Falling is a prevalent issue among older adults. Often, falls may lead to injuries like fractures and strains, though more serious injuries can have life-changing consequences, like total loss of independence. As most massage therapists know, proprioception (the ability to sense the body’s position in space) plays a crucial role in maintaining balance, but that ability diminishes over time, ultimately increasing the risk of falling.
A study published in the International Journal of Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (Vol. 17, No. 2) investigated whether stimulating massage can improve knee joint proprioception in older men, potentially enhancing balance and reducing fall risk.
The study involved two phases—massage and rest—and surveyed 20 healthy men (that is, those meeting certain physical criteria who did not have fractures, musculoskeletal pain, or who were participating in physical therapy or sedative drug use at the time of the study). All participants were over the age of 65. Each participant underwent massage and rest sessions, which were separated by a one-week washout period. The massage applied involved deep effleurage, tapotement, and petrissage techniques to muscles surrounding the knee for 10 minutes. In the rest sessions, participants laid comfortably for 10 minutes.
Researchers measured absolute error (AE), constant error (CE), and variable error (VE) in replicating a target knee extension angle of negative-65 degrees, with participants assessed preintervention and postintervention using a motion analyzer system. The results showed significant improvement in AE (the accuracy of joint repositioning) following massage sessions.
The resulting implications suggest that stimulating massage may be a beneficial intervention method to improve proprioception in healthy older men, which could potentially reduce fall risk. More research is needed and encouraged to explore more general, older adult populations, especially those with an increased fall risk.
However, massage therapists can incorporate deep effleurage in their practice with clients who may benefit from it. Providing the types of massage used in this study in areas where it may currently be underserved—such as the area surrounding the knee—may help reduce fall risk in some older clients. And while the study assessed the immediate effects of a single 10-minute session, it suggests potential benefits from repetition. By integrating these indications into their practice, massage therapists can effectively use their work to support the proprioceptive health and overall well-being of their older adult clients.
The full study can be found at https://ijtmb.org/index.php/ijtmb/issue/view/89.