Utilization of traditional massage by patients with low back pain
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/issn.2455-4510.IntJResOrthop20262015Keywords:
Low back pain, Traditional massage, Complementary and alternative medicine, Hand massage, Walking on the backAbstract
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is among the most popular musculoskeletal disorders in present day society and accounts for most health care usage. Patient adopt several strategies as of treatment in our environment including local massage.
Methods: This was a prospective study of all outpatients that presented to the orthopaedic unit with complaints of LBP was undertaken to determine those that have used or were using traditional massage as form of treatment for their LBP. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect all required information from the study participants. Demographic data and medical information were analysed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test by SPSS 25.
Results: The 63 (31.3%) acknowledged the use of traditional massage out of 201 patients, which was made up of 38 females and 25 males. Those aged between 41-60 years had the highest number of participants that used traditional massage. Hand massage (HM) was the commonest form with 74.6%. Factors such as age, gender, educational level, occupation, cause of the back pain, and duration, did not influence choice of massage. Only 24% experienced good relief after traditional massage, with 43% reported to have been pre-informed before administration of the massage, 35% reported otherwise and 22% remained unresponsive.
Conclusions: This study highlights the high prevalence of the use of traditional massage by back pain sufferers, and shows the need for physicians, health policy makers, and carers for back pain sufferers to be aware of this fact.
References
Kumar S, Beaton K, Hughes T. The effectiveness of massage therapy for the treatment of nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review of systematic reviews. Int J Gen Med. 2013;6:733-41.
Harcourt LS, Raphael JE. Prevalence of Low Back Pain Among Specialist Medical Consultants at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Niger Med J 2023;64(3):408-14.
Kahere M, Ginindza T. A cross-sectional hospital-based study of correlates of disability in patients with chronic low back pain in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022;23:438.
Wang L, Ye H, Li Z, Lu C, Ye J, Liao M, et al. Epidemiological trends of low back pain at the global, regional, and national levels. Eur Spine J. 2022;31(4):953‐62.
GBD 2019 Diseases and Injuries Collaborators. Global burden of 369 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories, 1990-2019: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Lancet 2020;396:1204-22.
Emorinken A, Erameh CO, Akpasubi BO, Dic-Ijiewere MO, Ugheoke AJ. Epidemiology of low back pain: frequency, risk factors, and patterns in South-South Nigeria. Reumatologia. 2023;61(5):360-7.
Wilk I, Kowalczyk K, Nowak B, Andrzejewski W, Kassolik K. Effectiveness of massage therapy in reducing back pain in older adults. Med Sci Pulse. 2022;16(2):15-21.
Nicol V, Verdaguer C, Daste C, Bisseriex H, Lapeyre E, Marie-Martine LC, et al. Chronic low back pain: a narrative review of recent international guidelines for diagnosis and conservative treatment. J Clin Med. 2023;12(4):1685.
Baroncini A, Maffulli N, Al Zyoud H, Andreas B, Aleksandar S, Filippo M. Nonopioid pharmacological management of acute low back pain: a level I of evidence systematic review. J Orthop Res. 2023;41(8):1781-91.
Furlan AD, Yazdi F, Tsertsvadze A, Gross A, Van Tuder M, Lina S, et al. A systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy, cost-effectiveness, and safety of selected complementary and alternative medicine for neck and low-back pain. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:953139.
National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). What is complementary and alternative medicine? 2007. Available at: http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam/. Accessed on 15 January 2026.
Netchanok S, Wendy M, Marie C, Siobhan O. The effectiveness of Swedish massage and traditional Thai massage in treating chronic low back pain: a review of the literature. Complement Ther Clin Pract. 2012;18(4):227-34.
Melka HA, Khorsan R, Whedon J, Russell R, Haldeman S. Treatment Approaches Utilized in Africa for the Management of Low Back Pain: A Scoping Review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2023;46(5-9):366-76.
Mbada CE, Adeyemi TL, Adedoyin RA, Hakeem DB, Taofeek OA, Olujide OA. Prevalence and modes of complementary and alternative medicine use among peasant farmers with musculoskeletal pain in a rural community in South-Western Nigeria. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2015;15(164):1-7.
Igwesi-Chidobe CN, Nkhata, LA, Ozumba, B. The coping strategies employed by individuals with chronic low back pain: secondary qualitative analysis of data from diverse adult populations in two sub-Saharan African countries. Front. Rehabil. Sci. 2024;5(1442789):1-16.
OlaOlorun DA, Oladiran IO, Adeniran A. Complications of fracture treatment by traditional bonesetters in southwest Nigeria. Fam Pract 2001;18:635-7.
Dada A, Yinusa W, Giwa SO. Review of the practice of traditional bone setting in Nigeria. African Health Sciences. 2011;11(2):262-5.
Onyemaechi NO, Lasebikan OA, Elachi IC, Sunday OP, Kehinde SO. Patronage of traditional bonesetters in Makurdi, north-central Nigeria. Patient Prefer Adherence. 2015;9:275-9.
Omololu AB, Ogunlade SO, Gopaldasani VK. The practice of traditional bonesetting, Clin Orthop Relat Res 2008;466:2392-8.
Eromon PE, Awunor NS, Enobakhare E, Neba F. Prevalence of low back pain among adult patients attending family medicine clinics in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, Nigeria. Islam Univ Multidiscip J. 2020;7:310-6.
Katembo A, Msaki EB, Akaro I, Ngoya PS. Clinical patterns and associated factors of chronic low back pain at Bugando Medical Centre, Mwanza, Tanzania. EAS J Orthop Physiother. 2021;3:56-62,
Olatubi M, Alabi B, Ademuyiwa G, Ojo I. Prevalence and Management of Low Back Pain Among Health Workers in a Privately Owned Teaching Hospital in Nigeria. Open Public Health J. 2022;15:1-9.
Adam, E. Study underscores benefits of clinical massage therapy for chronic lower back pain. 2014. Retrieved Available at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-05-underscores-benefits-clinical-massage-therapy.html. Accessed on 03 March 2026.
Cherkin DC, Sherman KJ, Kahn J, Robert W, Andrea JC, Eric J, et al. A comparison of the effects of 2 types of massage and usual care on chronic low back pain: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2011;155(1):1-9.
Furlan AD, Giraldo M, Baskwill A, Irvin E, Imamura M. Massage for low-back pain. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;2015(9):CD001929.
Alegbeleye JB. Traditional bonesetting practices in the Northwest Region of Cameroon. East Cent Afr J Surg. 2019;24(1):47-60.
Aderibigbe SA, Agaja SR, Bamidele JO. Determinants of utilization of traditional bone setter in Ilorin, North Central Nigeria. J Prev Med Hyg. 2013;54:35-40.
Card EB, Obayemi JE, Shirima O. Practices and Perspectives of Traditional Bone Setters in Northern Tanzania. Ann Global Health. 2020;86(1):1-8.
Akpa-Inyang F, Chima SC. Traditional Health Care Practitioners' Perspectives on Applying Informed Consent During African Traditional Medical Practice in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria: A Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study. J Integr Complement Med. 2023;29(6-7):361-71.
Van Middelkoop M, Rubinstein SM, Kuijpers T, Arianne PV, Raymond O, Bart WK, et al. A systematic review on the effectiveness of physical and rehabilitation interventions for chronic non-specific low back pain. Eur Spine J. 2011;20(1):19-39.
Murthy V, Sibbritt DW, Adams J. An integrative review of complementary and alternative medicine use for back pain: a focus on prevalence, reasons for use, influential factors, self-perceived effectiveness, and communication. Spine J. 2015;15(8):1870-83.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
