Research in massage therapy, for example, is in its infancy, and little is known about the basicphysiological effects of various techniques on tissues such as capillary beds, connective tissue, chemical markers, etc, so basic science research is critical in advancing our understanding of the various physiological effects of massage therapy.
But much of the difference in heart attack rate before and after Katrina is due to psychosocial risk factors, rather than basicphysiological risk factors, say the researchers who studied the phenomenon.