Massage Therapy in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

While there has been progress in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) management, there is no cure. Despite receiving standard of care, many children live with pain. Thus, it is not surprising that families turn to complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) therapies, including massage therapy (MT). Little is known about the efficacy of MT in JIA. In this project, a massage therapist will teach parents how to provide a massage to their child with JIA at bedtime, at home. The feasibility of establishing a home MT program for children with JIA will be evaluated. In addition, the effects of MT on JIA will be examined. This proposal is relevant to JIA families, who ask questions on MT to professionals of the JIA clinic. Beyond providing education to JIA families, this project demonstrates the team approach to JIA management. Team members will include a pediatric rheumatology nurse and a massage therapist.