Form Of Bodywork Research Articles

YouTube’s Yoga with Adriene as a somametamnemata: Exploring experiences of self-care and wellness in times of crisis

Drawing on the Foucauldian technologies of the self, this study explores how individuals re-envision practices of wellbeing outside of traditional organizational contexts during extreme events. Based on a thematic analysis of 7234 comments posted on the Yoga with Adriene YouTube channel in 2020, this study unpacks a technologically mediated practice of self-care, which we conceptualize as somametamnemata. Our findings illustrate three entangled aspects of somametamnemata relating to yoga, a form of bodywork: Caring about self through practicing yoga online; caring about self and others through sharing about yoga in written comments; and caring about self and others through responding to shared verbalizations of yoga. This study distinguishes somametamnemata from known practices of self-care, advancing existing literature on technologies of self by overcoming the dichotomy between negative views of ill-being and positive views of wellbeing. By situating the potentiality of individual wellbeing within ill-being, we shift debates and discussions of “corporate wellness” beyond organizational boundaries.

Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxaion Technique on Pain among Cancer Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy

Background: Pain in cancer may arise from a tumor compressing or infiltrating nearby body parts; from treatments and diagnostic procedures; or from skin, nerve, and other changes caused by a hormone imbalance or immune response. Progressive muscle relaxation technique, a complementary approach to pain relief, is a form of body work that focuses primarily on the feet. Methodology: A quasi-experimental study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of progressive muscle relaxation technique on pain among cancer patients receiving radiation therapy. Totally, 60 samples were selected by non-probability purposive sampling technique, among them, 30 were in the experimental group and 30 samples were in the control group. The investigator implemented progressive muscle relaxation technique for 15 days with the duration of 20–30 min. The level of pain was assessed using numerical pain intensity rating scale. The data gathered were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical method. Results: The finding revealed that, in the experimental group, the post-test mean score was 4.10 ± 1.63 and, in the control group, the mean score was 7.13 ± 2.11 with the mean difference of 3.03. The independent “t”-test value (t = 6.23) is highly significant. The paired “t”-test value (t = 8.24) revealed that progressive muscle relaxation technique was effective in reducing the pain. In the experimental group, there is a significant association found between the post-test level of pain and the variables such as age (χ² = 9.47), occupational status (χ² = 12.44), and stage of cancer (χ² = 9.83). Conclusion: The progressive muscle relaxation technique was effective in reduction of pain among cancer patients receiving radiation therapy

Ponderings with breathing/breathing with ponderings

The article is a document of artistic research insofar as it invents forms of thinking-in-writing-with-breathing. In addition to that, the article gives insights on breathing’s potential for expanded choreographic practice by drawing on Allan Kaprow’s ‘performance of living’. Choreography turns then into a means to stage everyday actions, such as breathing, in indeterminate frames. Equally important is the somatic bodywork of Ilse Middendorf and its interconnections with other forms of bodywork that emerged at the turn of the last century. Bringing in somatic bodywork reflects the bodily practice-based nature of the ponderings. It is a fertile ground for speculating on the relevance of attention and stillness for choreography through physical rest enlivened by breathing.

Sleep, body work and bodily capital: Sleep discourse in the magazines Men's Health and Women's Health

The subject of sleep has been receiving increasing attention in multiple arenas over the past decades, including in the social sciences and the media. However, only a few empirical studies have investigated how sleep is constructed within and by media discourses, and also whether and how these discourses are gendered. The present article explores how two popular lifestyle magazines, Men's Health and Women's Health, construct sleep. The analysis of online articles reveals that both magazines constitute sleep as a form of body work that enhances bodily capital, but they do so in gendered ways that reinforce patriarchal norms and expectations. This study shows that the magazines' discourse supports the neoliberal project, while also highlighting the malleability and adaptability of neoliberal discourses. The conclusion is that the ways in which the magazines' discourse constructs sleep might deepen both gender and class inequalities.

