Study: Massage Therapy By Professionals Poses Little Risk for Arthritis Patients

Many arthritis patients seek out massage therapists for the short-term relief of pain and to increase blood flow. A new study has found that massages, when performed by professionals, carry little risk.

As reported in the September issue of Rheumatology, Dr. Edzard Ernst, of Peninsula Medical School at the Universities of Exeter & Plymouth in the United Kingdom, extensively searched medical journals for reports of adverse effects from any type of massage therapy.

According to Ernst, most of the adverse effects reported were associated with exotic types of massage or massage delivered by laypeople. He noted that professional massage therapists were rarely implicated in any type of adverse events.

The adverse events reported in the articles included cerebrovascular accidents, embolization of a kidney, hematoma, leg ulcers, pulmonary embolism, ruptured uterus, strangulation of neck and various pain syndromes.

In the right hands, Ernst told Medical Week that massage is very safe, noting that adverse effects occur mainly if massage is not done competently.

Ernst advises arthritis sufferers to use only acredited therapists who have experience with arthritis, to make sure the therapist develops a treatment plan and to stop if pain increases or no benefit emerges after about four sessions.

Other sources: Rheumatology 2003; 42: 1101-1106