Table 13Chronic low back pain: manual therapies (massage)

Author, Year, Followup, Pain Duration, Study QualityInterventionPopulationFunction and Pain OutcomesOther Outcomes

Ajimsha, 2014

1 month

Duration of pain: 2.3 vs. 2.25 years

Fair

A. Myofascial release (n=38)

24 sessions, 3 session/week for 8 weeks

B. Sham myofascial release (n=36)

A vs. B

Age: 36 vs. 34 years

Female: 76% vs. 78%

Baseline Quebec Back Disability Scale (0-100): 37.1 vs. 35.3

Baseline pain (0-78 McGill Pain): 23.2 vs. 23.0

A vs. B

1 month

Quebec Back Disability Scale (0-100): 28.7 vs. 32.5, difference −2.02, p<0.005

McGill Pain Questionnaire (0-78): 13.1 vs. 18.3, difference −3.25, p<0.005

Arguisuelas, 2017

3 months

Duration of pain: 7.1 to 7.9 years

Fair

A. Myofascial release (n=27): Two 40-minute sessions per week for 2 weeks.

B. Sham myofascial release (n=27)

A vs. B

Age: 47 vs. 46 years

Female: 59% vs. 63%

Baseline (0-24, = 3 points): 11.1 vs. 11.1

Baseline (0-100, = ≥20mm): 60.5 vs. 63.3

Baseline (0-45, = 5 points): 22.3 vs. 23

A vs. B

3 months

: 8.1 (95% 5.4 to 10.9) 11.8 (95% CI 9.1 to 14.5), difference −3.7 (95% CI −7.6 to −0.2), p≤0.05

: 43.0 (95% 31.1 to 54.9) 52.0 (95% CI 40.1 to 63.9), difference −9.0 (95% CI −-25.8 to 7.9), p≤0.05

: 15.28 (95% 11.1 to 20.6) vs. 23.7 (95% CI 18.9 to 28.4), difference −7.8 (95% CI −14.5 to −1.1), p≤0.05

improved ≥3 points: 81.8% vs. 25%

Pain () improved ≥20 points: 50.0% vs. 37.5%

improved ≥5 points: 59.1% vs. 29.1%

A vs. B

3 months

: 48.1 (95% 38.1 to 58.1) vs. 61.6 (95% CI 51.7 to 71.6), difference −13.5 (95% CI −27.6 to 0.5), p≤0.05

Cherkin, 2001

10.5 months

Duration of pain >1 year: 64% vs. 62%

Fair

A. Mixed massage (including Swedish) (n=78) Up to 10 sessions over 10 weeks

B. Attention control (self-care education) (n=90)

A vs. B

Age: 46 vs. 44 years

Female: 69% vs. 56%

Baseline modified (0-23): 11.8 vs. 12.0

Baseline symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 6.2 vs. 6.1

A vs. B

10.5 months

Modified (0-23): 6.8 vs. 6.4, p=0.03

Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 3.2 vs. 3.8, p=0.003

A vs. B

10.5 months

Low back pain medication: 2.5 vs. 4.0, p=0.69

SF-12 Mental Component Score: no differences, data not shown

Cherkin, 2011

9.5 months

Duration of pain ≥1 year: 77% vs. 72% vs. 78%

Fair

A. Structural massage (n=132): (myofascial, neuromuscular, and other soft-tissue techniques) 10 sessions for 10 weeks

B. Relaxation massage (n=136): 10 sessions for 10 weeks

C. Usual care (n=133)

A vs. B vs. C

Age: 46 vs. 47 vs. 48 years

Female: 66% vs. 65% vs. 62%

Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 5.6 vs. 5.6 vs. 5.8

Modified (0-23): 10.1 vs. 11.6 vs.10.5

A vs. B vs. C

9.5 months

Symptom bothersomeness (0-10): 4.6 (95% 4.2 to 5.0) vs. 3.9 (95% CI 3.5 to 4.3) vs. 4.2 (95% CI 3.8 to 4.6)

