Massage Therapy Journal Winter 2025

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Looking Ahead: Is There A Future for Massage in Military Health Care?

This study offers an initial assessment of the limited accessibility of massage therapists within the military health care system and suggests that the utilization patterns of massage therapy might differ when provided by massage therapists compared to other health care providers. Some potential patterns in how referrals to massage therapists are made were also examined. More research is needed to explore barriers to practice, cost-benefit analyses and treatment outcomes to better integrate massage therapy in the care of service members, retirees and military families. Such research would help enhance and expand the care provided, ensuring that this deserving population receives the highest quality of treatment.

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