Massage

Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found lower nausea and vomiting symptom scores with combination therapy; 316 people were included in this outcome’s analysis.

Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.

All 3 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found increased mother-infant attachment scores; 80 people were included in this outcome’s analysis. A review also described clients reporting positive changes in interpersonal safety, bodily sensation, boundary setting, and bodily shame.

Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.

All 4 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis combining randomized and non-randomized human studies reported reductions in stress, anxiety, depression, and pain. A review also described decreased life event stress in a massage therapy group.

Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.

All 3 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial. A trial found it after a single session.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found that pre-event massage improved kicking speed compared with control and static stretching groups; 45 people were included in this outcome’s analysis. Another trial reported the greatest performance improvement among team and strength athletes, compared with individual and endurance athletes.

Some human studies found a benefit. More research could change this.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial. A trial found it after a single session.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found improved dynamic balance, particularly on the right foot, among Taekwondo athletes receiving a 10MMP or 15MMP rather than NMP; 12 people were included in this outcome’s analysis. A separate trial found better YBT composite scores on the dominant limb.

Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.

10 of 11 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis of randomized trials found that massage improved anxiety-related symptoms, and another pooled analysis reported lower STAI scores. Findings disagree: a pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded, including 161 people in its anxiety analysis, did not find a statistically significant result, so a definitive conclusion could not be drawn.

Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.

5 of 6 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found lower PSQI scores with manual therapy; another reported that effleurage ranked highest for reducing ISI scores, with 2,804 people in that outcome’s analysis. Findings disagree, as a pooled analysis of randomized trials did not find significant effects on sleep-related symptoms.

Studies disagree: some found a benefit, others found none. Do not count on it.

4 of 5 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.

Some studies reported improved DASH scores, while another found no difference between groups; findings therefore vary. A review reported the most favourable return-to-sport outcomes when interventions were part of structured, individualized, exercise-based rehabilitation.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis of randomized trials reported improvement in fatigue-related symptoms. A review also described reduced fatigue in intervention groups, including among people with cancer-related symptoms.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A meta-analysis of randomized trials found reduced spasticity after manual massage compared with controls among 253 people with Stroke in its outcome analysis; lower Modified Ashworth Scale scores indicate improvement.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

In children with FD, a pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found lower early-satiety scores with combination therapy than with conventional therapy; 442 people were included in the analysis. This finding concerns early satiety, rather than appetite measured directly.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found lower abdominal pain symptom scores with combination therapy; 442 people were included in this outcome’s analysis.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A meta-analysis pooling randomized and non-randomized human studies found a large improvement in BM/w among 1,407 people in its outcome analysis, but results were highly heterogeneous and showed evidence of small-study effects.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

3 of 4 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis of randomized trials reported improvement in psychological and depressive symptoms, while another pooled analysis found a higher Mental Health domain score. Findings disagree: a pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded, including 161 people in its depression analysis, did not find a statistically significant reduction in depression and was based on only 2 studies.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

In children with FD, a pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found higher GHRP levels when therapeutic massage was combined with conventional therapy; 522 people were included in this outcome’s analysis.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a systematic review of studies.

A review reported that ten included studies found greater reductions in lymphatic volume and arm circumference with massage than with alternative interventions. One report described a significant volume reduction.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a systematic review of studies.

A review reported reduced scapular protraction and anterior tilt during arm elevation after intervention, as well as improvements in posture and spinal curvatures. These findings were measured after specific interventions rather than establishing a general effect on posture.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.

A trial reported better recovery outcomes with bi-weekly massage sessions; muscle soreness was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS). The trial included 150 people.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

All 2 studies with a clear result found a benefit. Strongest study: a systematic review of studies.

A review reported increased blood flow velocity with elevation in 16 people, with values returning to baseline after 30 min.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a systematic review of studies.

Pooled analyses whose designs were not recorded report that twice-daily massage accelerated EEG maturation in preterm infants, with higher alpha/beta and lower delta activity and a more continuous EEG background; the changes followed a dose-responsive pattern.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a randomized controlled trial.

In a trial of 30 people with Rheumatoid Arthritis, median handgrip strength in the intervention group increased from 55 to 65 kg at the end of treatment compared with baseline.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a systematic review of studies.

Pooled analyses whose designs were not recorded found that plasma BDNF increased over 4 wks in 25 people in its neuroplasticity analysis.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

3 of 4 studies found a benefit; 1 found none. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

A pooled analysis whose designs were not recorded found better lumbar posterior extension motion with tuina combined with traction; the result was exploratory and based on two studies. Other findings varied: a trial reported increased flexibility with longer massage sessions, while a pooled analysis of randomized trials found no significant effect on overall muscle stiffness.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a narrative review.

A review reports that dissociation scores on the DES decreased with both massage and body-oriented therapy; this finding is not based on human evidence.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a narrative review.

A review describes improvements in nerve conduction velocity, wrist strength, range of motion, pain, and functional-status assessments with massage and an instrument-assisted technique; these findings are not based on human evidence.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a narrative review.

A

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a narrative review.

A review reports 30–40% increases in mitochondrial biogenesis markers (nuclear PGC-1α, COX7B, ND1 mRNA); this finding is not based on human evidence.

Too few or too small studies to know if it works.

The one study found a benefit. Strongest study: a narrative review.

A review reports gastrocnemius mass recovered to ~74% of baseline with STM, compared with ~50% with re-ambulation alone, and contralateral muscles showed a similar benefit; this finding is not based on human evidence.

Only tested in animals, cells or theory. Results like these often do not carry over to people.

The one study found a benefit.

Massage before bedtime may shorten sleep onset latency by promoting relaxation and reducing arousal.

Only tested in animals, cells or theory. Results like these often do not carry over to people.

The one study found a benefit.

Massage may help alleviate acute muscle cramps by mechanically stretching muscle fibers and improving local circulation.

Only people's own stories online. No study has tested it.

The one study found a benefit.

Expert summaries suggest massage after strenuous exercise can reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness at 24-72 h in healthy adults, with small to moderate effects.

Only people's own stories online. No study has tested it.

The one study found a benefit.

Small studies suggest relaxation-type massage, such as Swedish massage, shifts autonomic balance toward parasympathetic activity, with a short-lived effect around the session.

Only people's own stories online. No study has tested it.

The one study found a benefit.

Massage therapy may reduce migraine frequency and intensity, particularly when attacks have tension-type components.

Studies looked for a benefit and did not find one.

The one study found no benefit. Strongest study: a pooled analysis of several trials.

The studies did not support an improvement in urinary flow: a pooled analysis of randomized trials found no significant effects on urogenital symptoms.