Weekly massages effective in preventing job 'presenteeism'

By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)

7/7/2011

Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

Massage seem to work more effectively than pain killers an exercise

According to a new report, a weekly massage reduced back pain better than using only medications and exercises, and the effects of the 10-week treatment lasted for six months. The study is significant for chronic pain sufferers, who drain the workforce with absenteeism and ""presenteeism," where the employee is present but largely unproductive.

In addition, structural massages are more likely to be covered by health insurance plans than relaxation massage, the researchers said, but relaxation massages are more widely available.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - "This is important because chronic back pain is among the most common reasons people see doctors and alternative practitioners, including massage therapists," study researcher Daniel Cherkin says, a senior investigator at the nonprofit Group Health Research Institute in Seattle.

Massage is one of the most popular alternative treatments for neck and back pain. There was limited evidence previously that it was effective. The study was published July 5 in the journal the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The 400 study participants had suffered from chronic low back pain for at least three months. There was no apparent reason for their ailment.

One-third of them received a structural massage every week, one-third received a relaxation massage and the remainder continued treating their pain as they had been, typically with painkillers, muscle relaxers, reducing their activity levels or exercising.

Both massage groups reported that their symptoms were less bothersome after 10 weeks than the group that didn't receive massages. Participants who hadn't received massages six months later were still reporting worse symptoms than those who had, the researchers found.

The types of massage worked equally well to reduce pain, the study found.

"The massage therapists assumed structural massage would prove more effective than relaxation massage," study researcher Karen J. Sherman says, also a senior investigator at the institute. "They were surprised when patients in the relaxation group got so much relief from their back pain."

Participants who didn't receive massages were aware that others were getting them, and this may have been led them to report worse symptoms.

In addition, structural massages are more likely to be covered by health insurance plans than relaxation massage, the researchers said, but relaxation massages are more widely available.