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The Cochrane Database of Systematic... Sep 2015Low-back pain (LBP) is one of the most common and costly musculoskeletal problems in modern society. It is experienced by 70% to 80% of adults at some time in their... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
Low-back pain (LBP) is one of the most common and costly musculoskeletal problems in modern society. It is experienced by 70% to 80% of adults at some time in their lives. Massage therapy has the potential to minimize pain and speed return to normal function.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the effects of massage therapy for people with non-specific LBP.
SEARCH METHODS
We searched PubMed to August 2014, and the following databases to July 2014: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, CINAHL, LILACS, Index to Chiropractic Literature, and Proquest Dissertation Abstracts. We also checked reference lists. There were no language restrictions used.
SELECTION CRITERIA
We included only randomized controlled trials of adults with non-specific LBP classified as acute, sub-acute or chronic. Massage was defined as soft-tissue manipulation using the hands or a mechanical device. We grouped the comparison groups into two types: inactive controls (sham therapy, waiting list, or no treatment), and active controls (manipulation, mobilization, TENS, acupuncture, traction, relaxation, physical therapy, exercises or self-care education).
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
We used standard Cochrane methodological procedures and followed CBN guidelines. Two independent authors performed article selection, data extraction and critical appraisal.
MAIN RESULTS
In total we included 25 trials (3096 participants) in this review update. The majority was funded by not-for-profit organizations. One trial included participants with acute LBP, and the remaining trials included people with sub-acute or chronic LBP (CLBP). In three trials massage was done with a mechanical device, and the remaining trials used only the hands. The most common type of bias in these studies was performance and measurement bias because it is difficult to blind participants, massage therapists and the measuring outcomes. We judged the quality of the evidence to be "low" to "very low", and the main reasons for downgrading the evidence were risk of bias and imprecision. There was no suggestion of publication bias. For acute LBP, massage was found to be better than inactive controls for pain ((SMD -1.24, 95% CI -1.85 to -0.64; participants = 51; studies = 1)) in the short-term, but not for function ((SMD -0.50, 95% CI -1.06 to 0.06; participants = 51; studies = 1)). For sub-acute and chronic LBP, massage was better than inactive controls for pain ((SMD -0.75, 95% CI -0.90 to -0.60; participants = 761; studies = 7)) and function (SMD -0.72, 95% CI -1.05 to -0.39; 725 participants; 6 studies; ) in the short-term, but not in the long-term; however, when compared to active controls, massage was better for pain, both in the short ((SMD -0.37, 95% CI -0.62 to -0.13; participants = 964; studies = 12)) and long-term follow-up ((SMD -0.40, 95% CI -0.80 to -0.01; participants = 757; studies = 5)), but no differences were found for function (both in the short and long-term). There were no reports of serious adverse events in any of these trials. Increased pain intensity was the most common adverse event reported in 1.5% to 25% of the participants.
AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS
We have very little confidence that massage is an effective treatment for LBP. Acute, sub-acute and chronic LBP had improvements in pain outcomes with massage only in the short-term follow-up. Functional improvement was observed in participants with sub-acute and chronic LBP when compared with inactive controls, but only for the short-term follow-up. There were only minor adverse effects with massage.
Topics: Acute Pain; Adult; Bias; Chronic Pain; Humans; Low Back Pain; Manipulation, Spinal; Massage; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 26329399
DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001929.pub3 -
Nursing For Women's Health Jun 2019Infant massage is an ancient therapeutic technique used around the world. For infants who experience painful procedures, are exposed to the stressful NICU environment,...
Infant massage is an ancient therapeutic technique used around the world. For infants who experience painful procedures, are exposed to the stressful NICU environment, and are separated from their parents, infant massage has been promoted as a method to reduce stress and promote bonding. In this article, we review the current literature on infant massage in the NICU. There is evidence that infant massage has beneficial effects on preterm infants in the NICU, including shorter length of stay; reduced pain; and improved weight gain, feeding tolerance, and neurodevelopment. Parents who performed massage with their infants in the NICU reported experiencing less stress, anxiety, and depression. Neonatal nurses can obtain education and certification in infant massage and can teach parents infant massage techniques, thereby promoting the health and well-being of parent-infant dyads.
