Effectiveness of massage therapy on the range of motion of the shoulder: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Only seven studies were included, with 237 participants total. Some included studies were very small, including one with 6 participants. The studies were randomized and non-randomized, and risk-of-bias scores ranged from 5 to 11 out of 12. Different massage types and comparators were included, and some massage groups were combined with hot pack, physical therapy, or exercise, so the effect of massage alone cannot be separated. The search was limited to English and Korean papers. The authors reported low homogeneity among studies and could not perform subgroup analysis for intervention moderators. Studies were excluded if participants had infection, neoplasm, fracture, instability, dislocation, hemiplegia, or postoperative or perioperative shoulder pain, so the findings may not apply to those groups. The included studies measured shoulder movements, not functional daily activities.

Do not conclude that massage alone improves all shoulder movement or daily function. The paper found pooled gains only for flexion and abduction, and some studies combined massage with hot pack, physical therapy, or exercise, so the contribution of massage alone cannot be separated.