Massage away those agonies of knee pain
A SWEDISH-STYLE massage every week could provide a short-term solution to the misery of knee pain among older people, researchers claimed yesterday.
In a study of 200 patients published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, those with arthritis in their knees experienced significant improvement in pain and mobility after whole-body massages.
The participants were split into three groups: those who received a one-hour, weekly Swedish massage, those who received a light-touch control treatment and those who received their usual care.
After eight weeks, patients who received massage were shown to experience less pain and stiffness, and have better physical function compared with the other groups.
At 52 weeks there were no significant differences between the groups. Twice-monthly massages maintained the improvements observed at eight weeks, but did not provide an additional benefit.
Study leader Dr Adam Perlman, of Duke University School of Medicine in North Carolina, said: “Osteoarthritis is a leading cause of disability and affects millions of people.
“At a time when people are looking for effective non-medication options for pain, this study provides further evidence that massage has a potential role, at least for those suffering with osteoarthritis.”