Topics: Feeding Behavior; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; Length of Stay; Male; Massage
PubMed: 31059673
DOI: 10.1016/j.nwh.2019.03.004 -
Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) May 2019Manual massage therapy is a therapeutic option for the treatment of several pathological conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system. It has been pointed out that... (Review)
Review
Manual massage therapy is a therapeutic option for the treatment of several pathological conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system. It has been pointed out that massage might be beneficial for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients thanks to therapeutic effects primarily related to hyperemia (increased skin temperature and blood flow), and activation of the lymphatic system. The present study reports current evidence on the systemic effects of manual massage in patients with COPD. A scoping review was conducted on five major databases. The search went through all databases since their inception until December 2018. Seventy-eight citations were retrieved; after the selection process was completed, seven articles were considered eligible. In patients receiving manual massage, improvements were observed in Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 s, dyspnea perception, and in the 6-min walking test. To date, the use of manual massage in patients with COPD is not supported by substantial evidence in the literature: indeed, it is proposed as a therapeutic option in association with other interventions such as physical exercise.
Topics: Humans; Massage; Physical Therapy Modalities; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Quality of Life
PubMed: 31108862
DOI: 10.3390/medicina55050151 -
Journal of Physiotherapy Jul 2015Is massage therapy effective for people with musculoskeletal disorders compared to any other treatment or no treatment? (Review)
Review
QUESTION
Is massage therapy effective for people with musculoskeletal disorders compared to any other treatment or no treatment?
DESIGN
Systematic review of randomised clinical trials.
PARTICIPANTS
People with musculoskeletal disorders.
INTERVENTIONS
Massage therapy (manual manipulation of the soft tissues) as a stand-alone intervention.
OUTCOME
The primary outcomes were pain and function.
RESULTS
The 26 eligible randomised trials involved 2565 participants. The mean sample size was 95 participants (range 16 to 579) per study; 10 studies were considered to be at low risk of bias. Overall, low-to-moderate-level evidence indicated that massage reduces pain in the short term compared to no treatment in people with shoulder pain and osteoarthritis of the knee, but not in those with low back pain or neck pain. Furthermore, low-to-moderate-level evidence indicated that massage improves function in the short term compared to no treatment in people with low back pain, knee arthritis or shoulder pain. Low-to-very-low-level evidence from single studies indicated no clear benefits of massage over acupuncture, joint mobilisation, manipulation or relaxation therapy in people with fibromyalgia, low back pain and general musculoskeletal pain.
CONCLUSIONS
Massage therapy, as a stand-alone treatment, reduces pain and improves function compared to no treatment in some musculoskeletal conditions. When massage is compared to another active treatment, no clear benefit was evident.
Topics: Humans; Massage; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 26093806
DOI: 10.1016/j.jphys.2015.05.018 -
Journal of Sports Science & Medicine Dec 2020Handheld percussive massage treatment has gained popularity in recent years, for both therapeutic use and in sports practice. It is used with the goals of increasing...
Handheld percussive massage treatment has gained popularity in recent years, for both therapeutic use and in sports practice. It is used with the goals of increasing flexibility and performance, but also to accelerate recovery. However, until now, there has been no scientific evidence, which proves such effects. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 5-min percussion treatment of the calf muscles on range of motion (ROM) and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) torque of the plantar flexor muscles. Sixteen healthy male volunteers (mean ± SD; 27.2 ± 4.2 years, 1.79 ± 0.05 m, 79.4 ± 9.1 kg) were tested on two separate days with either a 5-min massage treatment of the calf muscles with a Hypervolt device or the control condition (sitting only). Before and after the treatments, dorsiflexion ROM and MVC torque of the plantar flexor muscles were measured with a dynamometer. Maximum dorsiflexion ROM increased with a large magnitude following the massage treatment by 5.4° (+18.4%; p = 0.002, = 1.36), while there was no change in the control group. Moreover, MVC torque did not change following both the massage treatment and the control treatment. Similar to a conventional massage by a therapist, ROM can be increased by a handheld percussive massage treatment without having an effect on muscle strength.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Male; Massage; Muscle Contraction; Muscle Strength; Muscle Strength Dynamometer; Muscle, Skeletal; Percussion; Range of Motion, Articular; Torque; Young Adult
PubMed: 33239942
DOI: No ID Found -
Skin Research and Technology : Official... May 2022Facial massage is empirically known to be associated with morphological changes, such as improvements in facial sagging. However, quantified objective evaluations of...
