Ottawa Panel evidence-based clinical practice guidelines on therapeutic massage for neck pain.
OBJECTIVE
To update evidence-based clinical practice guideline (EBCPG) on the use of massage compared to a control or other treatments for adults (>18 years) suffering from sub-acute and chronic neck pain.


METHODS
A literature search was performed from January 1, 1948 to December 31, 2010 for relevant articles. The Ottawa Panel created inclusion criteria focusing on high methodological quality and grading methods. Recommendations were assigned a grade (A, B, C, C+, D, D+, D-) based on strength of evidence.


RESULTS
A total of 45 recommendations from ten articles were developed including 8 positive recommendations (6 grade A and 2 grade C+) and 23 neutral recommendations (12 grade C and 11 grade D).


CONCLUSIONS
Therapeutic massage can decrease pain, tenderness, and improve range of motion for sub-acute and chronic neck pain.


CONCLUSIONS
The Ottawa Panel was able to demonstrate that the massage interventions are effective for relieving immediate post-treatment neck pain symptoms, but data is insufficient for long-term effects.
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Montfort Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: Lucie.Brosseau@uottawa.ca.
Lucie
L
Brosseau
Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
George A
GA
Wells
Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa Hospital, Civic Campus, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Centre for Global Health, Institute of Population Health, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Peter
P
Tugwell
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; Montfort Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Lynn
L
Casimiro
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Michael
M
Novikov
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Laurianne
L
Loew
School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Danijel
D
Sredic
School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Sarah
S
Clément
School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Amélie
A
Gravelle
School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Kevin
K
Hua
School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Daniel
D
Kresic
School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ana
A
Lakic
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Gabrielle
G
Ménard
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Pascale
P
Côté
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ghislain
G
Leblanc
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Mathieu
M
Sonier
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Alexandre
A
Cloutier
University of Ottawa Health Sciences Library, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Jessica
J
McEwan
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Stéphane
S
Poitras
Institute for Work and Health, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Andrea
A
Furlan
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Anita
A
Gross
Research and Corporate Planning Centennial College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Trish
T
Dryden
Everest College, St-Laurent, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ron
R
Muckenheim
Academy of Massage and Orthotherapy, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
Raynald
R
Côté
Academy of Massage and Orthotherapy, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada.
Véronique
V
Paré
Centre de Massothérapie et Soins Corporels l'Orchidée, Gatineau, Québec, Canada.
Alexandre
A
Rouhani
Sherbrooke University, Physiotherapy, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada.
Guillaume
G
Léonard
SCO Health Services, Elisabeth Bruyère Health Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Hillel M
HM
Finestone
Directorate Force Health Protection, Canadian Forces Health Services Group Headquarters, National Defense, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Lucie
L
Laferrière
Palladian Health, West Seneca, New York, USA.
Simon
S
Dagenais
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Gino
G
De Angelis
School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Courtney
C
Cohoon
D000208:Acute Disease; D002908:Chronic Disease; D006801:Humans; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods*; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular