The Backrubs FAQ

Last-modified: 15 October 1995
Last WWW update: 8 February 1996

Some questions come up time and time again in alt.backrubs. Often the questions are interesting and the answers are not immediately obvious. However, each time one of these questions appears, much bandwidth and reader time is wasted on repetitive responses. This FAQ, divided in six articles, are posted to alt.backrubs every two weeks in an attempt to answer the most common questions, so that discussion can move on to more interesting topics. These articles are also posted to alt.answers and news.answers every four weeks or so.

Your suggestions for changes to these articles are welcome. Please see question 0.2 for information about whom to contact. Question 0.3 is about what changes are planned. The disclaimer is in question 0.6. All of those questions appear below, in section 0. If you are new to Usenet you might find questions 1.4 and 5.2.4 especially helpful.

0 Administrivia and Acknowledgements
1 General Questions
2 Basics of Massage
3 Novice Questions
4 Professional Massage
5 Other Sources of Information

  • 0: Administrivia and Acknowledgements

    1. Where can I get a recent copy of this document?
    2. Whom should I flame for anything I don't like about this FAQL?
    3. What is on the To Do list?
    4. Recent changes to this list
    5. Acknowledgements
    6. Disclaimer
    7. Notice of copyright

  • 1: General Questions

    1. What is alt.backrubs about?
    2. I have a question not answered here. Should I post?
    3. What does this acronym stand for?
      1. alt.backrubs acronyms
      2. organizations
      3. other acronyms and abbreviations
      4. `Please, sir, I want some more.'
    4. Help! I'm new to this whole Usenet/'net thing
    5. Anonymous Posts
    6. What should I do about 'net abuse (spams, scams & ads)?

  • 2: Basics of Massage

    1. What is massage? What is bodywork and how do they differ?
    2. What are some examples of massage and bodywork techniques?
      1. Swedish
      2. Shiatsu
      3. Reflexology
      4. Aromatherapy
      5. On-site massage
      6. Erotic massage
      7. Trigger point and Myotherapy
      8. Polarity
      9. Myofascial release
      10. Craniosacral
      11. Reiki
      12. Trager
      13. Hakomi
      14. Jim Shin Do
      15. Neuromuscular therapy
      16. Pfrimmer deep muscle therapy
      17. Rolfing [coming soon]
      18. others
    3. Where can I read about massage techniques?
    4. Is massage a sexual technique?
    5. Could I hurt anyone if I do something wrong?
    6. What does this technical term mean?

  • 3: Novice Questions

    1. How should I start?
    2. Where can I find people to give/receive massages? [See also 4.3]
    3. What can I do about ticklishness?
    4. What oil should I use?
    5. How can I get oils?
    6. Is there anything I can do about my tired hands?

  • 4: Professional Massage

    1. What about licencing, certification and professional training?
      1. Books, magazines and other resource guides
      2. What are the AMTA and the ABMP?
    2. Professional issues
      1. What's in the archive?
      2. Emotional response considerations
    3. Finding a good professional massage
      1. How can I tell what I'll get before I get there?
      2. How can I tell how competent a MT is before I pay them?
      3. What referral services can I call upon for recommendations?
    4. Advice for a recipient of professional massage
    5. How much will it cost? Should I tip? Can I get it cheaper?
    6. I've got the following symptoms. What do you advise?

  • 5: Other Network Sources of Information

    1. Other Frequent Postings to alt.backrubs
      1. The backrubs exchange
      2. The alt.backrubs archive
    2. Other Network Resources
      1. Related FAQs
        1. List of medical FAQ postings
        2. Stretching and Flexibility FAQ
        3. Typing Injury FAQ
      2. Related World Wide Web Sites
        1. Lee Hancock's Health Resource List
        2. Massage Therapy
        3. Internet Resources on Alternative Medicine
        4. A basic guide to Aromatherapy
        5. Australian Tea Tree Oil
        6. The Reiki Page
        7. Spirit-WWW: spiritual consciousness on the WWW
        8. AMR'TA sites about natural medicine
        9. Dr. Bower's Complementary Medicine Home Page
        10. Aesclepian Chronicles
        11. The Chiropractic Page
      3. Related Newsgroups
        1. misc.health.alternative
        2. alt.folklore.herbs
        3. alt.aromatherapy
        4. pdax.services.massage
        5. alt.med.fibromyalgia
      4. About news and newsgroups
        1. How to find the right place to post
        2. news.groups.questions
        3. Where is the archive for newsgroup X?
        4. List of Periodic Informational Postings
        5. Usenet Info Center
      5. Related Mailinglists
        1. The OrMed mailing list
        2. PARACELSUS mailing-list
        3. FIBROM-L mailing-list
        4. tuite mailing-list
        5. aromatherapy mailing-list
        6. SOREHAND mailing-list
        7. iu610-L Revolutionary Health/Health Care Workers Info Clearinghouse
      6. About mailinglists
        1. Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists
      7. Other groups (not Usenet, not mailing-lists)
        1. FidoNet echo - BODYWORK
        2. Compuserve forum - massage and bodywork
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