Background: The literature on the effects of massage therapy on neck arthritis pain is mixed depending
on the dose level, and it is also based on self-report. In the present study an attempt was made to
enhance the effects of weekly massage therapy by having the participants massage themselves daily. And
in addition to self-reports on pain, range of motion (ROM) and the associated ROM pain were assessed
before and after the first massage session and pre-post the last session one month later.
Methods: Staff and faculty members at a medical school who were eligible for the study if they had neck
arthritis pain were randomly assigned to a massage or a waitlist control group (N ¼ 24 per group). The
massage group received moderate pressure massages weekly by a massage therapist plus daily selfmassages.
The waitlist control group received the same schedule massages one month after being
control subjects.
Results: The massage group showed significant short-term reductions after the first and last day massages
in self-reported pain and in ROM-associated pain as well as an increase in ROM. Comparisons
between the massage group (N ¼ 23) and the control group (N ¼ 14) on the last versus the first day data
suggested significantly different changes including increased ROM and reduced ROM-associated pain for
the massage group and reduced ROM and increased ROM-associated pain for the control group. These
changes occurred specifically for flexion and right and left lateral flexion motions.
Discussion: These data highlight the importance of designing massage therapy protocols that target the
most affected neck muscle groups and then assessing range of motion and related pain before and after
the massage therapy. Comparisons with other studies also suggest that moderate pressure may
contribute to the massage effects, and the use of daily self-massages between sessions may sustain the
effects and serve as a cost-effective therapy for individuals with neck arthritis pain