Rheumatoid hand massage therapy to mitigate sarcopenia and improve patients’ quality of life: a hypothesis
Kocyigit B.F. Zimba O. Yessirkepov M. Khojakulova U.
August 2025Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH
Rheumatology International
2025#45Issue 8
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder frequently associated with sarcopenia, a gradual decline in skeletal muscle mass and strength. Hand sarcopenia in RA leads to functional deterioration and diminished quality of life. Although conventional methods, such as exercise and nutrition, are typically used, current evidence suggests that massage therapy may offer advantages through anti-inflammatory, circulatory, and anabolic pathways. This hypothesis-driven article proposes that targeted hand massage may alleviate sarcopenia in RA by enhancing local perfusion, modulating immunological responses, mitigating oxidative stress, and stimulating muscle-regenerative pathways. Experimental investigations in animals and humans have demonstrated that massage can activate mechanotransduction signaling, enhance muscle protein synthesis, stimulate satellite cell activity, and reduce inflammatory mediators, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6. Moreover, enhancements in handgrip strength and muscle oxygenation have been documented after mechanical interventions. Small sample sizes, diverse methodologies, and the absence of standardized massage procedures limit the clinical validity of the data. Randomized controlled trials involving RA patients with compromised hand function and sarcopenia are necessary to explore this hypothesis. Standardized outcome measures, such as handgrip strength, disease activity scores, muscle tissue imaging, and inflammatory biomarkers, are required to assess efficacy. If verified, massage therapy may provide a non-invasive, low-risk complement to established care, potentially enhancing muscle function and quality of life in RA patients with sarcopenia.
Hand grip strength , Massage therapy , Physical therapy modalities , Rheumatoid arthritis , Sarcopenia
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Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Health Sciences, Adana City Research and Training Hospital, Kışla District, Dr. Mithat Özsan Boulevard, 4522. Street No:28, Yüreğir, Adana, Turkey
Department of Clinical Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital in Krakow, Krakow, Poland
National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Warsaw, Poland
Department of Internal Medicine N2, Danylo Halytsky Lviv National Medical University, Lviv, Ukraine
Department of Chemical Disciplines, Biology and Biochemistry, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Center for Life and Health Sciences, National Academy of Sciences under the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Department of Emergency Medicine and Nursing, South Kazakhstan Medical Academy, Shymkent, Kazakhstan
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Department of Clinical Rheumatology and Immunology
National Institute of Geriatrics
Department of Internal Medicine N2
Department of Chemical Disciplines
Center for Life and Health Sciences
Department of Emergency Medicine and Nursing
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