Patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee may experience short-term symptom relief by adding a weekly massage to their treatment regimen, researchers recently reported.
For the study, published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, researchers sought to determine how a whole-body massage, compared to active control (light touch) and usual care, would impact knee OA symptoms. Adult knee OA patients were eligible for inclusion. Patients were assessed at baseline and weeks eight, 16, 24, 36, and 52. Massage or light-touch patients received treatment for eight weeks and were then randomized to either biweekly intervention or usual care through week 52. Usual care patients continued to week 24. Primary outcomes were measured by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC). Secondary measurements were the visual analog pain scale, PROMIS Pain Interference, knee range of motion, and timed 50-feet walk. Two hundred patients completed assessment through week eight, and 175 completed the full 52 weeks.
https://twitter.com/steveaschmd/status/1073660009794269185
At eight-week assessment, WOMAC Global scores were significantly better in the massage group than the light-touch (− 8.16, 95% CI = − 13.50 to − 2.81) and usual care groups (− 9.55, 95% CI = − 14.66 to − 4.45). Pain, stiffness, and physical function WOMAC subscale scores were also better in the massage patients compared to the light-touch (p < 0.001; p = 0.04; p = 0.02, respectively) and usual care cohorts (p < 0.001; p = 0.002; p = 0.002; respectively). At 52-week follow-up, there were no significant differences among the three groups. Adverse events were insignificant.
Knee Osteoarthritis Patients Can Lower Pain with Massage and Patellar Mobilization Therapy https://t.co/UV1eLie4T3
— BM Health News (@BMHNews) December 19, 2018
OA impacts over 30 million Americans, according to lead study author Adam Perlman, MD, and treatment is not a one size fits all.
“Medications are available, but many patients experience adverse side effects, raising the need for alternatives,” said Perlman, program director of the Leadership Program in Integrative Healthcare at Duke University School of Medicine. “This study demonstrates that massage has potential to be one such option.”
Efficacy and Safety of Massage for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: a Randomized Clinical Trial. Just published new study on massage. https://t.co/870C3PjjBj
— Adam Perlman, MD MPH (@DrAdamPerlman) December 13, 2018
The researchers wrote in their study: “Efficacy of symptom relief and safety of weekly massage make it an attractive short-term treatment option for knee osteoarthritis. Longer-term biweekly dose maintained improvement, but did not provide additional benefit beyond usual care post 8-week treatment.”
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