Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41485179›Full record

Trial reportAging clinical and experimental research2026

Swedish massage versus hip strengthening exercises for pain and function in older adults with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized controlled trial.

Ahmadreza Asgarimoghadam, Ali Ravari, Tayebeh Mirzaei, Zahra Kamiab, Mitra Abbasifard

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialComparative Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in Aging clinical and experimental research, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

5 authors.

Ahmadreza AsgarimoghadamSchool of Nursing and Midwifery, Geriatric Care Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Ali RavariDepartment of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Geriatric Care Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Tayebeh MirzaeiDepartment of Medical-Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Geriatric Care Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran. t.mirzaei@rums.ac.ir.
Zahra KamiabDepartment of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.
Mitra AbbasifardDepartment of Internal Medicine, Ali-Ibn Abi-Talib Hospital, School of Medicine, Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundKnee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a progressive disease that impairs mobility and quality of life in older adults.

aimsTo compare the effects of Swedish massage (SM) and hip strengthening exercises (HSE) versus control on pain, range of motion (ROM), and function in older adults with KOA.

methodsSeventy-five adults > 60 years with symptomatic KOA were randomized to SM, HSE, or control for 8 weeks of home-based intervention (3 sessions/week, 30 min each). Outcomes included pain, function, and ROM at baseline and week 8. Intention-to-treat analysis used ANCOVA adjusted for baseline values, with Bonferroni correction for two pre-specified comparisons (α = 0.025).

resultsSeventy participants completed the study (93.3%); adherence exceeded 85%. No serious adverse events occurred. Both active interventions significantly outperformed control across all outcomes. Compared with control, SM reduced VAS pain by an adjusted mean of 0.81 cm (95% CI 0.38–1.24, p < 0.001, d = 0.69) and HSE by 0.77 cm (95% CI 0.34–1.20, p < 0.001, d = 0.65). KOOS-ADL improved by 3.59 points with SM (95% CI 1.62–5.56, p < 0.001, d = 0.71) and 3.40 points with HSE (95% CI 1.43–5.37, p = 0.001, d = 0.67). Active knee flexion ROM increased by 3.42° (SM, p = 0.001, d = 0.73) and 3.69° (HSE, p < 0.001, d = 0.77) vs. control. DISCUSSION: This study shows SM and HSE as safe, feasible home-based options for pain relief in frail older adults with KOA.

conclusionsSM and HSE mitigate KOA pain, with SM uniquely enhancing daily function, supporting integration into clinical practice to promote independence and reduce healthcare burdens in aging populations. CLINICAL

trial registrationIRCT20150519022320N33 (August 12, 2023).

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyHipMassageOsteoarthritis, KneePain ManagementResistance TrainingAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPainPain MeasurementQuality of LifeRange of Motion, ArticularActivities of daily livingAgedExercise therapyMassageOsteoarthritis, kneePain management

Identifiers

PMID41485179
PMCPMC12799615

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Registered trials

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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.