Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21509135›Full record

ArticleNorth American journal of sports physical therapy : NAJSPT2008

The role of massage in sports performance and rehabilitation: current evidence and future direction.

Jason Brummitt

Open access · greenAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC
In one paragraph

Article in North American journal of sports physical therapy : NAJSPT, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact, top 79% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

23 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 57 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Effects of Manual Therapy on Fatigue, Pain, and Psychological Aspects in Women with Fibromyalgia.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020
    Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Review
  7. The Effect of Timing of Sports Massage on 60-m Sprint Performance in Competitive Athletes.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2025
    Article
  8. Deep Tissue Massage Therapy: Effects on Muscle Recovery and Performance in Athletes.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Review
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. The Evidence for Common Nonsurgical Modalities in Sports Medicine, Part 1: Kinesio Tape, Sports Massage Therapy, and Acupuncture.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2020
    Review
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.

Jason BrummittPacific University School of Physical Therapy, Hillsboro, Oregon.
Pacific University Oregon · US

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMassage is a popular treatment choice of athletes, coaches, and sports physical therapists. Despite its purported benefits and frequent use, evidence demonstrating its efficacy is scarce. PURPOSE: To identify current literature relating to sports massage and its role in effecting an athlete's psychological readiness, in enhancing sports performance, in recovery from exercise and competition, and in the treatment of sports related musculoskeletal injuries.

methodsElectronic databases were used to identify papers relevant to this review. The following keywords were searched: massage, sports injuries, athletic injuries, physical therapy, rehabilitation, delayed onset muscle soreness, sports psychology, sports performance, sports massage, sports recovery, soft tissue mobilization, deep transverse friction massage, pre-event, and post exercise.

resultsRESEARCH STUDIES PERTAINING TO THE FOLLOWING GENERAL CATEGORIES WERE IDENTIFIED AND REVIEWED: pre-event (physiological and psychological variables), sports performance, recovery, and rehabilitation. DISCUSSION: Despite the fact clinical research has been performed, a poor appreciation exists for the appropriate clinical use of sports massage.

conclusionAdditional studies examining the physiological and psychological effects of sports massage are necessary in order to assist the sports physical therapist in developing and implementing clinically significant evidence based programs or treatments.

Identifiers

PMID21509135
PMCPMC2953308
OpenAlexW2157763553

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.