From the sciatic nerve to the biceps, the pectoralis major to the latissimus dorsi, and the head down to the big toe, the range of topics Massage & Bodywork magazine covered in 2025 was vast. Beyond anatomy, our authors and columnists shared tangible advice on building a successful business, answering tough questions from clients, and caring for elderly clients or clients who had strokes. Features spanned a wide range, from deep dives into muscles to self-care and self-defense. There were also several personal narratives from authors recovering from surgery, dealing with disaster, and processing grief.
That’s all to say the Massage & Bodywork editors had a lot of favorites from this year’s bevy of articles. But they had to narrow it down to put together the top Massage & Bodywork articles for 2025, plus a few honorable mentions.
1. “Massage Therapy for Pre- and Postsurgical Knees,” by Doug Nelson, Autumn 2025.
"The depth to which Doug explains and explores helping clients recover from knee surgery is on a whole new level. MTs should consider reading this whether they routinely work with postsurgical clients or not."
—Scott Kaniewski, Massage & Bodywork editor
2. “Common Dance Injuries and How Massage Therapy Can Support Recovery,” by Matthew Gavzy, Summer 2025.
“As a dancer and dance teacher, I appreciate the thoroughness of Gavzy’s advice and guidance for massage therapists.”
—Jen Anderson, contributing editor
3. “What MTs Need to Know About Ozempic and Similar Drugs,” by Ruth Werner, Spring 2025.
“Relevant, poignant, and fantastic information I’m sure many MTs are looking for.”
—Mary Murphy, associate editor
4. “The Sciatic Nerve: A 3D View,” by Rachelle Clauson and Nicole Trombley, Summer 2025.
“The deep dive into the sciatic nerve was super interesting . . . the authors took care to not just talk about the nerve itself but also its function in relation to its neighbors with their ‘looking out’ approach. And the accompanying video is worth a watch.”
—Mary Murphy, associate editor
5. “Undertreatment Is Its Own Harm,” by Cal Cates, Summer 2025.
Other Massage & Bodywork favorites from 2025
- “Are Scars More Than Skin Deep?” by Brandi Higbee, Autumn 2025
- “Breathwork and Compassionate Touch,” by Heath & Nicole Reed, Spring 2025
- “Build a Thriving Hands-On Practice,” by Elicia Crook, Spring 2025
- “How to Put the Quality in Your Quality of Touch,” by Cynthia Williams, Autumn 2025
- “Intrinsic Muscles of the Hand,” by Joe Muscolino, Spring 2025
- “Sciatica Demystified,” by Whitney Lowe, Autumn 2025
- “Self-Defense for Massage Therapists,” by Teresa Matthews, Summer 2025
- “The Body of Grief,” by Til Luchau, Spring 2025
- “Why People Faint,” by Ruth Werner, Autumn 2025