By Nancy Dickenson

Healing by touch is as old as mankind. The desire to “rub out” the pain seems instinctive.

Both research and clinical practice have shown that therapeutic massage has real benefits: It can increase circulation, stimulate the immune system, reduce tension, release emotion, facilitate relaxation and speed healing time.

“Tappan’s Handbook of Healing Massage Techniques: Classic, Holistic, and Emerging Methods,” by Frances M. Tappan and Patricia J. Benjamin (Appleton & Lange, 1998) is the standard in massage training. Tappan, former associate dean for the School of Allied Health Professions at the University of Connecticut, has studied and practiced physical therapy using massage for more than 50 years.

In addition to providing an overview of massage therapy applications, the book describes specific techniques used in both Western and Eastern traditions. Specifics of massage modalities, such as Swedish and shiatsu, along with manual lymph drainage, acupuncture, reflexology and polarity therapy are discussed. Pictures illustrate both anatomy and technique.

Another book, “Basic Clinical Massage Therapy: Integrating Anatomy and Treatment,” by James Clay and David Pounds, features an outstanding array of color photographs and illustrations. The description of technique and visual instruction is much more specific than in Tappan’s book. Clay and Pounds attempt to link textbook anatomy with actual practice. Readers see what a living human body looks like on a massage table, next to a picture showing the bones and muscles involved.

“Structural Bodywork: An Introduction for Students and Practitioners,” by John Smith, takes a different and more controversial tack, focusing on a somatic approach, the holistic intersection of mind and body. This field of work began with “Rolfing,” the concepts and practices pioneered by Ida Rolf and the Feldenkrais movement in the 1960s. Structural bodywork aims to alleviate structural and postural imbalances, focusing on the functional limitations they cause.

The book presents both the philosophy and concepts involved in structural bodywork and then describes those theories in relation to anatomy and clinical practice. The final, and largest, section is a practical manual that explains structural bodywork techniques.

All three books are available for borrowing from the Stanford Health Library. Call the Health Library at 725-8400 or e-mail healthlibrary@stanfordmed.org.

Nancy Dickenson is the manager of library services for Stanford Health Library. She can be reached at 736-1713.