Annie Morien, Diane Garrison and Nancy Keeney Smith
Little is known about the effect of massage on post-burn tissue in children. This pilot study examines the effect of massage (3–5 days) on mood and range of motion (ROM) in eight post-burn children.
Participants showed significant increases in ROM from Time 1 (pre-massage, first day) to Time 2 (post-massage, last day) in massaged tissue but not control (non-massaged) tissue. Mood was elevated throughout the study and thus did not change across time.
Although massage improved ROM, the authors are cautious in interpreting the results due to the small sample size.
Journal of Bodywork and Movement 2007 (Page numbers not yet assigned, available online).