Effectiveness of manipulative massage therapy in pain reduction, enhancing range of motion, and improving shoulder function: A study in injury rehabilitation

Background: Shoulder injuries are the most common musculoskeletal or joint problems, causing pain, functional issues, and limitations in Range of Motion (ROM), which can hinder patients' mobility and quality of life. Manipulative massage therapy has the potential to alleviate pain, improve joint movement, and expedite the healing process. The high prevalence of shoulder injuries disrupting daily activities at any time forms the basis of this research. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of massage therapy on pain levels, shoulder function in patients with shoulder injuries, and Range of Motion (ROM). Methods: The research methodology employed a Quasi-experimental study with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The treatment program consisted of massages conducted at the Physiotherapy Service Center, Sports Science Faculty, Universitas Negeri Padang, from April 2023 to October 2023. Participants included male athletes and sports enthusiasts (n = 17) and females (n = 3), aged 17-40 years experiencing shoulder pain, ROM issues, and shoulder function problems. Participants who willingly signed consent and completed the study became the treatment group receiving the same massage program with a consistent dose and intensity for 35 minutes three times a week. Data collection involves the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain assessment, goniometer for ROM measurement, and SPADI for shoulder function evaluation. Data analysis utilized the Wilcoxon signedrank test through SPSS version 25. Results: 20 participants completed the massage program over six weeks. After data analysis, the treatment group significantly decreased pain levels from 27.50 ± 5.46 to 3.85 ± 1.13 (85.80 ± 4.27% reduction). Additionally, there was an increase in ROM for flexion, abduction, and extension (Flexion = 156.25 ± 9.15 vs. 175.00 ± 5.12, abduction = 151.25 ± 9.98 vs. 174.00 ± 5.98, extension = 48.25 ± 9.21 vs. 57.00 ± 4.70) with percentage increases in ROM (flexion, abduction, and extension) (12.25 ± 5.35%, 15.40 ± 6.90%, 21.19 ± 17.89%). Inferential statistical tests indicated significant differences between the pre-test and post-test in each group (P < 0.05) for pain level, shoulder function, and ROM measurements. Conclusion: Therefore, the benefits of massage therapy have been verified as effective in reducing pain, improving ROM, and enhancing shoulder function. This research provided new insights into shoulder injury treatment through massage therapy, aiming to sup