Massage therapy
Course of soft-tissue treatment: short-term relief for low-back pain and a reliable acute relaxation response.
Why
Systematic soft-tissue manipulation by a qualified therapist. The Cochrane review in chronic low-back pain (25 trials) found short-term improvements in pain and function versus inactive controls — with low-certainty evidence and little sign of durable change once courses end. As a stress intervention the acute parasympathetic response is consistent, which is exactly what most people buy it for.
The program
60-minute sessions, weekly to biweekly for a defined course (4–8 weeks), then reassess honestly: better function, or just a pleasant hour?
Practical
Cadence
Weekly to biweekly, 60–90 min, as a 4–8 week course
What you'll need
Qualified massage therapist; physician first if pain is new, radiating, or post-injury
Ideal for
Chronic muscle tension, low-back pain flares, recovery blocks in heavy training phases.
Evidence
Cochrane 2015, 25 trials (n=3,096) — massage improved chronic low-back pain and function short-term vs inactive controls; low-certainty evidence, effects fade after treatment ends. Buy it as a course with an endpoint, not an open-ended subscription.