Abstract
Background—Few studies have evaluated the effectiveness of massage for back pain.
Objective—To evaluate the effectiveness of two types of massage for chronic back pain.
Design—Single-blind parallel group randomized controlled trial.
Setting—Integrated health care delivery system in Seattle area.
Patients—401 persons 20 to 65 years of age with non-specific chronic low back pain.
Interventions—Ten treatments over 10 weeks of Structural Massage (intended to identify and
alleviate musculoskeletal contributors to pain through focused soft-tissue manipulation) (n=132)
or Relaxation Massage (intended to decrease pain and dysfunction by inducing relaxation)
(n=136). Treatments provided by 27 experienced licensed massage therapists. Comparison group
received continued usual care (n=133). Study presented as comparison of usual care with two
types of massage.