Research on Massage Therapy

As the clinical arm of a nationally accredited massage therapy school, we practice evidence-based work and follow the emerging research on massage. Below are peer-reviewed studies and systematic reviews that support many of the benefits we mention on our Why Massage page.

1. Pain, Function, and Chronic Low Back Pain

One of the best-known randomized controlled trials on massage for chronic low back pain found that both relaxation and structural massage improved pain and function compared to usual care.

Cherkin DC, et al. A comparison of the effects of 2 types of massage and usual care on chronic low back pain. Annals of Internal Medicine. 2011;155(1):1-9. View on PubMed
Allen L. The use of massage therapy to relieve chronic low-back pain. (case reported in the literature on chronic LBP and massage). Open article

2. Range of Motion, Neck and Shoulder Pain

Several reviews show massage can help improve shoulder range of motion and relieve neck/shoulder pain.

Yeun Y-R. Effectiveness of massage therapy on the range of motion of the shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis. 2017. Open article
Kong LJ, et al. Massage therapy for neck and shoulder pain. J Evid Based Complementary Altern Med. 2013. Open article

3. Emotional and Mental Health Benefits (Stress, Anxiety, Depression)

Massage has been studied as a complementary approach for reducing stress and symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Rapaport MH, et al. Massage therapy for psychiatric disorders. 2018. Open article
Hou WH, et al. Treatment effects of massage therapy in depressed people: a meta-analysis. View on PubMed
Coelho HF, et al. Massage therapy for the treatment of depression: a systematic review. View on PubMed
Falkensteiner M, et al. The use of massage therapy for reducing pain, anxiety, and depression in oncological palliative care. Open article

4. Sleep and Relaxation

Massage has been shown to improve sleep quality and relaxation, including in medically complex or critically ill adults.

Fang CS, et al. Effect of massage therapy on sleep quality in critically ill adult patients. 2023. View on PubMed
Samuel SR, et al. Randomized control trial evidence for the benefits of massage for sleep. Open article
AMTA Position Statement: Massage therapy can help improve sleep. Read summary

5. General Use of Massage for Anxiety and Well-Being

Surveys of complementary and integrative medicine users show massage is one of the more commonly chosen therapies for anxiety and stress.

Sherman KJ, et al. Effectiveness of therapeutic massage for generalized anxiety. Open article

Note: The studies above represent research at the time of posting. Massage therapy is not a substitute for medical care, and individual results may vary.