Abstract
Objectives: Little is known about the effectiveness of therapeutic massage, one of the most popular complementary medical treatments for neck pain. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate whether therapeutic massage is more beneficial than a self-care book for patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: Sixty-four such patients were randomized to receive up to 10 massages over 10 weeks or a self-care book. Follow-up telephone interviews after 4, 10, and 26 weeks assessed outcomes including dysfunction and symptoms. Log-binomial regression was used to assess whether there were differences in the percentages of participants with clinically meaningful improvements in dysfunction and symptoms (ie, >5-point improvement on the Neck Disability Index; >30% improvement from baseline on the symptom bothersomeness scale) at each time point. Results: At 10 weeks, more participants randomized to massage experienced clinically significant improvement on the Neck Disability Index [39% vs. 14% of book group; relative risk (RR)=2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99-7.5] and on the symptom bothersomeness scale (55% vs. 25% of book group; RR=2.2; 95% CI, 1.04-4.2). After 26 weeks, massage group members tended to be more likely to report improved function (RR=1.8; 95% CI, 0.97-3.5), but not symptom bothersomeness (RR=1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-2.0). Mean differences between groups were strongest at 4 weeks and not evident by 26 weeks. No serious adverse experiences were reported. Conclusions: This study suggests that massage is safe and may have clinical benefits for treating chronic neck pain at least in the short term. A larger trial is warranted to confirm these results.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 233-238 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Clinical Journal of Pain |
| Volume | 25 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Mar 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- Chronic neck pain
- Clinical trial
- Primary care patients
- Therapeutic massage
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine
- Clinical Neurology
- Medicine(all)
Cite this
Randomized trial of therapeutic massage for chronic neck pain. / Sherman, Karen J.; Cherkin, Daniel C.; Hawkes, Rene J.; Miglioretti, Diana L.; Deyo, Richard (Rick).
In: Clinical Journal of Pain, Vol. 25, No. 3, 03.2009, p. 233-238.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Randomized trial of therapeutic massage for chronic neck pain
AU - Sherman, Karen J.
AU - Cherkin, Daniel C.
AU - Hawkes, Rene J.
AU - Miglioretti, Diana L.
AU - Deyo, Richard (Rick)
PY - 2009/3
Y1 - 2009/3
N2 - Objectives: Little is known about the effectiveness of therapeutic massage, one of the most popular complementary medical treatments for neck pain. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate whether therapeutic massage is more beneficial than a self-care book for patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: Sixty-four such patients were randomized to receive up to 10 massages over 10 weeks or a self-care book. Follow-up telephone interviews after 4, 10, and 26 weeks assessed outcomes including dysfunction and symptoms. Log-binomial regression was used to assess whether there were differences in the percentages of participants with clinically meaningful improvements in dysfunction and symptoms (ie, >5-point improvement on the Neck Disability Index; >30% improvement from baseline on the symptom bothersomeness scale) at each time point. Results: At 10 weeks, more participants randomized to massage experienced clinically significant improvement on the Neck Disability Index [39% vs. 14% of book group; relative risk (RR)=2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99-7.5] and on the symptom bothersomeness scale (55% vs. 25% of book group; RR=2.2; 95% CI, 1.04-4.2). After 26 weeks, massage group members tended to be more likely to report improved function (RR=1.8; 95% CI, 0.97-3.5), but not symptom bothersomeness (RR=1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-2.0). Mean differences between groups were strongest at 4 weeks and not evident by 26 weeks. No serious adverse experiences were reported. Conclusions: This study suggests that massage is safe and may have clinical benefits for treating chronic neck pain at least in the short term. A larger trial is warranted to confirm these results.
AB - Objectives: Little is known about the effectiveness of therapeutic massage, one of the most popular complementary medical treatments for neck pain. A randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate whether therapeutic massage is more beneficial than a self-care book for patients with chronic neck pain. Methods: Sixty-four such patients were randomized to receive up to 10 massages over 10 weeks or a self-care book. Follow-up telephone interviews after 4, 10, and 26 weeks assessed outcomes including dysfunction and symptoms. Log-binomial regression was used to assess whether there were differences in the percentages of participants with clinically meaningful improvements in dysfunction and symptoms (ie, >5-point improvement on the Neck Disability Index; >30% improvement from baseline on the symptom bothersomeness scale) at each time point. Results: At 10 weeks, more participants randomized to massage experienced clinically significant improvement on the Neck Disability Index [39% vs. 14% of book group; relative risk (RR)=2.7; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.99-7.5] and on the symptom bothersomeness scale (55% vs. 25% of book group; RR=2.2; 95% CI, 1.04-4.2). After 26 weeks, massage group members tended to be more likely to report improved function (RR=1.8; 95% CI, 0.97-3.5), but not symptom bothersomeness (RR=1.1; 95% CI, 0.6-2.0). Mean differences between groups were strongest at 4 weeks and not evident by 26 weeks. No serious adverse experiences were reported. Conclusions: This study suggests that massage is safe and may have clinical benefits for treating chronic neck pain at least in the short term. A larger trial is warranted to confirm these results.
KW - Chronic neck pain
KW - Clinical trial
KW - Primary care patients
KW - Therapeutic massage
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=67649236151&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=67649236151&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31818b7912
DO - 10.1097/AJP.0b013e31818b7912
M3 - Article
C2 - 19333174
AN - SCOPUS:67649236151
VL - 25
SP - 233
EP - 238
JO - Clinical Journal of Pain
JF - Clinical Journal of Pain
SN - 0749-8047
IS - 3
ER -