Category Archives: Massage

VA Evaluates Use of Massage Therapy for Pain Relief

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PainRelief.com Interview with:
Dr. Selene Mak Ph.D, MPH
Program Manager in the Evidence Synthesis Program
VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System

Dr. Selena Mak
Dr. Selena Mak

PainRelief.com: What is the background for this study?

Response: The Department of Veterans Affairs is committed to providing evidence-based treatments.  One way VA pursues this is through rigorous examinations of the evidence about potential therapies.  Massage therapy is one such therapy being examined. 

VA previously produced an evidence map of massage therapy for pain, which included systematic reviews published through 2018. However, new evidence is constantly appearing and to categorize the newer evidence base for use in decision-making by policymakers and practitioners, VA policymakers requested a new, updated evidence map of systematic reviews published since 2018 to answer the question “What is the certainty of evidence in systematic reviews of massage therapy for pain?”

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Massage for Osteoarthritis of Knee Reduced Pain and Improved Physical Functioning

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Adam-Perlman-

Dr. Perlman

PainRelief.com Interview with:
Adam Perlman, MD, MPH
Program Director, Leadership Program in Integrative Healthcare
Duke Integrative Medicine 

PainRelief.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: Current treatment options for knee osteoarthritis have limited effectiveness and potentially adverse side effects. Massage may offer a safe and effective complement to the management of knee osteoarthritis.

We investigated the effect of whole-body massage on knee osteoarthritis, compared to active control (light-touch), and usual care. Participants received 8 weeks of massage, light-touch or usual care and then were randomly assigned to maintenance every other week massage, light-touch or continuation of their usual care. At the end of 8 weeks, massage significantly improved symptoms, including pain, stiffness and physical function, while the other groups did not. At 52 weeks, every other week massage maintained the improvements, however the other groups also improved. Continue reading →