Effects of Prophylactic Massage Therapy on Pain Tolerance and Threshold

Participants did not receive therapeutic massage prior to completing the Cold Pressor Test.

Participants received a 5 minute prophylactic therapeutic massage prior to completing the Cold Pressor Test. The massage was completed distally-to-proximally in the following order: superficial strokes to the entire forearm, deep strokes to the entire forearm, one-handed palmar kneading of the entire forearm with participant's forearm stabilized by the massager's the other hand, bilateral thumb kneading of the forearm in strips until the entire forearm was addressed, bilateral transverse thumb motions over palmar surface of the hand, single thumb kneading of thenar and hypothenar eminences simultaneously, bilateral thumb kneading to the dorsum of hand, deep stroking to the entire forearm, and superficial stroking to the entire forearm.