Blind and partially sighted physiotherapy in the United Kingdom. A century of development, success and challenge. Will it still belong?

Background:In 2019 the Association of Visually Impaired Chartered Physiotherapists, originally the Association of Blind Certificated Masseurs, celebrated the centenary of its formation and becoming the first ever Specific Interest Group admitted to the Incorporated Society of Trained Masseuses which, later in the 20th century, became the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy. These landmarks motivated the author to research for this chronological, descriptive, narrative review of the history of blind physiotherapy and its contribution to physiotherapy in the United Kingdom. Purpose:The early training and practice of massage by blind practitioners, the organizational milestones in mainstream and blind physiotherapy and the inter-relationship between the two is considered. Key developments, challenges, innovations and opportunities throughout the history are reviewed including the impact of World War 1 and contribution of blind physiotherapy to the profession. Conclusion:Significant changes in physiotherapy educational and training arrangements for blind students and changes in physiotherapy practice generally over the last four decades engender serious questions about whether blind physiotherapy will still "belong", despite the increasing aspiration within society toward acceptance of diversity and inclusion. The author challenges the profession about whether it will facilitate blind physiotherapy to continue making its valuable contribution and be included. Will it still "belong?"

The role of neurasthenia in the formation of the physiotherapy profession.

Background: Neurasthenia was one of the most commonly diagnosed disorders in the later years of the 19th century. Its most widely used treatment, known as the Rest Cure, relied heavily on physical therapies, but little is known about the practitioners who administered the treatment. In this paper, I argue that the nurse-masseuses who delivered the massage and electricity so vital to the success of the Rest Cure, used the opportunity to develop approaches to treatment that would form the backbone of the physiotherapy profession in England after 1894. Methods: Extensive primary and secondary texts were drawn from a wide range of sources and critically reviewed. Findings: This study argues that the management of neurasthenic cases in the 1880s and 90s created the conditions necessary for the development of the profession's relationship with medicine and the establishment of new practice roles for women, and that these would play an important role in shaping the physiotherapy profession in Britain after 1894. Read through the critical sociological writings of Magali Sarfatti Larson and Anne Witz, I argue that the work of the nurse-masseuses can be seen as a complex gendered negotiation between the need to be deferential to the dominant male medical profession; distinct from emerging notions of the angelic, motherly nurse; obedient, technically competent and safe. The creation of a space in the clinic room for a third practitioner who could deliver a different form of care to the doctor or the nurse, established an approach to practice that physiotherapists would later adopt almost without amendment. Discussion: I argue that this approach owes much to the work done by nurse-massueses who established and tested its principles in treating cases of neurasthenia.

The Massage Approach of Avicenna in the Canon of Medicine

Massage is the manipulation of the body tissues by using techniques, such as rubbing, kneading, pressing, and rolling to sustain a state of health and wellness. Massage is one of the oldest and most natural healing applications in human history. Avicenna (980 - 1037) gained a very important position in the medical world with his most important work, the Canon of Medicine, known as the holy book of medicine in the Western world. Different types of massage were defined in the book. These were hard friction that braces the body, soft friction that relaxes the body, repeated friction that reduces the amount of fat in the body, moderately hard friction that improves the body, rough friction that leads the blood to the surface rapidly, gentle friction that increases blood flow in the application area, preparatory friction that prepares the body before exercise, and restorative friction that is applied after exercise which alleviates exhaustion. It may be seen that Avicenna, whose work shows influnce of Greek and Roman physicians, was heavily influenced by Hippocrates and Galen. It is seen that the massage techniques and effect mechanisms defined by Avicenna about a thousand years ago have contributed a lot to the developments in massage through the historical process.

The Rise of Massage and Medical Gymnastics in London and Paris before the First World War.

Massage and medical gymnastics experienced a rapid institutionalization across Europe and North America between 1850 and 1914. This article explores how this process took place in London and Paris. Physiotherapy developed many of the hallmarks of an independent discipline during this period, including an identified corpus of manipulations and exercises, some autonomous training courses and degrees for future practitioners, and even the creation of departments within several hospitals. The article analyzes all of the processes surrounding this rise, paying special attention to the influence of the ambassadors of Swedish gymnastics (which led to the re-invention of massage across Europe), to the installation of physiotherapy in hospitals in London and in Paris, and to the practical and institutional innovations driven by nurses in England and by doctors in France.

[Comparison study of infantile tuina between LI Dexiu and LIU Kaiyun].

With esoterica of Infantile Tuina by LI Dexiu and Infantile Tuina Therapy of LIU Kaiyun, the differences and similarities of manipulations, acupoints and the principles of treatment were studied so as to provide theoretical evidence to popularize tuina of LI Dexiu and LIU Kaiyun.

[Transition of the blind acupuncture and massage industry and its impacts in Japan].

