Swedish Massage for Anxiety

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Utah

Must not be taking: Anxiolytics, Antidepressants, Psychotropics, others

Disqualifiers: Nicotine, Pregnancy, Alcohol, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 12

Duration: 6 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine whether massage and touch therapies can alter brain activity and reduce anxiety symptoms. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: one group will receive Swedish massage therapy, and the other will undergo light touch therapy, both administered twice a week for six weeks. The study includes brain scans to assess how the therapies might affect brain function. This trial suits individuals who are medically stable, have no history of psychiatric disorders, and can lie still for an hour. As an unphased trial, it offers participants the chance to contribute to groundbreaking research on non-invasive therapies for anxiety.

Do I have to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

Yes, you must stop taking medications for anxiety or other psychiatric conditions, as these are not allowed during the study.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Research has shown that Swedish massage therapy is generally safe and well-tolerated for most people. Some studies have found it can help reduce anxiety and stress. For example, one study found that massage therapy quickly improved anxiety symptoms. Another study observed that a six-week program of Swedish massage improved mood and stress levels without causing significant side effects.

Light Touch therapy, similar to massage, uses gentle hand placement instead. Its less intense nature also makes it safe. Both treatments in the trial are non-invasive, meaning they don't involve surgery or medication, which usually means fewer risks.

Overall, existing evidence suggests that both therapies in the study are expected to be safe and well-tolerated. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using Swedish Massage Therapy (SMT) for anxiety because it offers a non-pharmacological approach, which can be appealing for those looking to avoid medication side effects. Unlike traditional treatments like medication or cognitive-behavioral therapy, SMT uses techniques like effleurage and petrissage to potentially reduce anxiety through physical relaxation and stress relief. This hands-on method focuses on the body's response to touch, which might provide a new avenue for calming the nervous system and promoting overall well-being. The Light Touch Control serves as a comparison to understand the specific impact of massage techniques, isolating the mechanical benefits of SMT from simple human touch.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for anxiety?

Research has shown that Swedish massage therapy, one of the treatments in this trial, can help reduce anxiety. In one study, participants who received Swedish massage twice a week for six weeks felt less anxious. Another study found that this type of massage also helped lower feelings of anxiety and depression. It has also been shown to reduce stress hormones like cortisol, which helps calm the mind. Overall, evidence suggests that Swedish massage could be a useful treatment for anxiety. Participants in this trial may receive Swedish massage therapy or the Light Touch Control, which serves as an active comparator to isolate the effects of the massage intervention. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mark Rapaport, MD

Principal Investigator

Utah, University of

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for healthy individuals interested in participating in a study to determine if massage or touch therapies can alter brain activity and alleviate anxiety symptoms. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either Swedish massage therapy or light touch therapy twice a week for six weeks.

Inclusion Criteria

Psychiatrically healthy as demonstrated by a structured clinical interview that elicits no previous or current Axis I psychopathology

Subjects must have a permanent domicile

Subjects must be able to comply with the research protocol

Exclusion Criteria

Current (within 3 months of screening visit) nicotine use, illicit drug use, or long-term medication use that, in the opinion of the investigator, could alter the results of the study

Pregnancy (per participant report, pregnancy testing not done for study)

Usually is asleep during the daytime (i.e., due to working third-shift), or any other behaviors that routinely disrupt normal diurnal (daily) rhythms

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either Swedish massage therapy or light touch therapy twice per week for 6 weeks

6 weeks

12 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

1-2 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Light Touch Control
• Swedish Massage Therapy

Trial Overview The study is testing the effects of Swedish Massage Therapy versus Light Touch Control on brain activity related to anxiety relief. It involves two groups receiving different treatments, with an equal chance of being placed in either group, and includes MRI scans before and after the interventions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Swedish Massage Therapy Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The therapist uses non-aromatic cream to facilitate making long strokes over the body. Swedish massage is done with the subject covered by a sheet, a technique called "draping." One part of the body is uncovered, massaged, and then re-draped before moving to another part. The primary techniques used in the research protocol therapy are effleurage, petrissage, kneading, tapotement and thumb friction. These techniques are performed in a very precise, carefully elaborated manner. The session starts with the subject fully draped in a prone position on the massage table and after approximately 22 minutes the subject is instructed to turn to the supine position. Finally, the therapist moves to the head area of the subject, begins working on the shoulders, neck and head using effleurage and thumb friction, and concludes by using light tapotement on the head. The total time for the entire massage is 45 minutes. Subjects randomized to SMT will undergo two sessions per week for 6-weeks.

Group II: Light Touch Control Active Control 1 Intervention

The Light Touch Control protocol entails the same duration and sequence of procedures as the massage protocol, except that the therapist employs only light-touch hand placement on the subject's body. This condition isolates the effect of the mechanical intervention of SMT. Subjects randomized to LT will undergo two sessions per week for 6-weeks.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Utah

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,169

Recruited

1,623,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7770051/

Six versus Twelve Weeks of Swedish Massage Therapy for ... As a secondary outcome, anxiety symptoms decreased in multiple studies on the efficacy of massage for medical disorders (see for review) ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360859222001565

A preliminary descriptive report of the longevity ... In 2016, our group demonstrated that 6 weeks of twice-weekly Swedish massage therapy (SMT) was clinically effective in decreasing symptoms of anxiety and ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT01337713

Efficacy of Massage Therapy in the Treatment ... Preliminary studies suggest that massage therapy decreases symptoms of anxiety and depression, and lowers salivary cortisol levels in a wide array of childhood ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2922919/

Effectiveness of Therapeutic Massage for Generalized ... Secondary outcomes included 50% reduction in HARS and symptom resolution of GAD, changes in depressive symptoms (PHQ-8), worry and GAD-related disability. We ...

5. psychiatrist.com psychiatrist.com/jcp/massage-monotherapy-remediates-symptoms-of-anxiety/

A Proof-of-Concept, Randomized Controlled Study Twice-weekly Swedish massage therapy was clinically effective in decreasing symptoms of anxiety and depression in otherwise treatment-free ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4979265/

Comparing the effects of two Swedish massage techniques ... The results showed that Swedish massage techniques were successful in reducing the anxiety of the participants, but this reduction was not significant. Several ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3409545/

Reflexology versus Swedish Massage to Reduce ... The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate and compare the effects of reflexology and Swedish massage therapy on physiologic stress, pain, and mood in ...

8. amtamassage.org amtamassage.org/about/position-statements/massage-therapy-for-anxiety/

Massage Therapy for Anxiety | AMTA CONCLUSIONS: Massage therapy had immediate beneficial effects on anxiety-related measures and may be a useful de-escalating tool for reducing stress and anxiety ...

9. massagetherapyfoundation.org massagetherapyfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/Rapaport-Mark-Acute-Swedish-Massage.pdf

Rapaport-Mark-Acute-Swedish-Massage. ... Hypothesis 3 - Six weeks of Swedish massage therapy will increase oxytocin secretion, decrease secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP), decrease ...

10. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1550830724001393

Can a six-week Swedish massage reduce mood disorders ... This study aimed to assess the effects of a 6-week Swedish massage on the quality of life, stress, anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, spasticity, and sleep ...