A growing number of scientific studies suggest that massage therapy can provide meaningful relief for chronic lower back pain, which afflicts more than 26 million Americans, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine. And adults over 50 are the most likely to benefit from regular back massage, according to groundbreaking research at the University of Kentucky, published in the journal Pain Medicine.
Researchers followed patients who had consulted their primary care providers about back pain lasting three months or more, defined as chronic. More than half reported significantly less pain after 10 one-hour massage therapy sessions — rising to 70 percent among those 50 or older.
Most still showed improvement six months later. Why the age difference? Older participants were more likely to stick with the week program, says co-author Niki Munk, a gerontologist and licensed massage therapist LMT who teaches and conducts research at the Indiana University School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Rising concerns about the current epidemic of opioid addiction have encouraged a search for safe, effective alternatives, including massage. Many doctors have traditionally prescribed opioids, which can be highly addictive, for persistent back pain.
But rising concerns about the current epidemic of opioid addiction have encouraged a search for safe, effective alternatives, including massage. The American College of Physicians , which represents primary-care doctors, recently revised its clinical guidelines to recommend non-drug treatments such as massage, spinal manipulation and acupuncture as the first response to persistent lower back pain.
