Conclusion. Based on the evidence, massage therapy, compared to no treatment, should be strongly recommended as a pain management option. Massage therapy is weakly recommended for reducing pain, compared to other sham or active comparators, and improving mood and health-related quality of life, compared to other active comparators. Massage therapy safety, research challenges, how to address identified research gaps, and necessary next steps for implementing massage therapy as a viable pain management option are discussed.

http://painmedicine.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/05/06/pm.pnw099

Nice podcast on foam rolling mechanisms –

Bottom-line is that foam rolling can possibly acutely increase range of motion, but not in the long-term.  The mechanisms are most likely neurophysiological, i.e. not mechanical (not breaking down fascial adhesions, not breaking down scar tissue).  May be helpful for recovery post-workout.

http://www.irakinutrition.com/blog/podcast-with-andrew-vigotsky/

“Most patients and therapists never suspect that trigger points are a significant injury complication because they don’t think that trigger points (if they know about them at all) can possibly be as bad as the injury pain. I have come to the point where I believe that you should simply never underestimate a trigger point. They can absolutely produce pain that is both nastier and longer-lived than the pain of an injury.” – Paul Ingraham, PainScience.com

Jason Silvernail speaking eloquently as to the changing way in which we understand pain.

Paul Ingraham of PainScience: “A routine misconception about muscle pain is that it is caused by “inflammation,” and the term is often used almost interchangeably with pain, as though anything that hurts is, by definition, inflamed. In fact, by the correct definition, all inflammation is painful, but not all pain involves inflammation. In particular, muscular trigger points are one of the most common of all painful experiences, and are assumed to be inflammatory and subject to the effect of anti-inflammatory medications … and yet they are not inflamed, or not much, and anti-inflammatory medications are not likely to have much effect on most muscle pain.”

CONCLUSIONS:

Although a minority of older US adults met ST recommendations, guideline-concordant ST is significantly associated with decreased overall mortality. All-cause mortality may be significantly reduced through the identification of and engagement in guideline-concordant ST interventions by older adults.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26921660

An alternative and plausible explanation for why patients “feel” that they have imbalances within their pelvic girdle.

New research suggesting that strength training reduces the risk of all-cause mortality.

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/lifting-weights-helps-you-live-longer

A very good analysis on the state of probiotic knowledge by a gastroenterologist:

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2016/03/gastroenterologist-shares-practical-advice-probiotics.html

Assessment of a patient is important, but it has the potential of being noceibic whereby a patient will begin to believe that there is something structurally wrong with them that is causing their pain, which often is not the case.  This may actually increase their pain levels.

Assessments should help patients transition from thinking that they are “broken” to understanding that they are improving.