Does Massage Therapy Work?

Massage therapy has a growing body of evidence supporting its role in reducing pain and improving health-related quality of life in a variety of health conditions

Massage therapy has a growing body of evidence supporting its role in reducing pain and improving health-related quality of life in a variety of health conditions


Does Massage Therapy Work?

Clinical practice guidelines from both the Canadian Medical Association and American Medical Association now recommend massage therapy as part of a multidimensional approach for low back pain. In addition to these recommendations massage therapy has a growing body of evidence supporting its role in reducing pain and improving health-related quality of life in a variety of health conditions including but not limited to: low back, neck, shoulder, knee pain and headaches.

Massage Therapy: A Brief Review of The Evidence

Massage Therapy: A Brief Review of The Evidence


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Boitor, M., Gélinas, C., Richard-Lalonde, M., Thombs, B.D. (2017). The Effect of Massage on Acute Postoperative Pain in Critically and Acutely Ill Adults Post-thoracic Surgery: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Heart Lung.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28619390

Busse, J.W., Craigie, S., Juurlink, D.N, ... Guyatt GH. (2017). Guideline for opioid therapy and chronic noncancer pain. CMAJ.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28483845

Chou, R., Deyo, R., Friedly, ... Brodt, E.D. (2017). Nonpharmacologic Therapies for Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review for an American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline. Ann Intern Med.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28192793 

Chou, R., Côté, P., ... Cedraschi, C. (2018). The Global Spine Care Initiative: applying evidence-based guidelines on the non-invasive management of back and neck pain to low- and middle-income communities. Eur Spine J.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29460009/

Foster, N.E., Anema, J.R., Cherkin, D., ... Maher, C.G. (2018). Prevention and treatment of low back pain: evidence, challenges, and promising directions. Lancet.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29573872

Fraser, J.J., Corbett, R., Donner, C., Hertel, J. (2018). Does manual therapy improve pain and function in patients with plantar fasciitis? A systematic review. J Man Manip Ther.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29686479

Guo, J., Li, L., Gong, Y., Zhu, R., Xu, J., Zou, J., Chen, X. (2017). Massage Alleviates Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness after Strenuous Exercise: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29021762

Hilfiker, R., Meichtry, A., Eicher, M., ... Taeymans, J. (2018). Exercise and other non-pharmaceutical interventions for cancer-related fatigue in patients during or after cancer treatment: a systematic review incorporating an indirect-comparisons meta-analysis. Br J Sports Med. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28501804

Huisstede, B.M., van den Brink, J., Randsdorp, M.S., Geelen, S.J., Koes, B.W. (2017). The Effectiveness of Surgical and Post-Surgical Interventions for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome-A Systematic Review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28577858

Kinkead, B., Schettler, P.J., Larson, E.R., ... Rapaport, M.H. (2018). Massage therapy decreases cancer-related fatigue: Results from a randomized early phase trial. Cancer.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29044466

Kukimoto, Y., Ooe, N., Ideguchi, N. (2017). The Effects of Massage Therapy on Pain and Anxiety after Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Pain Manag Nurs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29173797

Martins, W. R., Blasczyk, J. C., ... Oliveira, R. J. (2016). Efficacy of musculoskeletal manual approach in the treatment of temporomandibular joint disorder: A systematic review with meta-analysis. Manual Therapy.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26144684

Millstine, D., Chen, C., Bauer, B. (2017). Complementary and integrative medicine in the management of headache. BMJ.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28512119

Nelson, N.L., Churilla, J.R. (2017). Massage Therapy for Pain and Function in Patients With Arthritis: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Am J Phys Med Rehabil.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28177937

Piper, S., Shearer, H.M., Côté, P., ... Taylor-Vaisey, A.L. (2016). The effectiveness of soft-tissue therapy for the management of musculoskeletal disorders and injuries of the upper and lower extremities: A systematic review by the Ontario Protocol for Traffic Injury management (OPTIMa) collaboration. Man Ther. 
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26386912

Qaseem, A., Wilt, T.J., McLean, R.M., Forciea, M.A. (2017). Noninvasive Treatments for Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28192789

Randhawa, K., Bohay, R., Côté, P., Velde, G., . . . Taylor-Vaisey, A. (2016). The Effectiveness of Non-invasive Interventions for Temporomandibular Disorders. The Clinical Journal of Pain.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25924094

Traeger, A., Buchbinder, R., Harris, I., Maher, C. (2017). Diagnosis and management of low-back pain in primary care. CMAJ.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29133540