According to a recent article on the AMTA website
research Indicates Efficacy of Massage Therapy for Variety of Health Issues
September 18, 2018
The benefits of massage for chronic issues
Massage for Health Issues
Years of research evidence support the efficacy of massage therapy for many important health treatments, especially for pain relief and pain management, according to recently published findings of the American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA). These include massage therapy for:
Chronic pain management (such as back pain, headache, carpal tunnel syndrome, osteoarthritis, neck and shoulder pain, and fibromyalgia);
Behavioral health treatment (anxiety and stress, depression, PTSD, and substance use disorder recovery).
Rehabilitation/physical training (athletic training/injury treatment, ergonomics and job-related injuries, cardiac rehab, joint replacement surgery, and scar management); and
Acute medical conditions (cancer management, post-operative pain, lymphatic drainage, and maternity and newborn care).
Numerous studies demonstrate that massage therapy can provide relief for patients with chronic back pain. One study of women with chronic low back pain indicated that participants who received massage therapy had a greater decrease in pain intensity and disability than the participants who received physical therapy.