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Massage for low-back pain.

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Massage therapy may offer short-term pain relief for low-back pain (LBP). However, evidence for its effectiveness, especially for function, is limited, with low-quality evidence and minor adverse effects reported.

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Area of Science:

  • Musculoskeletal Disorders
  • Rehabilitative Medicine
  • Pain Management

Background:

  • Low-back pain (LBP) is a prevalent and costly musculoskeletal condition affecting a large percentage of the adult population.
  • Massage therapy is explored as a potential intervention to alleviate LBP and improve functional recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically evaluate the efficacy of massage therapy for individuals experiencing non-specific low-back pain (LBP).

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, etc.) up to 2014.
  • Included were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving adults with acute, sub-acute, or chronic non-specific LBP, comparing massage to inactive or active controls.
  • Standard Cochrane methodological procedures were employed for study selection, data extraction, and critical appraisal by two independent reviewers.

Main Results:

  • Twenty-five RCTs with 3096 participants were included, with most studies focusing on sub-acute or chronic LBP.
  • Massage showed short-term benefits for pain compared to inactive controls in acute, sub-acute, and chronic LBP, and for function in sub-acute/chronic LBP.
  • Compared to active controls, massage improved pain in the short and long-term but not function; evidence quality was generally low to very low due to bias and imprecision.

Conclusions:

  • There is very limited confidence in massage therapy as a consistently effective treatment for LBP.
  • Short-term pain improvements were noted across LBP types, with functional gains seen only in sub-acute/chronic LBP versus inactive controls.
  • Minor adverse events, primarily increased pain intensity, were reported, with no serious adverse events documented.