Massageology research guide

Massage for Neck Pain: What Current Research Shows

Research on massage for neck pain gives mixed results. Here is what recent reviews found and why expectations should remain cautious.

By Massageology. Published 5 August 2026.

Editorial photograph by GMB Fitness on Unsplash. It does not show Karen, the Massageology clinic, a Massageology client, a Massageology technique, or a treatment result.

Evidence standard

This article summarises research indexed by PubMed in plain language. It provides general information, not personal medical advice.

What the strongest review found

A 2024 Cochrane review included 33 randomised trials with 1,994 participants. Most participants had subacute or chronic neck pain, usually without a clearly identified injury or disease.1

Compared with placebo, massage probably made little or no difference to pain, disability, or health-related quality of life over follow-up closest to 12 weeks. One small study reported a possible improvement in how participants rated treatment success.1

Why the result remains uncertain

The Cochrane authors rated the main evidence as low certainty. Common problems included unclear treatment allocation, limited blinding, questionable placebo treatments, and small studies with imprecise results.1

A 2022 meta-analysis of 12 trials reported reduced pain after manual soft-tissue therapy. Most included studies were medium quality, and the authors found signs of possible publication bias, so this more positive result needs cautious interpretation.2

Massage studies do not all use the same approach

A 2024 reporting review of 35 neck-pain trials found wide variation in massage style, treatment duration, dose, and number of sessions. Descriptions were only moderately complete, which makes studies difficult to compare and apply to a particular appointment.3

A realistic reading of the evidence

Current research does not establish a predictable or lasting benefit from massage for neck pain. Some studies report pain improvement, while the strongest recent review found little or no difference against placebo for several important outcomes.1 2 3

Safety reporting was very uncertain because only two studies in the main comparison reported adverse events. Treatment soreness, sweating, and low blood pressure were among the reported events, but the data could not provide a reliable estimate of risk.1

Research sources

References

Gross Anita R; Lee Haejung; Ezzo Jeanette; Chacko Nejin; Gelley Geoffrey; Forget Mario; Morien Annie; Graham Nadine; Santaguida Pasqualina L; Rice Maureen; Dixon Craig. Massage for neck pain.. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2024.
What it supports: Cochrane review of 33 randomised trials involving 1,994 adults with acute to chronic neck pain.
Important limitation: The main evidence was low certainty, with frequent bias, imprecision, questionable placebo methods, and poor safety reporting.
View PubMed record 38415786
Wang Si-Qi; Jiang Ai-Yun; Gao Qi. Effect of manual soft tissue therapy on the pain in patients with chronic neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice. 2022.
What it supports: Meta-analysis of 12 randomised trials involving 566 people receiving manual soft-tissue therapy for chronic neck pain.
Important limitation: Most studies were medium quality, interventions varied, and the authors identified possible publication bias.
View PubMed record 35988324
Ishaq Iqra; Skinner Ian W; Mehta Poonam; Verhagen Arianne P. Description of massage interventions in randomised clinical trials for neck pain; a review using the TIDieR checklist.. Clinical Rehabilitation. 2023.
What it supports: Secondary review assessing intervention descriptions across 35 randomised massage trials involving 2,840 people with neck pain.
Important limitation: Massage styles, treatment doses, session counts, and durations varied widely, and reporting was only moderately complete.
View PubMed record 37908084