In Pursuit of Fitness: Bodywork, Temporality and Self-Improvement in Mozambique

Sub-Saharan Africa is no longer an outlier in the global ‘fitness revolution’. In cities across the continent, a growing number of people are adopting a more active lifestyle. In Mozambique – where only a few years ago, gyms and joggers were few and far between, and not many people would have considered working out at all, let alone in public – exercising is now remarkably popular. Based on ethnographic research carried out in various fitness sites in Maputo, this article examines the new urban rhythms and temporal orientations fostered by the growing popularity of fitness in the region and extends genealogies of the self-improving subject by situating the pursuit of fitness in relation to successive colonial and post-colonial regimes that promoted various forms of body-work as part of broader ethical projects of the self. I argue that, while it might be tempting to dismiss the growing popularity of fitness as the mere encroachment of neoliberal ideals of the self-improving subject, doing so would not only gloss over significant historical continuities but risk overshadowing the ways in which the pursuit of fitness is enhancing the quality of life of many. In recognising the ethical value that these projects have for those who pursue them, the article sheds light on the appeal of fitness in a specific space–time, while moving away from what are often contemptuous assessments of this global trend. I show how, as an aspirational pursuit that operates at the intersections of health and beauty, fitness creates a particular orientation towards the future that borrows from socialist registers of discipline and struggle while, in turn, highlighting the continued relevance of such registers within contemporary imaginaries. At a time when global health priorities are shifting, ethnographic accounts like the one presented here are needed to help to complicate understandings of the articulation between health and moral imaginaries of self-improvement.

Understanding therapeutic massage as a form of bodywork: knowing and working on the (energy) body.

Bodywork – as work which takes the body as its immediate site of labour – includes forms of service work, healthcare and caring. While work on bodywork has undeniably foregrounded the body, at the same time it has worked with a relatively limited understanding of bodily knowledges and practices. This article uses a theoretical framework taken from writing on Non‐Representational Theory, by Human Geographers, in order to take seriously ‘alternative’ body knowledge such as energy. The article draws on data from in‐depth interviews conducted with therapeutic massage practitioners in order to take seriously the ways in which energy directs and shapes the work that these bodyworkers do, adding new empirical understandings of what working with energy entails. It makes a broader conceptual contribution to bodywork literatures, advocating the importance of extending analysis beyond social constructionist approaches and questioning the taken‐for‐granted understandings of materiality that are most often drawn upon in order to attend to the kinds of knowledge that are less easy to formalise, anomalous, or that push at the fringes of the definite or the limits of the believable, but which are nonetheless central to many different kinds of bodywork contemporarily.

‘I don't really have any issue with masculinity’: Older Canadian men's perceptions and experiences of embodied masculinity

The article explores what older Canadian men consider to be the definition of masculinity, how they evaluate their own masculinity relative to their definition, and how and why they use particular forms of body work in response to aging and their understandings of masculinity. Data are presented from qualitative interviews with 29 community-dwelling men aged 65–89. The men in our study defined masculinity relationally with femininity and homosexuality and identified three hallmarks of masculinity, namely: physical strength, leadership, and virility. While the men tended to emphasize that they were secure in their own masculine identities, some conceded that they diverged from societal definitions of masculinity with respect to their preferred activities, physical attributes, or personal qualities. Many of the men also perceived that aging and the accompanying physical and social changes were threats to their continued ability to be masculine. In an effort to slow down or redress bodily changes that were perceived to be undermining or diminishing their masculinity, the men engaged in exercise and/or were using or considering pharmaceutical interventions such as Viagra and Cialis. We discuss our findings in light of the masculinity literature and age relations theorizing.

Women’s genital body work: Health, hygiene and beauty practices in the production of idealized female genitalia

Women’s genitalia are constructed as a bodily site requiring ongoing surveillance, maintenance and modification to conform to social norms. Women engage in a range of genital health, hygiene and beauty practices, including the use of commercial and homemade vaginal douches, washes, wipes, sprays and pubic hair removal, to modify their bodies. Using a social constructionist framework, we draw on interviews with 49 Canadian women to examine the construction of idealized (Western) genitalia as hairless, odourless and free of discharge, and “natural” female genitalia as problematic through the mobilization of normative femininity and (hetero)sexuality discourses. Theorizing women’s genital health, hygiene and beauty practices as a form of body work, we examine how women’s genital body work is constructed as a necessary and thus normative practice of femininity undertaken in the pursuit of idealized genitalia. A minority perspective that drew on alternative discourses to construct female genitalia as acceptable irrespective of genital body work is examined. Throughout our analysis, we examine the ways in which women negotiate issues of agency and choice in relation to their genital body work. Implications for women’s health in the context of the vaginal microbiome are explored.

