The Effect of Massage Force on Relieving Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Pei-Chun Chen, Li Wei, Chung-Yu Huang, Feng-Hang Chang and Yen-Nung Lin ()
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Pei-Chun Chen: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
Li Wei: Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
Chung-Yu Huang: Department of Traditional Medicine, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
Feng-Hang Chang: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan
Yen-Nung Lin: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 20, 1-11

Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effect of force applied during massage on relieving nonspecific low back pain (LBP). Methods: This single-blinded, randomized controlled trial enrolled 56 female patients with nonspecific LBP at a single medical center. For each participant, the therapist performed a 30 min massage session (20 min general massage and 10 min focal massage) using a special instrument with a force sensor inserted, for a total of six sessions in 3 weeks. During the 10 min focal massage, HF and LF groups received high force (HF, ≥2 kg) and low force (LF, ≤1 kg) massage, respectively. The primary outcome was pain intensity (i.e., visual analog scale (VAS), 0–10), and secondary outcomes comprised pain pressure threshold, trunk mobility, LBP-associated disability, and quality of life. Results: No significant between-group differences were observed in baseline characteristics. The HF group exhibited significantly lower VAS than did the LF group, with a mean difference of −1.33 points (95% CI: −2.17 to −0.5) at the end of the intervention, but no significant difference was noted at the end of the follow-up. A significant time effect ( p < 0.05) was detected in all secondary outcomes except the pain pressure threshold and trunk mobility. A significant time × group interaction ( p < 0.05) was found only for the VAS and pain pressure threshold. Conclusions: Compared with LF massage, HF massage exerted superior effects on pain relief in female patients with nonspecific LBP at the end of intervention. Applying different levels of force showed no effects on LBP-associated disabilities and quality of life.

Keywords: mechanical low back pain; musculoskeletal manipulation; myofascial pain syndrome; biomechanical phenomena; manual therapy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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