Using Massage to Treat Low-back Pain

Proponents of massage therapy claim it can minimize pain and disability and speed return-to-normal function for low back pain. The authors of this recent study researched other clinical trials to determine the effectiveness of massage therapy and found massage could be beneficial, especially when combined with exercises and education. More studies are needed and are underway to assess the effect of massage on return-to-work, and to measure longer term effects to determine cost-effectiveness of massage as an intervention for LBP.