BACKGROUND
Facial massage is empirically known to be associated with morphological changes, such as improvements in facial sagging. However, quantified objective evaluations of massage-induced changes have not been performed to date. This preliminary pilot study aimed to verify the effectiveness of facial massages by using breakthrough computed tomographic technology.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Five healthy adult volunteers (three women and two men; age, 29-37 years) were enrolled, and computed tomography (CT) examinations using a 320 detectors-spiral CT system known as 320-multidetector-row CT (MDCT) were performed before and after facial massages. Each participant performed a self-massage twice daily for 2 weeks. Massage-induced changes in the cheeks and the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) were analyzed by two radiologists on a workstation with a high-accuracy imaging analysis system.
RESULTS
After facial massage, the malar top became thinner by -0.8% ± 0.45% and shifted cranially and horizontally over a distance of 3.9 ± 1.94 mm. The SMAS-height, defined as the highest vertical distance of the SMAS, increased by 2.6% ± 2.6%. The change rate in cheek thickness and SMAS-height showed a significant correlation (r = -0.63; P < 0.05). These changes were attributed to the lifting and tightening effects of facial massage.
CONCLUSION
We conducted a detailed analysis of the effects of facial massages by using the breakthrough CT technology. Our results provide useful information for beauty treatments and could contribute to the collection of objective scientific evidence for facial massages.
Topics: Adult; Face; Female; Humans; Male; Massage; Pilot Projects; Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System; Tomography, X-Ray Computed
PubMed: 35416349
DOI: 10.1111/srt.13152 -
Journal of Bodywork and Movement... Apr 2018Massage is a common treatment in complementary and integrative medicine. Deep tissue massage, a form of therapeutic massage, has become more and more popular in recent... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Massage is a common treatment in complementary and integrative medicine. Deep tissue massage, a form of therapeutic massage, has become more and more popular in recent years. Hence, the use of massage generally and deep tissue massage specifically, should be evaluated as any other modality of therapy to establish its efficacy and safety.
AIM
To determine the definitions used for deep tissue massage in the scientific literature and to review the current scientific evidence for its efficacy and safety.
METHODS
Narrative review.
RESULTS
There is no commonly accepted definition of deep tissue massage in the literature. The definition most frequently used is the intention of the therapist. We suggest separating the definitions of deep massage and deep tissue massage as follows: deep massage should be used to describe the intention of the therapist to treat deep tissue by using any form of massage and deep tissue massage should be used to describe a specific and independent method of massage therapy, utilizing the specific set of principles and techniques as defined by Riggs: "The understanding of the layers of the body, and the ability to work with tissue in these layers to relax, lengthen, and release holding patterns in the most effective and energy efficient way possible within the client's parameters of comfort". Heterogeneity of techniques and protocols used in published studies have made it difficult to draw any clear conclusions. Favorable outcomes may result from deep tissue massage in pain populations and patients with decreased range of motion. In addition, several rare serious adverse events were found related to deep tissue massage, probably as a result of the forceful application of massage therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
Future research of deep tissue massage should be based on a common definition, classification system and the use of common comparators as controls.
Topics: Humans; Massage; Terminology as Topic
PubMed: 29861215
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2017.05.006 -
Medicine Feb 2021Cerebral palsy is 1 of the diseases critically affecting the health of children. The spasmodic type is the most common, characterized by the increased muscular tension....
BACKGROUND
Cerebral palsy is 1 of the diseases critically affecting the health of children. The spasmodic type is the most common, characterized by the increased muscular tension. It often leads to lifelong disability, bringing a heavy economic burden to families and society. As a key treatment in traditional Chinese medicine, pediatric massage has a significant clinical effect on cerebral palsy in children; however, high-quality randomized controlled studies are lacking. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of pediatric massage for children with spastic cerebral palsy.
