Massage for mechanical neck disorders: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Evidence-Based Practice

Background:

• Neck pain is a prevalent and disabling condition with significant healthcare costs.
• Massage therapy is a frequently utilized treatment for individuals experiencing neck pain.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and assess the effects of massage on pain, function, patient satisfaction, cost, and adverse events in adults with neck pain.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of randomized and quasirandomized trials was conducted, searching databases from inception to September 2004.
• Two independent reviewers identified studies, abstracted data, and assessed quality.
• Due to heterogeneity, a levels-of-evidence approach was used for synthesis instead of statistical pooling.

Main Results:

• Nineteen trials were included, with a majority (12/19) rated as low quality.
• Descriptions of massage interventions and practitioner credentials were often inadequate.
• Results were inconclusive for massage as a standalone treatment and when used in multimodal interventions.

Conclusions:

• The effectiveness of massage for neck pain remains uncertain, precluding practice recommendations.
• Further pilot studies are required to define optimal massage characteristics (frequency, duration, technique).
• Future trials need improved reporting on allocation concealment, blinding, adverse events, and massage details, with standardized reporting guidelines recommended.