Range of motion improves after massage in children with burns: a pilot study.

Little is known about the effect of massage on post-burn tissue in children. We conducted a pilot study to examine the effect of massage (3-5 days) on mood and range of motion (ROM) in eight post-burn children. Participants showed significant increases in ROM from Time 1 (pre-massage, first day) to Time 2 (post-massage, last day) in massaged tissue but not control (non-massaged) tissue. Mood was elevated throughout the study and thus did not change across time. Although massage improved ROM, we are cautious in our interpretation because of the small sample size.