Massage Options for Cancer Survivors

December 2, 2009

The New York Times highlighted personal massage devices that can serve as a more cost-effective way to simulate receiving a massage from a massage therapist. In a recent report from the American Cancer Society’s Studies of Cancer Survivors called A Population-based Study of Prevalence of Complementary Methods Use by Cancer Survivors, we know that only an estimated 11% of survivors use massage therapy, yet many studies have shown that massage can be used to effectively decrease pain symptoms and relax cancer survivors. We all know that massages can be very expensive, so it is a natural conclusion that while many survivors may want a massage, regular massage therapy may not be economically feasible. One solution this problem was presented in the New York Times article – foam rollers. Foam rollers are large cylinders of foam, which one might lay upon move one’s body back and forth to apply pressure to various spots. You can view this YouTube video to get a good sense of what a foam roller is and how it is used (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lLw81kGeXg). This technique of self-massage is a good option for cancer survivors who want the benefits of massage without excessive cost or time investment!