A practitioner’s summary of Palamoutsi & Liberati (2026), “Reclaiming the Hijacked Insula,” Journal of NeuropsychologyWhy this matters for your practice Chronic pain affects somewhere between a fifth and nearly half of adults, depending on the region. Medication often gives only partial relief and carries real risks. Many therapists already use touch-based work intuitively. This review
Clients with cervical dystonia often turn to bodywork for relief from tight, overworked neck and shoulder muscles. A new trial from the University of Florida adds an important piece to the picture. It suggests that structured strength training does more than build muscle: it appears to change how the brain plans and prepares movement. What
A practitioner summary for bodywork therapists Many clients arrive after a long day of meetings, study or screen time and ask for something to help them “switch off”. A pilot study published in Frontiers in Physiology in September 2026 looked at what happens in the body when a classical back massage follows a period of
Most nutrients enter the bloodstream directly. Fats and fat-soluble vitamins take a different route, through specialised lymphatic vessels called lacteals. The initial lymphatics sit in loose connective tissue. They drain interstitial fluid, immune cells and cellular debris back towards the lymph nodes and the circulation. This keeps fluid in balance, prevents oedema and supports immune
Exercise is no longer viewed simply as a lifestyle recommendation for people living with and beyond cancer. It is increasingly recognised as a therapeutic intervention that can improve function, reduce treatment-related symptoms and, in some settings, influence important clinical outcomes. Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, surgery, targeted therapies and immunotherapy can produce a wide
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is familiar territory for physiotherapists, massage therapists and other musculoskeletal practitioners. Patients present with taut bands, trigger points, local or referred pain, stiffness and restricted movement. Yet a common clinical puzzle remains: why do some patients improve quickly with local treatment, while others experience recurrent pain, stress-related flares, poor sleep and
Low back pain remains one of the world’s leading causes of disability, yet in most patients a clear structural cause cannot be identified. This has encouraged researchers to look beyond the vertebrae and intervertebral discs toward other tissues that may contribute to pain and altered movement. One structure receiving increasing attention is the thoracolumbar fascia
Low back pain (LBP) is one of the most common problems encountered by physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, massage therapists and other musculoskeletal practitioners. At any given time, around 18% of adults experience LBP, and almost one-third report an episode within a month. Globally, it remains the leading cause of disability and is projected to affect approximately
Fibromyalgia has long been difficult to explain. Patients experience widespread pain, fatigue, poor sleep, cognitive difficulties and heightened sensitivity, often without tissue damage that seems sufficient to account for the severity of their symptoms. Some called it lack of “biological essence”. A major genetic study involving more than 2.5 million people from the US and
Fascia has become one of the most discussed tissues in manual therapy, movement therapy and rehabilitation. It is commonly described as a continuous network connecting muscles, organs, nerves and other structures throughout the body. Yet anatomists and fascia researchers still disagree about a surprisingly basic question: what exactly should be called fascia? Two recent papers