From Carers to Trainers: Professional Identity and Body Work in Rehabilitative Eldercare

This article explores how a nationwide reform initiative, calling for a rehabilitative, activating and ‘training’ approach to elderly people in Danish homecare services, may transform gendered and embodied conceptions of ‘the professional care worker'. Care work for the elderly is a low‐paid and low‐status occupation, affected by the stigma connected with elderly bodies. Drawing on an ethnographic case study of a homecare unit, this article shows how the adoption of a new distanced, goal‐oriented approach to elderly bodies attempts to transform professional identities, and how care work is constructed as reflexive and change oriented, in contrast to emotional and relational approaches. This transformation potentially leads to a more advantageous position for care workers in gendered professional hierarchies. Simultaneously this process seems to render care workers' own bodies more visible, problematizing what are perceived as uncontrolled and unhealthy care worker bodies. The article thus argues that rehabilitative eldercare leads to an intertwining of two forms of bodywork, where work on the care worker's own body and the elderly body mutually constitute each other in a novel body–body articulation.

Body image and body work among older women: a review

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on body image and aging among older women. Using existing qualitative research, this paper explores how aging affects body image and how women respond to body image issues as they age.Design/methodology/approach– Multiple databases were used to locate original and review articles on the topics of body image and aging, with a target population of women ages 60 years and older. The findings of the literature search were compiled, summarized and sorted to create themes.Findings– Women struggle with body image issues throughout their lives. Women tend to perceive age-related changes in appearance negatively, as a threat to their identity and social value. This is due, in part, to the sociocultural environment, which pressures women to “fight” aging and maintain an ideal (young and thin) image at all costs. Some women do come to terms with their aging body and report increased self-acceptance with age. However, others turn to various forms of body work (e.g. dieting, hair dye, makeup) in order to maintain their value in an appearance-based society.Practical implications– Poor body image can affect older women's emotional, psychological and physical health and overall well-being. Health care professionals, community workers and policy makers need to be made aware of these issues so that they can respond appropriately.Originality/value– There has been limited research exploring body image among older women. This paper identifies gaps in the literature and suggests avenues for future research in this area.

Actions speak louder than words: the embodiment of trust by healthcare professionals in gynae‐oncology

Trust is vital for quality healthcare outcomes, yet existing research neglects the 'embodiedness' of the interactions on which trust is based. This article draws on qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with cervical cancer patients. The significance of body work in winning or, on occasions, undermining trust emerged as a key theme within the responses. Interpretations of professionals' verbal and non-verbal presentations-of-self were often mutually reinforcing and intrinsically linked--forming a more general locus of meaning from which assumptions of competence and care were drawn. Yet it also became apparent that, whilst verbal communication was useful in establishing the agenda of the professional in relation to that of the patient, it was body work which was crucial in corroborating and validating beliefs pertaining to the ability and willingness of the professional to deliver this agenda in the future. The multi-temporal nature of trust makes apparent how certain seemingly distinct forms of body work--as presentation-of-self versus more hands-on modes--are inherently intertwined. Trust, and the affective relationship in which it is rooted, bridges the present with the future and thus makes apparent how seemingly 'detached' forms of body work are connected to the emotion-work of the caring role and the craftwork of body work as touch.

The use of complementary and alternative fertility treatment in couples seeking fertility care: data from a prospective cohort in the United States

To determine the prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among couples seeking fertility care and to identify the predictors of CAM use in this population. Prospective cohort study. Eight community and academic infertility practices. A total of 428 couples presenting for an infertility evaluation. Interviews and questionnaires. Prevalence of complementary and alternative medicine therapy. After 18 months of observation, 29% of the couples had utilized a CAM modality for treatment of infertility; 22% had tried acupuncture, 17% herbal therapy, 5% a form of body work, and 1% meditation. An annual household income of > or = $200,000 (odds ratio 2.8, relative to couples earning <$100,000), not achieving a pregnancy (odds ratio 2.3), and a positive attitude toward CAM use at baseline were independently associated with CAM use. A substantial minority of infertile couples use CAM treatments. CAM was chosen most commonly by wealthier couples, those not achieving a pregnancy, and those with a baseline belief in the effectiveness of CAM treatments.

