The Physical Effects of Isolated Ageing

Massage and Aging Bodies: Balance, Pain and Touch in Later Life

(A summary of research on massage in older adults) Estimated read time: ~3–4 minutes

Many of our older clients at The Massage Clinic say the same thing: “I don’t bounce back like I used to.”

They’re dealing with arthritis, chronic pain, balance changes, fear of falling and, often, less day‑to‑day touch. The research on massage and older adults is smaller than we’d like, but it does suggest real, practical benefits.

The Problem

Pain and stiffness are common in later life—and meds aren’t always the best or only answer.

Older adults often live with persistent pain, multiple medications and higher risk of side effects. A 2011 study of adults 60+ found that those who had used massage therapy in the past year reported better emotional well‑being, less limitation from physical and emotional issues and better overall health scores than non‑users, even after controlling for age and health conditions.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+1

Trials in seniors also point to improvements in pain and function.

Research summarized by AMTA reports that in older adults with knee osteoarthritis, a course of massage led to clinically meaningful improvements in pain, stiffness and physical function, and that many benefits were maintained weeks after treatment ended. That suggests massage can be a reasonable adjunct for managing age‑related pain and mobility limits.[amtamassage]​

Brief summary of the research (and how we use it)

The 2011 study on massage usage and health in older adults (N=144) found that older adults who reported massage use in the past year had significantly better scores in emotional well‑being, physical limitation, emotional limitation and social functioning compared with those who did not, after adjusting for morbidities. While observational, it supports the idea that massage is associated with better perceived health in later life.semanticscholar+1

Clinical research in seniors with conditions such as knee osteoarthritis has found that structured massage programs (e.g., weekly sessions over 8 weeks) can improve pain scores by more than 20 points and stiffness and function by over 20 points each on standard scales, with effects persisting at follow‑up. Reviews on massage for pain populations also include older adults and show overall benefits for pain and function.amtamassage+1

For us at The Massage Clinic, this means we approach older bodies with both respect and optimism.

We pay close attention to medications, bone density, skin integrity and fall risk, and we tailor positioning and pressure to your comfort and medical context. For you as an older client, it’s reasonable to expect massage to help with pain, stiffness and emotional well‑being, even if it doesn’t erase every age‑related change.

A practical takeaway: if you’re over 60 and living with chronic pain or stiffness, a short series of gentle, targeted massage sessions—combined with realistic movement and balance work from your medical team—can be a smart way to support staying active.

At The Massage Clinic, we build aging‑friendly plans that honor both your history and your current goals, and we’re here to help if you need us.

References

• Munk N, Kruger TM, Zanjani F. Relationship between massage therapy usage and health outcomes in older adults. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2011;15(2):177‑184. Found that older adults who used massage reported better emotional well‑being and less limitation from physical and emotional issues.pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih+1

• AMTA. Massage for seniors: what the research says. Massage Therapy Journal. 2020. Summarizes studies showing massage improved pain, stiffness and function in older adults with osteoarthritis, with benefits lasting at follow‑up.[amtamassage]​

Crawford C, Boyd C, Paat CF, et al. The impact of massage therapy on function in pain populations—A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Pain Med. 2016;17(7):1353‑1375. Includes older adults among the pain populations benefiting from massage.[pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih]​