By Michele S Jang, PT

Did you know that physical contact is important to the healing process?  A simple pat on the back is not just an acknowledgement of the other person but also has additional benefits. Even a handshake can go beyond a simple greeting. Physical touch is a way to connect with another person in a more intimate fashion. Touching can reassure, acknowledge the other person, lessen fears, as well as soothe and calm.
There are a number of research articles that demonstrate the benefits of physical touch.
Research has shown that holding hands can calm and reduce stress.  The University of Virginia conducted an experiment where women were told they would experience a mild shock during an MRI procedure.  Their levels of anxiety were reduced when they held the experimenter’s hand.  Anxiety was further reduced when the women held their husband’s hand.
At the University of North Carolina, women who received more hugs from their partners were observed to have lower blood pressure and heart rates as well as higher levels of Oxytocin.  Oxytocin lowers the stress hormone, Cortisol.
At the University of Miami, they observed the benefits of massage on infants.  Preemies would grow faster and babies who received massage slept better, were less irritable, and generally more social.
At Spirit Winds Physical Therapy, along with education and exercises, we embrace this important concept of physical touch in rehabilitation.  We “touch” our patients.  Through touch we can reassure the patient, build trust and hope, especially when one is feeling pessimistic about their injuries.  We skillfully use our hands to assess the patient to determine what is going on.  We then use our hands to help optimize spine and joint alignment as well as address soft tissue imbalances. We in fact, feel that placing our hands on people to assist in their rehabilitation is an essential part in one’s healing process.

Michele S Jang, PT is a physical therapist who likes to look outside the box. She has been a physical therapist for over 21 years and has extensive training in manual therapy or the use of hands to help rehabilitate the body. Michele has been an instructor both in the United States and abroad. She offers Free Consults on Tuesday afternoons. Michele also has a team of therapists at Spirit Winds who offer an array of expertise on exercise, fall prevention, foot and shoe assessments, body mechanics and proper breathing technique to increase awareness and healing. Michele can be reached at 805 543-5100 or .