Article

Massage therapy is gaining interest as a therapeutic approach to
managing osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. To date, there have
been no systematic reviews investigating the effects of massage therapy on these
conditions. DESIGN: Systematic review was used. OBJECTIVES: The primary aim of
this review was to critically appraise and synthesize the current evidence
regarding the effects of massage therapy as a stand-alone treatment on pain and
functional outcomes among those with osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis.
METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials were searched using the electronic
databases Google Scholar, MEDLINE, and PEDro. The PEDro scale was used to assess
risk of bias, and the quality of evidence was assessed with the GRADE approach.
RESULTS: This review found seven randomized controlled trials representing 352
participants who satisfied the inclusion criteria. Risk of bias ranged from four
to seven. Our results found low- to moderate-quality evidence that massage
therapy is superior to nonactive therapies in reducing pain and improving certain
functional outcomes. It is unclear whether massage therapy is more effective than
other forms of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need for large,
methodologically rigorous randomized controlled trials investigating the
effectiveness of massage therapy as an intervention for individuals with
arthritis.

Langue : ANGLAIS