Knee Troubles? Proven Treatment for Osteoarthritis

By Sarah Spruill

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a very common ailment which manifests itself primarily in people over 50, although it shows up in younger individuals as well. There are around 3-million cases of osteoarthritis in the knee diagnosed every year.  Because it is so common, and so painful, there are many many researched and proven treatment options for this type of “wear-and-tear” arthritis.

Massage therapy is one of these treatments., with so many benefits., especially the reduction of pain.

Massage can be an immensely helpful, supportive treatment to alleviate the symptoms of osteoarthritis in the knee and help get people back into comfortable movement. A 2012 study explored massage therapy as a practice to alleviate osteoarthritis pain in the knees.

The study took a group of 125 individuals and randomly assigned them to one of four groups, each treatment group received a different combination of half or full hour massage, once or twice weekly. After eight weeks, the study showed that those who received hour-long massages, either once or twice weekly, “had significant improvements in pain, function, and global response.” Moreover, those who received hour-long massage had great results in reducing the intensity of their pain. The study concluded that “the optimal dose of massage was, on average, 60-minutes once per week” and that there “is promising potential for the use of massage therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee.”

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​While this study has shown an "optimal" dosage of massage - we at Alchemy know that everyone is different and those with osteoarthritis of the knee are individuals with complex lives and bodies that play a part in how they experience their symptoms and the kind of treatment that would best suit them.

​We work to develop a treatment plan that takes many factors beyond knee pain into account to be able to provide effective, individualized support. Our goal is to get people out of pain and back into comfortable movement and living their life. From years of client experience, we have seen that many choose to continue massage for maintenance, often monthly.

If you are ready to experience the benefits of massage for knee pain or any other challenge, please schedule a session with one of our therapists or practitioners.  They will help develop a treatment plan that works for you.

We are also available by phone at 410-263-1272 if you would like to discuss your situation.

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