexion and modified extension in a pain-free range. Each stretch, held for about 30 seconds, was performed twice per session for related areas and more often for affected areas. The comprehensive massage-therapy group was also encouraged to exercise for general mobility and overall fitness, through walking, swimming, aerobics or another sport. They also received a brief education on posture and body mechanics at work and in day-to-day activities.

Participants placed in the soft-tissue manipulation group received the same massage as those in the comprehensive massage-therapy group, but no additional treatments. Subjects in the remedial exercise group underwent the same exercise and education components as the comprehensive massage-therapy group, but did not receive massage. The control group was given sham low-level, infrared laser therapy with a laser that appeared to work but did not.
Subjects’ functionality, pain, anxiety and lumbar range of motion were evaluated before the first session, after the last session and a month after treatment had ended.

The Roland Disability Questionnaire was used to assess participants’ level of functionality when performing daily tasks. The McGill Pain Questionnaire measured intensity of pain and quality of pain. Lumbar range of motion was evaluated with the Modified Schober test, and the State Anxiety Index measured subjects’ present levels of anxiety.

“Soft-tissue manipulations were shown to have considerable benefit, and the addition of remedial exercise and posture education was shown to improve the clinical results moderately,” states the study’s author. “Comprehensive massage therapy seemed to have the greatest impact on pain scores but was only marginally better than soft-tissue manipulation alone for improving function.”

All subjects in the comprehensive massage-therapy group reported levels of pain decreased in intensity from the study’s start to finish, an outcome that did not occur for any other group. At the end of treatment, and at follow-up, the comprehensive massage-therapy group had significantly lower levels of anxiety than the control group, whereas no other group did.

One month after the treatment had ended, 63 percent of the comprehensive massage-therapy group reported no pain, as compared with 27 percent of the soft-tissue manipulation group, 14 percent of the exercise group and none of the control group.

“Both the comprehensive massage therapy group and the soft-tissue manipulation group showed clinical significance for the improvement of function,” states the study’s author. “Massage therapy that is based on physiology and emphasizes the soft-tissue manipulation component of treatment was found to be effective in the nonpharmacological management of subacute low-back pain.”

- Source: College of Massage Therapists of Ontario. Author: Michele Preyde. Originally published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, 2000, Vol. 162, pp. 1,815-1,820.

Massage benefits people with spinal-cord injuries by increasing their range of motion and muscle strength while decreasing anxiety and depression, according to a recent study.

“Spinal Cord Patients Benefit from Massage Therapy” was conducted by Miguel Diego, Tiffany Field, Ph.D., Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., Sybil Hart, Ph.D., and Tory Field, of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School of Medicine, along with Bernard Brucker of the university’s psychiatry department and Iris Burman, co-founder and director of Educating Hands School of Massage in Miami, Florida.

Fifteen males and five females participated in the study. Their average age was 39 and each had C5-C7 spinal cord injuries for at least one year. The subjects were stratified by range of motion and randomly assigned to either a massage-therapy or exercise group.

The massage-therapy group received two 40-minute massages per week for five weeks. The exercise group was taught an exercise routine that they performed on their own twice a week for five weeks.

On the first and last days of the study, a physiotherapist with no knowledge of group assignment assessed participants’ range of motion and muscle strength, and administered the Modified Barthel Index, which rates self-care and mobility skills.
The massage group showed a greater increase in muscle strength than the exercise group on the Manual Muscle Test, designed to assess motor function after spinal-cord injury.

Range-of-motion tests revealed that both groups improved in shoulder abduction, but the massage group showed greater improvement in wrist extension and flexion.

The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale was completed on the first and last days of the study, and the State Anxiety Inventory was used to assess participants’ anxiety immediately before and after massage on the first and last days of the study.

Members of the massage group showed a greater decrease in depression scores on the last day of the research. They also had significantly lower levels of anxiety than subjects in the exercise group immediately following massage on the first and last days of the study.

“The increased muscle strength and range of motion may have contributed to the decrease in their depression and anxiety,” state the study’s authors. “These data suggest that patients with spinal cord injury can benefit from massage therapy.”

The authors recommended future studies to assess massage therapy for other problems related to spinal-cord injury, such as spasticity and pain.

- Source: The Touch Research Institute. Authors: Miguel A. Diego, Tiffany Field, Ph.D., Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., Sybil Hart, Ph.D. Originally published in the International Journal of Neuroscience, 2002, Vol. 112, pp. 133-142.

After receiving massage twice weekly for five weeks, fibromyalgia patients experienced improved mood and sleep, and their levels of substance P, a neurotransmitter in the pain fiber system, decreased, along with the number of tender spots throughout their bodies, according to recent research.

The study, “Fibromyalgia Pain and Substance P Decrease and Sleep Improves After Massage Therapy,” was conducted by Tiffany Field, Ph.D., Miguel Diego, Christy Cullen, Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., William Sunshine and Steven Douglas of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami.

According to the American College of Rheumatology, fibromyalgia is defined as “widespread chronic musculoskeletal pain of unknown cause and multiple tender points.” Levels of substance P are significantly higher in people with fibromyalgia. Twenty-four adults with this condition were randomly assigned to either a massage-therapy or relaxation group.

Subjects in the massage group received 30-minute massages twice a week for five weeks. The sessions combined several types of bodywork, such as Swedish massage, shiatsu and Trager® work. The routine consisted of moderate pressure and stroking of the head, neck, shoulders, back, arms, hands, legs and feet.

