Table 1 Effects of mechanical and automated massage on muscle properties
 Authors | Study design | Sample size | Apparatus model | Massage intervention | Groups | Outcome measures | Effects | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Targeted area | Technique and time | Intensity | |||||||
Mechanical bed massage | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Do Kim et al. [21] | RCT | 15 males (age = 26.2 ± 2.68 years) 13 females (age = 18.6 ± 1.1 years) | NR |  | 20 min | NR | 2 groups: CON & EG | TE, EMG, HRV, EEG, STAI, VAS-10 | Post-intervention: TE: CM↑ > SM↑ > CON EMG: CM↑ > SM↑ > CON |
Zhong et al. [52] | RCT | Athletes: EG: 6 males (age = 20.2 ± 0.6 years) CON: 6 males (age = 18.6 ± 1.1 years) | NR | Lower back | 20 min Kneading | NR | 2 groups: CON & EG | VAS-10, HRV, BME | Immediately post-intervention: BME: EG↓ > CON ↓ 24 h post-intervention: BME: EG↑ > CON ↑ |
Vibration massage | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Imtiaz et al. [19] | RCT | 45 females | NR | – | (EG1) 5 min vibration (50 Hz) on biceps brachii before eccentric exercise (EG2) 15 min manual massage | NR | 3 groups: EG1, EG2 & CON | VAS-10 for muscle soreness, ROM, MIF, 1RM and Blood serum levels: LDH & CK | VAS: vibration group significantly less than the massage group after 24 h ROM: both vibration and massage group significantly lower than CON after 48 h and 72 h MIF: NS between 3 groups 1RM: significant difference between vibration and massage group during pre- and 48 h after exercise LDH: vibration group significantly lesser than CON after 48 h CK: NS between vibration and massage group, but significant difference compared to CON after 48 h |
Pournot et al. [44] | – | 6 males and 5 females (age = 38 ± 9 years) | NR | – | 10 min vibration (frequency 55 Hz) on one arm at 5 min post-exercise and 5 min post-recovery. Other arm remained at passive rest | NR | – | Shear elastic modulus of biceps brachii muscle with SSI | Shear elastic modulus: Post-exercise: passive arm↑ > massage arm↑ Post-recovery: massage arm↓ > passive arm↓ Baseline values were significantly lower for both arms |
Anna et al.56 | RCT Crossover (after 2 weeks) | 20 male cyclists (age = 22 ± 2.5 years) | NR | – | 60 min of lower limb vibration massage at low-medium frequency and variable pulse sequence | NR | 2 groups: EG & CON | Biochemical markers in blood: LA, IL-6, Mb, MMP-2 | LA ↓ at 15th, 30th and 60th mins of massage IL-6, Mb, MMP-2: EG significantly differed from CON at 1 h and 24 h after massage |
Robotic massage | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Koga et al. [23] | CT | 11 healthy | WAO-1 | Masseter and temporalis | 1 session of effleurage or petrissage for 1–5 min | 1–10 N (Newton) | 2 groups: EG1: robotic EG2: manual | Skin temperature, size of masseter muscle | Both groups: Temperature ↑ Muscle size ↑ |
Ishi et al. [20] | CCT | 18 healthy | WAO-1 | Masseter and temporalis | 1 session of effleurage or petrissage for 2 min | 5 N | 2 groups: EG1: robotic EG2: manual | Skin temperature, Width of masseter muscle | Both groups: Temperature ↑ Muscle width ↑ |
Ariji et al. [60] | CCT | 16 healthy and 2 with TMJ disorder | WAO-1 | Masseter and temporalis | 7 bouts each 1 min of effleurage or petrissage. Total 3 sessions in 2 weeks | 12 N | Applied intensity-based groups | VAS-10, masseter stiffness index | Group 6–10 N: VAS score ↑ Masseter stiffness index ↑ |
Solis et al. [46] | CT | 12 healthy | WAO-1 & WAO-1R | Masseter and temporalis | 1 session of effleurage or petrissage for 1 min | 12 N | 2 robotic massage groups EG1: WAO-1 EG2: WAO-1R | Masseter thickness, skin temperature | EG2 > EG1: Muscle thickness ↑ NS temperature |
Ariji et al. [2] | CT | 15 with TMJ disorder | WAO-1 | Masseter and temporalis | 7–10 bouts for 1 min. 3 times a week for 6 weeks | 8–12 N | 2 groups EG1: Unilateral EG2: bilateral | Masseter thickness, VAS-10 | Both groups: Thickness ↓ VAS score ↑ |
Luo et al. [30] | RCT | 5 healthy | Multi-finger robot hand | Shoulder | 1 session of kneading for 10 min | 1–20 N | 3 groups EG1: manual EG2: robotic hand CON | Muscle activity | EG1 & EG2: Muscle activity ↓ |
Ariji et al. [3] | RT | 41 with temporomandibular disorder | WAO-1 | Masseter and temporalis | 7 bouts for 1 min. 5 times every 2 weeks for 12 weeks | 6 -14 N | 2 groups EG1: effective EG2: ineffective | Muscle thickness VAS-10 | Symptomatic muscle thickness ↓ VAS score ↑ |