Trial reportJournal of general internal medicine2019
Efficacy and Safety of Massage for Osteoarthritis of the Knee: a Randomized Clinical Trial.
Trial report in Journal of general internal medicine, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 39 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Multisite RCT Investigating the Efficacy of Massage in Osteoarthritis
Effects of deep stripping versus kneading on pain, range of motion and functional activity among individuals with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial
Who cites it
39 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness and safety of manual therapy for knee osteoarthritis: An overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Frontiers in public health · 2023Pooled it
- Effects of externally-applied, non-pharmacological Interventions on short- and long-term symptoms and inflammatory cytokine levels in patients with knee osteoarthritis: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.Frontiers in immunology · 2023Pooled it
- Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Acupuncture Combined with Massage in Treating Knee Osteoarthritis.BioMed research international · 2022Pooled it
- Tuina therapy for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of translational medicine · 2026Trial
- Swedish massage versus hip strengthening exercises for pain and function in older adults with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.Aging clinical and experimental research · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Non-Pharmacological Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Scoping Review of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of pain research · 2026Review
- Effects of Massage on Pain, Muscle Co-Contraction, and Knee Loading in Medial Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Controlled Trial Protocol.Journal of pain research · 2026Article
- Multiform-based Yi Jin Jing exercise against osteoarthritis of the knee: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2025Article
- Effects of Platelet-Rich Plasma Combined with Physical Therapy on IL-1β, TGF-β1, and MMP-3 in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.Molecular biotechnology · 2025Article
- Massage therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.Rheumatology international · 2025Review
- Advances in external therapies of traditional Chinese medicine for the management of hyperuricemia: a comprehensive review.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Review
- To Evaluate the Effect of Pediatric Massage Combined with Comprehensive Management on Growth Parameters and Biochemical Indicators in Children with Short Stature.International journal of general medicine · 2025Article
- Article
- Article
- Tendon-regulating and bone-setting manipulation promotes the recovery of synovial inflammation in rabbits with knee osteoarthritis via the TLR4-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway.Annals of translational medicine · 2023Article
- The Reliability and Validity of the Lie-to-Sit-to-Stand-to-Walk Transfer (LSSWT) Test in Knee Osteoarthritis.Indian journal of orthopaedics · 2023Article
- Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Traditional and Complimentary Medicine in Oman.Sultan Qaboos University medical journal · 2023Article
- Research Trends and Foci in Osteoarthritis Pain from 2012 to 2022: Bibliometric and Visualization Study.Journal of pain research · 2023Article
- Short-term and long-term effectiveness of acupuncture and Tuina on knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
- Commented on by
Authors and funding
17 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundCurrent treatment options for knee osteoarthritis have limited effectiveness and potentially adverse side effects. Massage may offer a safe and effective complement to the management of knee osteoarthritis.
objectiveExamine effects of whole-body massage on knee osteoarthritis, compared to active control (light-touch) and usual care.
designMultisite RCT assessing the efficacy of massage compared to light-touch and usual care in adults with knee osteoarthritis, with assessments at baseline and weeks 8, 16, 24, 36, and 52. Subjects in massage or light-touch groups received eight weekly treatments, then were randomized to biweekly intervention or usual care to week 52. The original usual care group continued to week 24. Analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis.
participantsFive hundred fifty-one screened for eligibility, 222 adults with knee osteoarthritis enrolled, 200 completed 8-week assessments, and 175 completed 52-week assessments.
interventionSixty minutes of protocolized full-body massage or light-touch. MAIN MEASURES: Primary: Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index. Secondary: visual analog pain scale, PROMIS Pain Interference, knee range of motion, and timed 50-ft walk. KEY
resultsAt 8 weeks, massage significantly improved WOMAC Global scores compared to light-touch (- 8.16, 95% CI = - 13.50 to - 2.81) and usual care (- 9.55, 95% CI = - 14.66 to - 4.45). Additionally, massage improved pain, stiffness, and physical function WOMAC subscale scores compared to light-touch (p < 0.001; p = 0.04; p = 0.02, respectively) and usual care (p < 0.001; p = 0.002; p = 0.002; respectively). At 52 weeks, the omnibus test of any group difference in the change in WOMAC Global from baseline to 52 weeks was not significant (p = 0.707, df = 3), indicating no significant difference in change across groups. Adverse events were minimal.
conclusionsEfficacy of symptom relief and safety of weekly massage make it an attractive short-term treatment option for knee osteoarthritis. Longer-term biweekly dose maintained improvement, but did not provide additional benefit beyond usual care post 8-week treatment.
trial registrationclinicaltrials.gov NCT01537484.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.