Modified (0-23): 7.2 (95% 6.4, 7.9) vs. 6.0 (95% CI 5.2 to 6.9) vs. 7.4 (95% CI 6.6 to 8.3), adjusted difference −0.3 (95% CI −1.4 to 0.9) for A vs. C and −1.4 (95% CI −2.6 to −0.2) for B vs. C

A vs. B vs. C

9.5 months

SF-12 Mental (0-100): 52.4 (95% 50.9 to 53.8) vs. 53.5 (95% CI 52.2 to 54.8) vs. 51.9 (95% CI 50.2 to 53.6)

SF-12 Physical (0-100): 37.7 (95% 36.8 to 38.7) vs. 37.9 (95% CI 37.0 to 38.7) vs. 37.7 (95% CI 36.8 to 38.6)

Opioid use in last week for : 4.8% (95% 3.1 to 7.3) vs. 4.9% (95% CI 3.1 to 7.9) vs. 4.9% (95% CI 2.7 to 8.7)

Global rating of improvement “much better” or “gone”: 26.1% (95% 19.8 to 34.6) vs. 36.2% (95% 29.1 to 45.0) vs. 20.5 (95% CI 14.5 to 29.0), 1.3 (95% CI 0.8, 2.0) for A vs. C and RR 1.8 (95% CI 1.2, 2.6) for B vs. C

Healthcare costs (median): $38 (range $0 to $1443) vs. $78 (range $0 to $3,764) vs. $25 (range $0 to $8,082)

Little, 2008

11.5 months

Duration of pain:

Fair

A. Mixed massage (including Swedish) (n=75), 6 sessions over 6 weeks/

B: Usual care (n=72)

C: Exercise (regular exercise) (n=72) 5 times per week

Age: 45-46 years

Female: 64-78%

Baseline (0-24): 10.8-11.3

Baseline Deyo troublesome-ness (1-5): 3.3−3.4

A vs. B

10.5 months

(0-24): vs. 9.23 (5.3), difference −0.45 (95% −2.3 to 1.39)

Von Korff disability (0-10): vs. 3.32 (2.25), difference 0.46 (95% −0.43 to 1.35)

Von Korff pain (0-10): vs. 4.74 (2.20), difference 0.29 (95% −0.58 to 1.16)

A vs. C

10.5 months

: −0.45 (−2.3 to 1.39) vs. −1.65 (−3.62 to 0.31)

Von Korff disability: 0.46 (−0.43 to 1.35) vs. 0.05 (−0.92 to 1.02)

Von Korff pain: 0.29 (−0.58 to 1.16) vs. −0.31 (−1.26 to 0.63)

A vs. B

10.5 months

Von Korff overall (0-10): vs. 4.19, difference 0.31 (95% −0.52 to 1.14)

SF-36 PCS (0-100): vs. 56.1 (18.6), difference −1.45 (95% −9.04 to 6.15)

SF-36 MCS (0-100): vs. 64.8 (17.5), difference −2.11 (95% −9.37 to 5.16)

Deyo troublesomeness scale (1-5): vs. 3.05 (0.80), difference 0.04 (−0.25 to 0.33)

A vs. C

10.5 months

Von Korff overall: 0.31 (−0.52 to 1.14) vs. −0.19 (−1.09 to 0.72)

SF-36 Physical Component Score: −1.45 (−9.04 to 6.15) vs. −2.08 (−10.6 to 6.40)

SF-36 Mental Component Score: −2.11 (−9.37 to 5.16) vs. 0.72 (−7.38 to 8.81)

Deyo troublesomeness scale: 0.04 (−0.25 to 0.33) vs. −0.21 (−0.52 to 0.09)

Movahedi, 2017

1 month

Duration of pain:

