Study Summary

Two hundred ninety Veterans with chronic neck pain were randomized to receive therapist-delivered massage therapy (TT-M) or waitlist control. The massage intervention consisted of standardized 60 minute massage sessions delivered twice weekly for 12 weeks. The primary outcomes of interest were neck disability, measured using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and pain severity, measured using the Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Secondary outcomes included pain interference, quality of life, depression, anxiety, and pain catastrophizing. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 1-month, 3-months, and 6-months. Overall, the results of the study revealed that TT-M significantly reduced neck disability and pain severity compared with waitlist control, with the greatest benefits observed at 3 months. Although some treatment effects diminished by 6 months, clinically meaningful pain improvements persisted, suggesting massage therapy may provide an effective non-pharmacologic management strategy for chronic neck pain in Veterans.