Mother Earth Rx: Studies Show How Grounding Can Relieve Massage Therapist Pain and Energy Drain

A new study indicates that the earth’s healing energy may relieve common pain issues and energy drain that often lead to premature burnout among massage therapists.
The study was conducted with 16 massage therapists at the Chopra Center for Wellbeing in Carlsbad, California and revealed a sharp difference in how the therapists felt and functioned when they were grounded for four weeks compared to not being grounded the first and last week of the study. When grounded, they reported significantly less pain, more energy, and improved physical function and mood. 
Grounding, also known as earthing, refers to the discovery that connecting with the earth’s natural and subtle electric charge stabilizes the physiology at the deepest level, draining the body of inflammation, chronic pain, and stress. A person can ground themselves by spending time barefoot outdoors on natural conductive surfaces, like grass, soil, gravel, stone, or sand. It is as simple as that. Grounding indoors, in contact with grounding mats, body bands, or patches, while sitting or sleeping, is also productive. Such devices are either plugged into the grounding system of a house or building or connected to a ground rod planted into the soil outside.
During the study, the Chopra Center therapists utilized grounded mats at work (placed on the floor and under the massage table sheet) and grounded body bands or mats at home when sleeping.
Overall feedback suggests key benefits for massage therapists that may contribute not only to improved quality of life but also to keeping them in their professions longer. Because of the physical demands of their work, chronic pain problems and energy deficits are common among massage therapists. They are prone to tendonitis, painful fingers, hands, wrists, elbows, shoulders, carpal tunnel syndrome, and a host of other occupational injuries. These problems produce inflammation-related pain and energy drain and, without relief, prompt many massage therapists to prematurely abandon their profession.