Frost-Hunt Amy
Massage Therapy Program, MacEwan University, Edmonton, AB.
Int J Ther Massage Bodywork. 2020 Dec 1;13(4):35-41. eCollection 2020 Dec.
Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is characterized by degeneration of the myelin sheath of an axon resulting in decreased transmission of nerve impulses. It is an autoimmune disease with periods of exacerbation and remission. Types of MS include relapsing-remitting, acute progressive, chronic progressive attack-remitting, and benign. Symptoms vary from patient to patient. Common symptoms include fatigue, spasticity, swelling, and altered gait. MS is commonly treated with medications that help relieve symptoms and prolong disease progression. Massage Therapy (MT), specifically Swedish techniques, have been effective in treating MS.
To examine the effects of MT on mobility, fatigue, and edema in a patient with MS.
An MT student from MacEwan University's 2,200-hour Massage Therapy program administered five MT treatments over a six-week period to a 58-year-old female diagnosed with MS 11 years earlier. She presented with symptoms of decreased mobility, fatigue, and left ankle edema. Assessment included active and passive range of motion (ROM), myotomes, dermatomes, reflexes, and orthopedic tests. Goals for the treatment sessions were to increase mobility, decrease fatigue, and decrease edema. Assessment measures included the Timed-Up-and-Go (TUG) test for mobility, the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS) to measure fatigue, and Figure-8 ankle measurement to measure edema. Techniques used included Swedish massage, passive ROM, manual lymphatic drainage (MLD), and home-care exercises.
Little change was noted in mobility. The patient's fatigue level and left ankle edema decreased.
The results suggest that MT is effective in reducing fatigue and edema in a patient with MS. Future studies are needed to evaluate the correlation between mobility and massage.
多发性硬化症（MS）的特征是轴突髓鞘变性，导致神经冲动传递减少。它是一种具有加重期和缓解期的自身免疫性疾病。MS的类型包括复发缓解型、急性进展型、慢性进展发作缓解型和良性型。症状因患者而异。常见症状包括疲劳、痉挛、肿胀和步态改变。MS通常用有助于缓解症状和延缓疾病进展的药物治疗。按摩疗法（MT），特别是瑞典式手法，已被证明对治疗MS有效。
研究MT对一名MS患者的活动能力、疲劳和水肿的影响。
一名来自麦克艾文大学2200小时按摩疗法项目的MT学生，在六周内对一名11年前被诊断为MS的58岁女性进行了五次MT治疗。她表现出活动能力下降、疲劳和左脚踝水肿的症状。评估包括主动和被动活动范围（ROM）、肌节、皮节、反射和骨科检查。治疗目标是提高活动能力、减轻疲劳和减轻水肿。评估指标包括用于评估活动能力的计时起立行走（TUG）测试、用于测量疲劳的改良疲劳影响量表（MFIS）和用于测量水肿的8字形脚踝测量。使用的技术包括瑞典式按摩、被动ROM、手动淋巴引流（MLD）和家庭护理锻炼。
活动能力变化不大。患者的疲劳水平和左脚踝水肿有所减轻。
结果表明，MT对减轻MS患者的疲劳和水肿有效。未来需要进一步研究评估活动能力与按摩之间的相关性。