After being introduced to Japan, the Chinese acupuncture and massage therapy has changed a lot, in which the influence aroused by the blind practitioners cannot be ignored. Through analyzing the development and the transition of the blind acupuncture and massage industry in Japan, it is found that the tube needle technique, changeable acupoints concept, technical deviation and the importance on acupoints rather than meridians are still existed commonly today, which are introduced by the blind acupuncture and massage practitioners, the special group in Japan. In the process of development, the interaction with the governmental strategy has played the essential role in the consolidation of the above features.

Many Benefits, Little Risk: The Use of Massage in Nursing Practice.

Since ancient times, massage therapy has been used to promote healing by people of all backgrounds and cultures. Massage therapy was once taught as a core nursing skill, but it gradually lost ground in the United States during the second half of the 20th century with the increased use of technology and documentation in nursing. In recent years, however, there has been a resurgence in the use of massage therapy. Research has provided insight into the mechanisms by which massage supports the healing process, and this has sparked support for including massage therapy in routine hospital care. In this article, the authors touch on the history of massage in nursing care and discuss its emotional and physiologic benefits for both patient and nurse. They describe specific massage techniques and discuss precautions to consider before using massage with certain patients.

Ossicular calisthenics: Pneumomassage of the tympanic membrane.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Throughout the latter portion of the 19th and early 20th centuries, pneumomassage devices were widely used by otologists to treat a variety of ear diseases. The so-called eardrum massagers produced a regular, repetitive, oscillatory movement through modifying the air pressure in the ear canal. The goal of this study was to trace the invention, clinical use, technological diversification, abandonment, and ultimate resurrection of tympanic pneumomassage. METHOD: Review of the 19th- and early 20th-century medical journals, texts, and trade catalogs concerning the tympanic pneumomassage. RESULTS: In 1884, the Belgian otologist Charles Delstanche introduced what he called a rarefacteur, and 5 years later he introduced the masseur du tympan. This lead to a frenzied development of imaginative mechanical and electrical pneumassagers with a goal to exercise the tympanic membrane and ossicles to overcome contraction and rigidity. Tympanic pneumomassage rose to prominence in mainstream otology as a treatment for otitis media, chronic deafness, and tinnitus. After gradually fading out of the otological practice by the 1930s, pneumomassage was reintroduced in the 1980s after a half century of obscurity, this time as a novel invention notably for the treatment of Menière's disease. CONCLUSION: The golden era of pneumomassage illustrates the ingenuity of otologists and medical instrument makers in creating a proliferation of clever devices, as well as how highly touted treatment methods may become widely adopted by practitioners despite the lack of efficacy. It also noteworthy that historic therapeutic methods are sometimes reintroduced for purposes not envisioned by their original makers. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A. Laryngoscope, 126:1180-1186, 2016.

[Acupuncture and tuina clinical thoughts of "treating the back from abdomen" for low back pain].

In clinical treatment, it is found that certain patients always have some positive reaction points those are relevant with low back pain in the abdomen area. When the simple treatment on the low back is ineffective, the efficacy could be significantly improved if acupuncture or tuina is performed at the abdomen areas, which is called "regulating yin to treat yang", or "treating the back from abdomen". In this paper, with the diagnosis and treatment method of "treating the back from abdomen" for low back pain as principal line, the detailed manipulation is explained for low back pain that is induced by TCM meridian diseases or modern anatomy, which could open the methods for clinical treatment of low back pain and enrich the therapeutic options.

[Academic thoughts of "pushing meridians to treat viscera diseases" in LIU' s infantile tuina in Xiangxi area].

As one of the most important schools of Chinese infantile tuina, the main academic thoughts of LIU's infantile tuina in Xiangxi area ware "pushing the meridians". In clinical treatment; he focuses on zang-fu syndrome differentiation and meridians tropism treatment, and based on the generation-inhibition of five elements as well as the infantile physiological and pathological characteristics, the "pushing meridians to treat viscera diseases" was gradually developed, which has enriched the academic connotation and performed a better guide for clinical pediatric treatment.

[Ancient clinical application of massage therapy on navel].

To further explore the clinical effect of massage therapy on navel,the related ancient literatures were arranged and analyzed,and several methods in ancient clinical were introduced, including stroking navel, rubbing navel, pushing navel, tapping navel and puffing navel. In addition, the theoretical basis of massage therapy on navel were discussed. The results revealed ancient literatures offered abundant theoretical basis to modern clinical practice, and there were evidences of treating gastroenteric and gynecological diseases with this therapy. Comprehensively, through the study of ancient literatures and modern research, therapy of massage on navel is believed to be promising and will gain popularity in the future.

[Comparison of medical practices of 'massage' and 'gymnastics' - at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century (England, France, Germany, Switzerland)]. / Approche comparée des pratiques médicales de "massage" et de "gymnastique". A la fin du XIXème siècle et au début du XXème siècle (Angleterre, France, Allemagne, Suisse).

