Effect of massage on blood pressure in patients with hypertension: A meta-analysis.

Authors: Venugopal Vijayakumar, Deenadayalan Boopalan, Poornima Ravi, Yogapriya Chidambaram, Akila Anandhan, Pandiaraja Muthupandi et al.Journal: Journal of bodywork and movement therapiesPublished: March 5, 2024DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.11.028

Q2 JournalSJR: 0.691h-index: 28SCImago

Strong EvidenceMeta Analysis

High Blood Pressure

In Plain Language: high blood pressure, explained

Researchers combined results from multiple studies examining whether massage therapy can help lower blood pressure in people with high blood pressure. The meta-analysis pooled data from many studies to see if massage has a meaningful effect on this common health problem.

Key Findings: what this meta-analysis found about high blood pressure

✓The meta-analysis examined multiple studies to evaluate the effectiveness of massage therapy as an intervention for reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients.
✓Researchers pooled data from numerous clinical studies to determine whether massage therapy produces a meaningful effect on blood pressure management in people with hypertension.

What This Means for You

Massage therapy shows promising evidence for helping reduce blood pressure, but it works best as part of a comprehensive treatment plan alongside medical care rather than as a replacement for medications.

What This Means for Practitioners

You can confidently discuss massage's evidence-based role in hypertension management with clients, positioning it as a complementary approach that may enhance overall cardiovascular health when combined with conventional treatment.

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High blood pressure: common questions

What does this study say about high blood pressure?

What did this study find?

The meta-analysis examined multiple studies to evaluate the effectiveness of massage therapy as an intervention for reducing blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Researchers pooled data from numerous clinical studies to determine whether massage therapy produces a meaningful effect on blood pressure management in people with hypertension.

How strong is this evidence?

This is a meta-analysis and we rate its evidence strong. It was published in Journal of bodywork and movement therapies, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.