Recent research studies are consistenly proving the Health Benefits of Massage Therapy. It is rapidly becoming recognized as a key component in one’s health and wellness. While there are numerous health benefits, the focus of today’s article is the impact of Massage Therapy on the body’s inflammation after exercise as well as its role in reducing the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee. Compiled by the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA), here is a look at Massage Therapy’s role in treating the aforementioned condidionts, from the article, Growing Body Of Research Shows Massage Therapy Effective For Prevalent Health Conditions.
The Pain of Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Research(1) supported by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine shows 60-minute sessions of Swedish massage once a week for those with osteoarthritis of the knee significantly reduced their pain. This study, which involved a total group of 125 subjects over an eight-week period, is the latest published research study indicating the benefits of massage therapy for those with osteoarthritis of the knee.
Inflammation After Exercise
Research(2) through the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and McMaster University in Hamilton, Ohio indicates massage therapy reduces inflammation of skeletal muscle acutely damaged through exercise. The study provides evidence for the benefits of massage therapy for those with musculoskeletal injuries and potentially for those with inflammatory disease. Specifically, evidence at the cellular level showed massage therapy may affect inflammation in a way similar to anti-inflammatory medications.
“This is a new type of research, which can lead to more information on how massage affects muscle,” said AMTA President Cynthia Ribeiro. “We encourage more research on the benefits of massage therapy and how and why massage produces the benefits indicated by research.”
(1) Perlman AI, Ali A, Njike VY, et al. Massage therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee: a randomized dose-finding trial. PLoS One. 2012; 7(2):e30248.
(2) J. D. Crane, D. I. Ogborn, C. Cupido, S. Melov, A. Hubbard, J. M. Bourgeois, M. A. Tarnopolsky, Massage Therapy Attenuates Inflammatory Signaling After Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. Sci. Transl. Med. 4, 119ra13 (2012).
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