Web Alert

3M: http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3m/en_US/IP/infectionprevention/solutions/immobilization Description: 3M is a widely known international manufacturer that produces a multitude of medical supplies. The company is a hefty supplier of casting and splinting materials to many hospitals and orthopedic groups around the world. Its Web site is designed mainly for purchase and distribution of the company's goods, but the site also offers education regarding proper use of the company's medical products. Within the immobilization section, the company offers a variety of videos reviewing applications of common splints and casts, as well as specifics of the relevant materials. The Web site is fairly easy to navigate, although the screen design does appear busy on some of the pages. The immobilization section also is somewhat difficult to find, as it is located under the infectious disease section. Overall, it is a useful site if one is interested in immobilization products for purchase or education. Cost: Free. Wikipedia: www.wikipedia.com Description: Wikipedia defines itself as a multilingual, Web-based, free content encyclopedia primarily based on the contribution of anonymous writers. It is used by millions of people around the world and has grown exponentially over the years. There are an abundance of sports medicine topics available on the site. While it is easy to access and simple to use, one must remember that anyone can contribute, regardless of expertise. The Web site takes some measures to keep content accurate, but one easily could be exposed to incorrect information regarding a medical problem. Wikipedia should be used only for basic descriptions of medical problems, and information obtained from this site always should be researched and confirmed through other sources with more rigorous medical and scientific criteria. Cost: Free. Rolf Institute of Structural Integration: www.rolf.org Description: Rolfing Structural Integration - more commonly known as "Rolfing" - is a form of bodywork that reorganizes the connective tissues (fascia) throughout the body in order to enhance health, well-being, and function of the body. This Web site provides information about its history, applications, methods, and benefits. It also provides videos of therapies and a source for local providers in your area. For those interested in becoming providers or those who are providers, educational links are available. This Web site is very easy to use, with simple and intuitive navigation, easily readable information, and useful resources. Cost: Free. U.S. Paralympic Team: www.usparalympics.org Description: This is the main Web site for the athletes of the United States Paralympics Team. Within the site is information about the specific athletes, qualifications for Paralympics events, calendars of races, and the organizational bodies associated with the teams. It is comprehensive in its coverage of the Paralympics but also has links to Olympic organizations and other partner organizations. The design is typical of large athletic bodies and is colorful, easy to navigate, and intuitive. Overall, this is an excellent resource for Paralympics information. Cost: Free. BeginnerTriathlete.com: www.beginnertriathlete.com Description: This is a multiplatform triathlon Web site offering product information and sales, member forums, training regimens for various levels of ability, articles, race information, and a medical section with questions by members and responses from sports medicine physicians. The site design is quite scattered, with a mix of information and advertisements, and long scrolling sections make it cumbersome to use. The graphics are reasonable but do not flow well. As with many private sites, it is difficult to sort out the quality information from what reads like sales pitches. Another concern is the lack of clear sources for information given. Overall, this is a fair site that would benefit from better design and explanation of sources of information. Cost: Free for basic information (registration with site offers expanded services).

The use of complementary and alternative fertility treatment in couples seeking fertility care

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and predictors of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) use among couples seeking fertility care. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study MATERIALS AND METHODS: Face-to-face interviews and questionnaires were utilized to assess the prevalence of CAM therapy in 431 couples presenting for an infertility evaluation at eight community and academic infertility practices and followed for 18 months. Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to determine the independent effects of socioeconomic and fertility-specific characteristics on the use of CAM. RESULTS: After 18 months of observation, 28% of the couples had utilized a CAM modality to treat infertility; 22% had tried acupuncture, 17% herbal therapy, 5% a form of body work, and 1% had utilized meditation as a treatment for infertility. An annual household income ≥ $100,000 and < $200,000 (OR 2.3, p=.04) and ≥ $200,000 (OR 3.3, p=.03) compared to couples earning less than $100,000; not achieving a pregnancy after 18 months (OR 2.4, p=.01); and a positive attitude toward CAM use at baseline (OR 2.0, p<.001) were independently associated with CAM use. No relationship between educational status and CAM use was found (OR .9, p=.89). CAM use was not associated with subsequent pregnancy after four (35% vs. 30%, p=.6), ten (57% vs. 53%, p=.6), or eighteen months of observation (58% vs. 69%, p=.08). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial minority of infertile couples utilize CAM treatments. CAM is chosen most commonly by wealthier couples, those not achieving a pregnancy, and those with a baseline belief in the effectiveness of CAM treatments. CAM use was not associated with improved pregnancy rates.

