A Meta-Analysis of Massage Therapy Research
Christopher A. Moyer, James Rounds, and James W. Hannum University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Psychological Bulletin 2004, Vol. 130, No. 1, 3–18
Abstract: Massage therapy (MT) is an ancient form of treatment that is now gaining popularity as part of the complementary and alternative medical therapy movement. A meta-analysis was conducted of studies that used random assignment to test the effectiveness of MT. Mean effect sizes were calculated from 37 studies for 9 dependent variables. Single applications of MT reduced state anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate but not negative mood, immediate assessment of pain, and cortisol level. Multiple applications reduced delayed assessment of pain. Reductions of trait anxiety and depression were MT’s largest effects, with a course of treatment providing benefits similar in magnitude to those of psychotherapy. No moderators were statistically significant, though continued testing is needed. The limitations of a medical model of MT are discussed, and it is proposed that new MT theories and research use a psychotherapy perspective.
Some interesting quotes from the discussion include: “These results indicate that MT may have an effect similar to that of psychotherapy” and “It could be interesting to determine whether a combination of MT and psychotherapy could be significantly more effective than either alone.” When we consider that these results came from just a half hour of regular massage therapy treatment, just imagine what kind of results one might get from a longer session from a massage therapist trained in using Awareness techniques as we do at PCAB.