Massage once a month for a year: a stress fix for healthcare heroes?
NCT ID NCT05555082
First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested whether getting a 30-minute Swedish massage once a month for a year could improve the mental and physical health of healthcare workers in a hospital. Twenty-five staff who work at least half-time with patient care took part. Researchers measured stress, anxiety, sick leave, and quality of life to see if regular massage made a difference.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Swedish classical massage
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, low-cost way to reduce stress and improve well-being for healthcare workers.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study with only 25 participants and no comparison group, so results may not be reliable or apply to other settings.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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25 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Nov 2022
- Finished
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Mar 2024
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: Working at least for 50 % of fulltime Main task working with patient care in the hospital ward Exclusion Criteria: \-
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Linkoping University
Norrköping, 601 74, Sweden
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Peter Johansson
Norrköping, Linköpings Universitet, 601 74, Sweden
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