Back Massage

Will back massage help your back pain?

Back Massage is another very old therapy, Ayurvedic massage can be traced back 5000 years in India. It involves applying movement and pressure to soft tissues such as muscles and skin. This pressure is usually applied with the hands but can be applied with the feet or elbows and also with mechanical devices such as massage rollers or massage machines like electronic massage chairs.

Image Courtesy Thomas Wanhoff

There are many different approaches to back massage and a dozen different schools of thought. Which type you choose depends very much on personal preference, some people prefer a firm massage whilst another will respond better to a lighter, less direct approach. You will need to shop around to find the one that suits you.

How does it work?

• It is thought to work in a number of ways:
  By increasing the blood supply to the area which reduces muscle spasm and therefore pain.
• A combination of the relaxing effects of touch and the stimulation of the soft tissues causes the body to release its own natural pain relievers called endorphins ( a bit like a TENS machine or acupuncture would)
  
• Releasing tension generally helps improve well being and mood.

Does back massage help low back pain?

One of the most recent high standard examinations of this question was as long ago as 2002 (1).This is a long time in medical research terms!  This study was what is called a meta-analysis. (This basically means a review and examination of all the collected research regarding back pain and massage, so its pretty reliable). The authors found weak evidence that massage may be helpful.

More recently a published guideline (2) has looked again at the evidence for back massage and has decided that there is fair evidence that massage may be helpful in cases o19-Apr-2010 lower back pain but no evidence that it is helpful for acute low back pain.

So the decision lies with you, there is no suggestion that massage can harm and for some it’s very helpful. Perhaps try it and see how you get on. Massage may help with pain relief but remember that active treatments such as exercise (2) have been shown to be better at managing back pain in the long run.

References

1.Furlan AD et al 2002, "Massage for low-back pain", Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews no. 2.

2. Chou, R. & Huffman, L. H. 2007, "Nonpharmacologic Therapies for Acute and Chronic Low Back Pain: A Review of the Evidence for an American Pain Society/American College of Physicians Clinical Practice Guideline", Annals of Internal Medicine, vol. 147, no. 7, pp. 492-504.

19-Apr-2010