Western Massage Therapies in the Management of Neck Pain: A Systematic Review

Oguzhan Mete; Derya Ozer Kaya; Merve Keskin; Seyda Toprak Celenay

doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2023.05.003

Western Massage Therapies in the Management of Neck Pain: A Systematic Review

J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2023 Jan;46(1):37-51. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2023.05.003. Epub 2023 Jul 8.

Authors

Oguzhan Mete¹, Derya Ozer Kaya², Merve Keskin², Seyda Toprak Celenay³

Affiliations

¹ Gulhane Faculty of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Ankara, Turkey.
² Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Health Sciences Faculty, Izmir Katip Celebi University, İzmir, Turkey.
³ Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Health Sciences Faculty, Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Ankara, Turkey. Electronic address: sydtoprak@hotmail.com.

PMID: 37422753
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2023.05.003

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this review was to compare types of Western massage therapy (MT) to other therapies, placebo, and no-treatment controls in neck pain (NP) in randomized and nonrandomized clinical trials.

Methods: An electronic, systematic search was performed in 7 English and 2 Turkish databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, SPORTDiscus, Physiotherapy Evidence-Based Database, ULAKBIM National Medical Database, and the Reference Directory of Turkey). The search terms "NP" and "massage" were used. Studies published between January 2012 and July 2021 were searched. Methodological quality was evaluated with Downs and Black Scale and version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool.

Results: A total of 932 articles were identified; 8 of them were eligible. The Downs and Black score ranged from 15 to 26 points. Two studies were rated as "fair," 3 studies as "good," and 3 studies as "excellent." According to version 2 of the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool, 3 studies had a low risk of bias, 3 studies had some concerns, and 2 studies had a high risk of bias. Fair evidence found that myofascial release therapy improved pain intensity and pain threshold compared to no intervention in the short term. Excellent evidence found that connective tissue massage with exercise improved pain intensity and pain threshold compared to exercise alone in the short term. No Western MTs were superior to other active therapies according to short-term and immediate effects.

Conclusion: This review suggests that Western MTs (myofascial release therapy and connective tissue massage) may improve NP, but studies are limited. This review showed that Western MTs were not superior to other active therapies for improving NP. The reviewed studies reported only immediate and short-term effects of Western MT; thus, high-quality randomized clinical trials investigating the long-term effects of Western MT are needed.

Keywords: Clinical Trial; Massage; Neck Pain; Rehabilitation; Systematic Review.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review

MeSH terms

Exercise
Humans
Massage*
Neck Pain* / therapy
Physical Therapy Modalities