Massage Therapy for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

The study is a randomized, controlled clinical trial that investigates the efficacy ogf massage therapy for 66 patients with pain secondary to osteoarthritis of the knee. It is a wait-list design where subjects and randomly assigned to either Group A or Group B. Group A receives two months of massage while Group B is wait-listed, receives two months of usual care. At the conclusion of the wait period, Group B receives two months of massage. In all cases, subjects continue to receive conventional medical care for their OA symptoms. Outcome measures include a WOMAC questionnaire, a visual analog pain scale, time to walk fifty feet and range of motion of the knee (using a goniometer). A research assistant, competent in appropriate subject assessment obtains the outcome measures. Change in medication use is tracked by the use of patient diaries. Assessments of subjects, occurs at baseline, and week 8 and 16 in both the intervention and control groups.