What Is ‘Body Work’? A Review of the Literature

Abstract Lyon and Barbalet (1994), Kang (2003), Wolkowitz (2002, 2006), and others have proposed the concept of ‘body work’ as a means for further developing the sociology of the body. This article gives an overview of the different (although frequently overlapping) forms of body work that have been identified in the sociological literature. These include a notion of body work as (i) the work performed on one's own body, (ii) paid labor carried out on the bodies of others, (iii) the management of embodied emotional experience and display, and (iv) the production or modification of bodies through work. The article concludes with suggestions for the future of research on body work and the sociology of the body.

The body, gender, and age: Feminist insights in social gerontology

Drawing on insights from feminist gerontology, the article discusses the ways in which body, gender, and age intersect, arguing for the importance of recognizing the centrality of the body in aging, but the need to recognize that this body is socially and culturally constituted. It explores this through three areas: the role of the body in the subjective experience of aging and the problems and paradoxes of cultural resistance; the significance of the bodily in deep old age and subjective experience of receiving personal care; and the gendered nature of carework as a form of bodywork.

Carework as a form of bodywork

The paper argues for the importance of recognising carework as a form of bodywork. It discusses why this central dimension has been neglected in accounts of carework, pointing to the ways in which community care has traditionally been analysed, the resistance of social gerontology to an overly bodily emphasis, and the conceptual dominance of the debate on care. Drawing on a study of the provision of help with bathing and washing for older people at home, it explores the body dimension of the activity, looking at how careworkers negotiate nakedness and touch, manage dirt and disgust, balance intimacy and distance. Finally, the paper draws together some of the key themes of this bodywork: its designation as ‘dirty work’, its hidden, silenced character, the low occupational esteem in which it is held and its gendered nature.

The physics of Feldenkrais®

Abstract In the last issue, which was the first of this series, the Principle of Least Effort was introduced. (Use the least effort necessary to achieve the maximum in efficiency). Two sitting self-awareness explorations were presented to help deepen this understanding and to encourage a visceral comprehension of another principle: Control follows awareness. This issue features additional clinical examples and an explanation of several terms of art in bodywork: stress, strain, translation and rotation. These words help to stake out the territory of bodywork. There are only five forms of strain and only two basic movements in any form of bodywork. We shall see the practical advantages of understanding the concepts these words carry. Clinical results may be enhanced with improved physical safety to both the therapist and client. Secondly, a sure grasp of the technical meanings of these words is essential for delving further into the treatment applications of the Principle of Least Effort.

The physics of Feldenkrais®

In the last issue, which was the ®rst of this series, the Principle of Least E€ort was introduced. (Use the least e€ort necessary to achieve the maximum in eciency). Two sitting self-awareness explorations were presented to help deepen this understanding and to encourage a visceral comprehension of another principle: Control follows awareness. This issue features additional clinical examples and an explanation of several terms of art in bodywork: stress, strain, translation and rotation. These words help to stake out the territory of bodywork. There are only ®ve forms of strain and only two basic movements in any form of bodywork. We shall see the practical advantages of understanding the concepts these words carry. Clinical results may be enhanced with improved physical safety to both the therapist and client. Secondly, a sure grasp of the technical meanings of these words is essential for delving further into the treatment applications of the Principle of Least E€ort. # 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd The topic of posture, and how the individual uses their body is central to most bodywork and movement therapies and approaches. This new series of peer reviewed papers will explore the issues around this core topic from a particular perspective. The reader is invited to participate by communicating with the author, or the editor, with comments, ideas and constructive criticism. Alternative viewpoints will be published in future issue of the Journal of Bodywork and Movement

Clinical supervision for 'potent' practice.

The author has received regular supervision since completing his training in biodynamic massage therapy. This is a requirement of the Code of Conduct for the Association of Holistic Biodynamic Massage Therapists. Initially, this proved difficult to arrange as supervisors familiar with this form of bodywork were based either in London or Cambridge, UK and the author has been living and working in the North West of England. One-to-one supervision was tried over the telephone, supported by 3-monthly meetings with a supervisor in London. Four years ago, the author was able to obtain monthly one-to-one supervision locally. He is now a member of a small supervision group who meet for 3 hours per month. More recently, he has taken on the role of supervisor with a focus on working with nurses involved in either complementary therapies and/or in developing clinical supervision. The following article explores the concept of supervision with the intention of sharing these experiences and promoting discussion on an understanding of the process and potential application within therapeutic nursing work.