METHODS/DESIGN
The study will be a multicenter, single-blinded, randomized-controlled pilot trial. During the period from June 2019 to December 2020, 182 children with spastic cerebral palsy will be randomly divided into experimental and control groups in a 1:1 ratio. The experimental group will undergo the modified selective spinal massage method combined with the basic rehabilitation treatment, while only the basic rehabilitation treatment would be performed for the control group. The intervention period of the study will last 12 weeks, 5 days weekly on weekdays. The primary outcomes include a modified Ashworth scale assessment and gross motor function test. The secondary outcomes include the 4-diagnostic scale of Chinese medicine and children's intelligence. The observation index will be measured during the complete 12 weeks duration after the treatment of the child, that is, before treatment, after 4 weeks of treatment, after 8 weeks, and after 12 weeks of treatment.
DISCUSSION
This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of pediatric massage on children with spastic cerebral palsy; if the outcome is positive, it can provide a reference for the further promotion and application of pediatric massage in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
Chinese ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: ChiCTR1900021666. Acupuncture-Moxibustion Clinical Trial Registry, AMCTR: (AMCTR-IPR-19000260) Registered on 04 March 2019.
Topics: Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Cerebral Palsy; Health Status; Intelligence Tests; Massage; Severity of Illness Index; Single-Blind Method; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 33592825
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000023469 -
Complementary Therapies in Clinical... May 2018Massage therapy (MT) is the most popular complementary and alternative medicine therapy used by the Australian public. With the growing emphasis by the Australian health... (Review)
Review
Massage therapy (MT) is the most popular complementary and alternative medicine therapy used by the Australian public. With the growing emphasis by the Australian health authority on evidence-informed healthcare decision-making, there is an increasing demand for massage therapists to move towards the evidence-informed practice (EIP). With MT research gaining significant attention over the last 30 years, clinical evidence exists to support the efficacies of MT on many health conditions, including chronic low back pain. This growing body of research supports MT to become an evidence-informed therapeutic modality. The evidence utilization process of asking clinical questions, searching for available research evidence, and appraising the evidence critically can be incorporated into the clinical practice of MT. Moreover, integrating practitioners' skills and experience with research evidence enables the best treatment plan to address the clients' needs and stated goals. No dichotomy exists between scientific research and the humanistic client care of MT. A massage therapist can gain greater confidence in practice, improve critical thinking and decision-making skills, and increase career satisfaction through EIP. Despite its high public utilization, massage therapists in Australia remain a low-paying profession dominated by part-time workers who rarely utilize research evidence in practice. Professional associations of massage therapists in Australia need to play a key role in promoting EIP through continuing professional education, providing the access to research information and resources, as well as fostering a culture of EIP.
Topics: Australia; Evidence-Based Practice; Humans; Massage
PubMed: 29705477
DOI: 10.1016/j.ctcp.2018.04.004 -
Medicine Apr 2023The study aimed to compare the effects of connective tissue massage (CTM) and classical massage (CM) in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain on pain and... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
The study aimed to compare the effects of connective tissue massage (CTM) and classical massage (CM) in patients with chronic mechanical low back pain on pain and autonomic responses and to determine the most effective manual therapy method.
METHODS
Seventy individuals with chronic mechanical low back pain were randomly divided into CTM (n = 35) and CM (n = 35) groups. The participants were given a 4-week treatment protocol consisting of a hot pack, exercise, and CTM or CM for 20 sessions. A visual analog scale was used to measure pain intensity. Heart rate, blood pressure, and skin temperature were measured for the evaluation of autonomic responses. In addition, disability (Oswestry disability index), quality of life (short form 36), and sleep quality (Pittsburgh sleep quality index) were evaluated. Participants were assessed before and after the 4-week treatment period as well as at the end of the 6-week follow-up period. In addition, visual analog index measurements were repeated at the end of each treatment week.
RESULTS
Pain intensity was decreased in both groups (P < .05). However, CM was more effective than CTM at the end of the 2nd week (P < .05). In autonomic responses results, there were increases in peripheral skin temperatures in both groups (P < .05). Disability, quality of life, and sleep quality improved in both groups (P < .05). There were no differences between the groups relating to autonomic responses, disability, quality of life, and sleep quality (P > .05).
CONCLUSION
The results of this study showed that massages were similar effect. The fact that CM is a frequently used technique in pain management and is as effective as CTM in autonomic responses will make it more preferred in the clinic.
Topics: Humans; Chronic Pain; Connective Tissue; Low Back Pain; Massage; Pain Measurement; Quality of Life; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37058058
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000033516