Participants in the relaxation-therapy group met for a half-hour twice weekly for five weeks and were given instructions on progressive muscle relaxation while lying quietly on the massage table.
The State Trait Anxiety Inventory was used before and after sessions on the first and last days of the study to measure how subjects felt at that time.

Both the massage and the relaxation group showed a decrease in anxiety and depressed mood immediately after sessions on the first and last days of this study.

More long-term effects were also evaluated. The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale was used to measure depressive symptoms. Subjects wore a motion recorder at night to record activity during sleep and kept a log of the time they went to bed and awoke. A physician assessed participants’ illness, medication use, tender points and pain; and saliva samples were taken before the first and last sessions to measure levels of substance P.

The results revealed that, over the course of the study, the massage group, as compared with the relaxation group, experienced decreased depression; improved sleep; decreased pain, fatigue and stiffness; improved physician assessments; decreased tender points; and a reduced level of substance P.

According to the study’s authors, these findings “highlight the clinical significance of using massage therapy as a complementary treatment.”

- Source: Touch Research Institute. Authors: Tiffany Field, Ph.D., Miguel Diego, Christy Cullen, Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., William Sunshine and Steven Douglas. Originally published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, April 2002, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 72-76.

At a New York cardiology center, massage therapists were able to incorporate a 10-minute massage in the time period between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and cardiac catheterization, according to recent research.

The study, “Massage Therapy for Patients Undergoing Cardiac Catheterization,” was conducted by Heather Okvat, Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., Windsor Ting, M.D., and Pearila Namerow, Ph.D., at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Besides evaluating the feasibility of massage before cardiac catheterization, researchers also evaluated whether massage reduced anxiety before, during and after the procedure; however, they discovered no such improvements.

Seventy-eight subjects, 59 men and 19 women with an average age of 60, participated in the study. Each person in the massage group received four minutes of massage on the right side of the body, followed by four minutes of massage on the left side of the body and one minute of scalp massage. Subjects in the control group spent 10 minutes of quiet time with a massage therapist.

“Of particular note was the physicians’ willingness to allow patients to enter the study (12 of 12 physicians agreed), physicians’ and nurses’ compliance in integrating study procedures into normal catheterization laboratory routines, and nurses’ voluntary allocations of time to assist with data collection and interpretation,” state the study’s authors.
Anxiety, pain, blood pressure, heart rate and respiration rate were measured before the massage or quiet time, after the massage or quiet time, during catheterization and after catheterization.

There was no significant difference between the massage group and the control group in terms of the physiological outcomes or self-reported levels of pain and anxiety.

Researchers cited several weaknesses of the study, which may have contributed to the lack of improvement among massage-group participants: failure to approach patients about the study prior to their arrival at the hospital; interruptions from medical staff; a high noise level; standardized massage; and a short session time.

The results, state the study’s authors, “support the need for studies on a larger scale that would determine whether longer, more frequent, or more individualized massage therapy treatments would be beneficial in reducing anxiety and physical discomfort during cardiac catheterization.”

In terms of feasibility, however, the researchers were able to confirm that massage before cardiac catheterization is possible and that patients are interested in receiving massage therapy. Written, informed consent to participate was given by 70.4 percent of patients approached.

The study also established that “medical staff are supportive of the use of this complementary therapy in the acute care setting of the catheterization laboratory,” state the study’s authors. “Staff support was evaluated informally through their verbal comments and the research coordinator’s observations of behavior.”

- Source: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the Department of Surgery of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. Authors: Heather A. Okvat, Mehmet C. Oz, M.D., Windsor Ting, M.D., and Pearila B. Namerow, Ph.D. Originally published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, May/June 2002, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp. 68-75.

During and after five weeks of tai chi lessons, adolescents with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) showed less anxiety, daydreaming, inappropriate emotions and hyperactivity, according to a study by the Touch Research Institute (TRI).

“Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: benefits from Tai Chi” was conducted by Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., Tiffany Field, Ph.D., and Eric Thimas.

ADHD, often treated by drugs such as Ritalin, is characterized by inattention, impulsivity and hyperactivity. A 1998 TRI study showed that massage was effective in increasing focus, improving mood, reducing fidgeting and lowering hyperactivity in adolescents with ADHD. This study examined whether tai chi, the Chinese martial art of slow-moving, meditative exercise, would have similar effects.

Thirteen adolescents with an average age of 14-and-a-half years and a diagnosis of ADHD participated in the study. They were taught tai chi postures for 30 minutes, twice a week for five weeks.
Sessions consisted of breathing exercises accompanied by slow raising and lowering of the arms, twisting and turning of the arms and legs, shifting body weight, rotating and changing direction.

The Conners Teacher Rating Scale was used by the subjects’ teachers to evaluate their behavior prior to the tai chi classes, during the classes and two weeks after the classes ended. The 28-item scale rates overall hyperactivity, as well as subcategories of anxiety, asocial behavior, conduct, dreaming and emotion.

Results of the study showed that the adolescents’ teachers perceived them as less anxious, emotional and hyperactive. These improved scores remained consistent throughout the two-week follow-up period, without tai chi.

“The results of this study and our earlier massage therapy study provide encouraging support for two alternative therapies for treating adolescents with ADHD,” state the study’s authors.

“In addition to little or no side effects, especially appealing are the documented effects of Tai Chi and massage therapy for reducing anxiety and hyperactivity, the major and most difficult symptoms to manage in children with ADHD.”

- Source: Touch Research Institute. Authors: Maria Hernandez-Reif, Ph.D., Tiffany Field, Ph.D., and Eric Thimas. Originally published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies, April 2001, Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 120-123.