Poor

A. Acupressure (n=25): Three 14-minute sessions per week for 3 weeks (9 total sessions).

B. Sham acupressure (n=25)

A vs. B

Age: 37 vs. 37 years

Female: 100% vs. 100%

Baseline (9-63): 34.9 (12.3) vs. 34.8 (13.4)

A vs. B

1 month

: 24.3 vs. 36.6, p<0.001; difference −12.2 (95% −18.57 to −5.83)

Poole, 2007

4.5 months

Duration of pain: 10 vs. 11 vs. 9.5 years

Fair

A. Reflexology (n=77)

6 sessions over 6−8 weeks

B. Usual care (n=75)

A vs. B

Age: 47 vs. 47 years

Female: 62% vs. 51%

Baseline : 33.0 vs. 36.6

Baseline pain (0-100 ): 44.5 vs. 40.6

A vs. B

4.5 months

(0-100): 29.0 (20.2) vs. 32.9 (17.6)

Pain (0-100 ): 39.8 (29.2) vs. 42.7 (28.4)

A vs. B

4.5 months

Beck Depression Inventory (0-63): 11.6 (10.9) vs. 12.8 (9.2)

SF-36 Physical Functioning: 57.1 (31.8) vs. 52.2 (29.5)

SF-36 Social Functioning: 68.1 (31.8) vs. 61.5 (30.8)

SF-36 Physical Limitations: 48.2 (46.4) vs. 37.8 (42.5)

SF-36 Emotional Limitations: 55.0 (46.5) vs. 62.0 (44.0)

Quinn, 2008

1.5 and 3 months

Duration of pain: At least 3 months

Fair

A. Reflexology (pressure massage stimulation) (n=7)

6 sessions over 6 weeks

B. Sham reflexology (n=8)

A vs. B

Age (median): 42 vs. 45

Female: 86% vs. 50%

Baseline : 5 vs. 7.5

Baseline pain (0-10 ): 4.7 vs. 3.4

A vs. B

1.5 months, median ()

: 4 (3 to 4.5) vs. 4.5 (1 to 7)

Pain (0-10 ): 2.1 (1.5 to 4.9) vs. 4.1 (2.7 to 5.1)

McGill Pain Questionnaire (0-77): 11 (6 to 17) vs. 6.5 (5 to 13)

3 months, median ()

: 4 (2 to 5) vs. 3.5 (1.8 to 4.8)

: 2.2 (1.6 to 3.2) vs. 3.2 (2.6 to 4.6)

McGill Pain Questionnaire (0-77): 6 (4 to 13) vs. 7.5 (3.8 to 9.8)

A vs. B

1.5 months, median ()

SF-36 General health: 52.9 (49 to 54) vs. 42.2 (40 to 51)

SF-36 Physical functioning: 48.6 (47 to 50) vs. 43.4 (40 to 50)

SF-36 Mental health: 47.2 (43 to 56) vs. 47.2 (42 to 53)

3 months, median ()

SF-36 General health: 48.2 (46 to 52) vs. 47.0 (38 to 53)

SF-36 Physical functioning: 50.7 (44 to 51) vs. 45.5 (44 to 50)

SF-36 Mental health: 52.8 (39 to 53) vs. 48.6 (44 to 51)

Abbreviations: = confidence interval; = Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire; = Fatigue Severity Scale; = interquartile range; = low back pain; = not reported; MCS = Mental Component Summary; = minimal clinically important difference; MPQ = McGill Pain Questionnaire; NR = not reported; PCS = Physical Component Summary; = Oswestry Disability Index; =Roland-Morris disability questionnaire; = relative risk; SF-12 = Short-Form 12 questionaire; SF-36 = Short-Form 36 questionnaire; = visual analog scale

a

Unless otherwise noted, followup time is calculated from the end of the treatment period

From: Results

Cover of Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update
Noninvasive Nonpharmacological Treatment for Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review Update [Internet].
Comparative Effectiveness Review, No. 227.
Skelly AC, Chou R, Dettori JR, et al.

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