Massage Therapy Journal Summer 2024

66 • Massage Therapy Journal

Researchers noted that both caregivers and patients were satisfied with the massage training sessions, and patients reported perceptions of comfort during subsequent sessions. The study concluded that caregiver massage training is feasible, with patient symptom improvement and caregiver empowerment cited as benefits. However, caregivers did make note that massage could potentially become burdensome for them. A 2023 three-armed randomized trial 2 compared three different doses of therapist-applied massage among adult hospitalized patients receiving palliative care consultation to better understand optimal dosage of massage. Dosing including a 10-minute daily massage for three days, a 20-minute daily massage for three days and a single 20-minute massage. Researchers were looking for changes in overall quality of life and symptom management. The primary outcome measure was the single item McGill QoL question. Secondary outcomes measured included pain/symptoms, rating of peacefulness and satisfaction with the intervention. Results suggest that all three dosing groups demonstrated within-group quality of life

improvement at follow up. No significant between group differences were found. “Massage therapy in complex patients with advanced illness was beneficial beyond dosage,” researchers noted. “Findings support that session length (10 or 20 minutes) was predictive of short term improvements while treatment frequency (once or three consecutive days) predicted sustained improvement follow-up.” Massage dosing was also investigated in a 2023 seven-arm randomized trial in palliative cancer care. 3 Dosing comprised weekly massage for four weeks as prescribed (15-, 30- or 60-minutes; 2x or 3x per week) and a four-week follow-up. Pain and fatigue intensity, as well as sleep disturbances, were measured using a 0 to 10 scale at baseline, weekly during the intervention and at the follow-up. Results suggest the odds of clinical improvement significantly increased with dose escalation, and the effects durability was significantly shorter at 15-minute doses compared to 30- and 60-minute doses. Although symptom improvement did not significantly differ between 2x per week versus 3x per week massage, the effect durability for 3x per week dosing was significantly higher.

Massage therapists working with palliative care clients need to be adaptable and willing to meet the client where they are, both in session and location.

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