Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25172313›Full record

ReviewComplementary therapies in clinical practice2014

Massage therapy research review.

Tiffany Field

2 registry-linked trialsOpen access · greenAbstract readReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Review in Complementary therapies in clinical practice, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 95 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
95citing papers in PubMed, 5 pooled it
41.0field-weighted citation impact, top 1% 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.

NCT02440412 nacompletednot on this map

Effects of a Single Session of Massage Therapy in Salivary Cortisol Levels in Asymptomatic Persons With Administrative Tasks and / or Office Work.

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of ChileRan2014 to 2015Enrolled15ConditionsAsymptomatic StateArmsMassage Therapy, Rest in supine
NCT06158373 naunknown statusnot on this mapstarted 2020, after this paper: background citation

The Effect of Mother's Massage and Safe Swaddling on Bonding, Self-effıcacy and Vital Signs in Infants Undergoing Cardiovascular Surgery

TypeinterventionalSponsorIstanbul University - CerrahpasaRan2020 to 2024Enrolled36ConditionsMother-Infant InteractionArmsinfant massage practice, Safe Swaddling, Control
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

95 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 374 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Trial
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  13. Article
  14. Effect of Massage Therapy on the Circulatory System: A Literature Review.International journal of therapeutic massage & bodywork · 2026
    Article
  15. Review
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  17. Review
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35 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

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.

Tiffany FieldTouch Research Institute, University of Miami Medical School, USA; Fielding Graduate University, USA. Electronic address: tfield@med.miami.edu.
Fielding Graduate University · US

Funding

PRETERM INFANTS'WEIGHT GAIN FOLLOWING MASSAGE THERAPYR01AT000370 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI FIELD, TIFFANY M. · 2000 to 2006
$1.3M
Prenatal Depression and a Yoga InterventionR01HD056036 · NICHD · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI FIELD, TIFFANY M. · 2009 to 2010
$689k
Neurohormonal Effects of Massage TherapyK05AT001585 · NCCIH · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI FIELD, TIFFANY M. · 2005 to 2007
$554k
PREVENTING DEPRESSION IN INFANTS OF DEPRESSED MOTHERSR37MH046586 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · PI FIELD, TIFFANY M. · 1991 to 2000
$390k
NCCIH NIH HHS AT001585NCCIH NIH HHS K05 AT001585NCCIH NIH HHS R01 AT000370NICHD NIH HHS R01 HD056036NIMH NIH HHS MH00331NIMH NIH HHS MH46586
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Moderate pressure massage has contributed to many positive effects including increased weight gain in preterm infants, reduced pain in different syndromes including fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis, enhanced attentiveness, reduced depression and enhanced immune function (increased natural killer cells and natural killer cell activity).Surprisingly, these recent studies have not been reviewed, highlighting the need for the current review. When moderate and light pressure massage have been compared in laboratory studies, moderate pressure massage reduced depression, anxiety and heart rate, and it altered EEG patterns, as in a relaxation response. Moderate pressure massage has also led to increased vagal activity and decreased cortisol levels. Functional magnetic resonance imaging data have suggested that moderate pressure massage was represented in several brain regions including the amygdala, the hypothalamus and the anterior cingulate cortex, all areas involved in stress and emotion regulation. Further research is needed to identify underlying neurophysiological and biochemical mechanisms associated with moderate pressure massage.

Indexed as

MassageAdultAttentionChildElectroencephalographyHumansInfant, NewbornInfant, PrematurePain ManagementMassage therapy research review

Identifiers

PMID25172313
PMCPMC5467308
OpenAlexW1986746139

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.