Studies examining the effectiveness of preterm infant massage have been reported for more than 35 years. Unfortunately, the results of the existing infant massage studies are inconsistent and difficult to compare because of a general lack of a consistent operational definition, varying protocols (the types of pressures, amounts, timing of the interventions, kinesthetic component, unimodal or multimodal) and the inclusion of subjects of varying GAs, levels of acuity (morbidity) and PMA at the time of the massage intervention. The majority of preterm infant massage literature has been conducted in healthy or convalescing preterm patients who no longer require intensive care services. For the purpose of this review, massage studies were included if the infants were in a level III NICU and their average GA (