Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice

Trust this approachable text to help you master essential massage therapy principles! A user-friendly, all-in-one resource, Massage Therapy: Principles and Practice, 8th Edition, provides expert coverage of massage fundamentals, techniques, anatomy, physiology, and pathology. This edition emphasizes cultural humility, trauma-informed care, clinical safety, and inclusive practices. Updated protocols and clinical focus — plus interactive kinesiology palpation activities; expanded content on pain management, lymphedema, and dialysis; and detailed side-effect and adverse-event guidance — are paired with more than 700 images and thought-provoking questions to help you succeed in class, on licensing exams, and in real-world practice. - Comprehensive, all-in-one coverage combines massage techniques, anatomy, physiology, pathology, kinesiology, ethics, and business practices in a single, in-depth, industry-standard resource backed by more than 40 years of professional insight
- 550+ high-quality images and expert anatomical drawings visually clarify key concepts
- End-of-chapter case studies and review questions bridge theory and practice to foster essential critical thinking and clinical reasoning skills
- Interactive practice tests on the Evolve companion website help reinforce comprehension and streamline exam preparation for both licensing and board certification
- Updated, evidence-informed protocols and practices throughout promote research literacy
- Massage modifications address the special needs of various populations, including prenatal clients, minor children, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities or impairments
- NEW! “Cultural humility” approach combines competence with empathy and includes additional biographies featuring Indigenous massage pioneers
- NEW! Applied kinesiology palpation activities for skeletal muscles and bony markings support assessment and technique application
- EXPANDED! Clinical focus offers updated coverage of trauma-informed care, lymphedema, dialysis, and pain management with revised pain scales and clinically relevant measurement scores
- UPDATED! Expanded coverage includes information on neuroendocrine effects, HPA axis, and heart rate variability
- EXPANDED! Safety precautions content provides detailed analyses of side effects and adverse events with case reports
- UPDATED! Professional wellness information focuses on actionable self-care recommendations with illustrations and clinical photos to enhance understanding