Swedish massage for shoulder function and postmastectomy pain syndrome: randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Complementary Therapies

Background:

• Mastectomy patients often experience pain syndrome and shoulder dysfunction.
• Oncology centers require effective complementary therapies for post-surgical recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of Swedish massage on pain and shoulder function in women after mastectomy.
• To assess massage therapy as a complementary treatment in oncology care.

Main Methods:

• A randomized clinical trial involving 42 women undergoing mastectomy.
• Participants were assigned to either a Swedish massage group or a sham light stroking group for 3 weeks.
• Data collected using the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 1 month later.

Main Results:

• The Swedish massage group showed significant reductions in pain syndrome and shoulder dysfunction immediately after the intervention compared to the sham group (p<0.05).
• Mean pain scores decreased notably in the massage group post-intervention.
• Shoulder dysfunction scores also significantly improved in the massage group.

Conclusions:

• Swedish massage is an effective complementary therapy for reducing pain and improving shoulder function in mastectomy patients.
• This simple, low-cost, non-invasive approach can be integrated into clinical practice for pain management and functional recovery.
• Massage therapy supports patients in oncology and rehabilitation settings.