Massage and medical gymnastics are very ancient form of medical practices and knowledge, nevertheless they seem to focus a growing attention between 1860 and World War I in Europe. These practices know a quick institutionalization, and the physiotherapy or "kinesitherapy" emerge as a discipline with some more structured training course for students and future practitioners. In fact, the determinants of this development are numerous, specialization, professionalization, cultural transfer, and more broadly with geopolitical influences and nationalist feelings, influence of the Swedish gymnastics.

[Beginning of the institutionalization of physical therapy in a Swiss canton: 1928-1945]. / Débuts de l'institutionnalisation de la physiothérapie vaudoise: 1928-1945.

The institutionalization of physical therapy in Switzerland took place in the inter-war period. This article aims to relate the initiation of this process in the Canton of Vaud, as a specific example that will nevertheless be compared with the Swiss and international contexts. This story occurs around three major events between 1928 and 1945: the massage becomes a regulated profession, followed by the emergence of a professional association and a specialized school. The intention is first to identify the social actors, then the interests, issues, and interactions that have contributed to model the modern physical therapy. Finally, the techniques used by the masseurs--the first professional physical therapists--and their working environment are evoked.

Reconceptualizing John F. Kennedy's chronic low back pain.

When the medical records for John Fitzgerald Kennedy were made public, it became clear that the 35th President of the United States suffered greatly from a series of medical illnesses from the time he was a toddler until his assassination in November of 1963. Aside from having Addison disease, no condition seemed to cause him more distress than did his chronic low back pain. A number of surgical procedures to address the presumed structural cause of the pain resulted in little relief and increased disability. Later, a conservative program, including trigger point injections and exercises, provided modest benefit. Herein, the mechanisms underlying his pain are evaluated based on more contemporary pain research. This reconceptualizing of John Fitzgerald Kennedy's pain could serve as a model for other cases where the main cause of the pain is presumed to be located in the periphery.

A history of massage in nurse training school curricula (1860-1945).

INTRODUCTION: Guided by Florence Nightingale, massage nurse training instruction methods were duplicated in the U.S. nurse training curricula. In the 1880s to 1900s massage training and instruction was delivered by physicians, nurses, or masseurs for many disease conditions. In the 1930s to 1940s, influential nurse authors and educators began to recommend specialization in physiotherapy for nurses. Scientific and pharmacological solutions for symptoms of disease became popular, thus practicing basic nursing comfort measures using massage declined. PURPOSES: To trace roots of massage in the medical literature, the inclusion of massage in U.S. nurse training school curricula, and examine the historical shift from massage as a basic nursing comfort measure to a specialization of physiotherapy. METHOD: Primary text books by physicians, nurses, massage instructors; medical/nursing journals; nursing curriculum guidelines--archival collections of the Center for Historical Nursing Inquiry; Historical Collections at the University of Virginia Claude Moore Health Sciences Library; private historical collections; and secondary published books/ articles were used. FINDINGS: Prior to increase in scientific care, use of analgesics, and specialization of physiotherapy departments, the nurse provided basic comfort measures that included massage. Historical research in the use of massage in nursing may help refocus attention on the healing of the mind/body and reinforce the value of compassionate touch and balance in nursing practice today.

[Robert Ziegenspeck (1856-1918), 'Don Quixote' of out-patient gynaecology. Amendment to my essay about Thure Brandt in this Journal, Vol 26]. / Robert Ziegenspeck (1856-1918)--der 'Don Quixote' der ambulanten Gynäkologie. Nachtrag zum Aufsatz uber Thure Brandt in Band 26 von "Medizin, Gesellschaft und Geschichte".

In 2007 I described a massage method that was developed by the Swedish officer Thure Brandt (1819-1895) and promoted by German physicians, especially Robert Ziegenspeck. But all files about Ziegenspeck seemed to be lost until two of them were rediscovered by chance in 2009. They offer insight into the desperate situation of German gynaecological hospitals in the late 19th century and the consequences for the young reformer Ziegenspeck who wanted to protect women's health against his colleagues' arbitrariness.

[Kristeller's procedure--Expressio fetus, its genesis and contemporary application]. / Zabieg Kristellera--Expressio fetus, jego geneza i wspólczesne zastosowanie.

The aim of the article is to introduce the original version of Kristeller's procedure - Expressio fetus. The author of the procedure, Samuel Kristeller, was bom in 1820 in Ksiaz Wielkopolski. He worked as a physician in Gniezno, then in Berlin. He is known as the creator of the described procedure - pushing out the foetus. He had also specified the meaning of the cervical plug (Kristeller's plug), and modified obstetrical forceps. He died in Berlin in 1900. In 1867, Kristeller published a study in which he described a procedure, of which he was the author, of pushing out the foetus (manual assistance), its technique, conditions and recommendations for its application. The main idea of the procedure meant strengthening uterine contractions during labour by massaging the uterus and pressing it many times shortly, towards the long axis of the birth canal. Nowadays this procedure has become warped in its form; there remains also the controversy whether or not to use external force directed on the uterine fundus during labour, due to the risk of intrauterine foetal anoxia and other complications.