AIM: To study the effect of massage therapy on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and effect on improving pulmonary function. METHODS: Totally 30 COPD patients were selected from Respiratory Department of First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University from July 2003 to August 2005. All patients including 28 males and 2 females were randomly divided into massage group and control group with 15 in each group. The massage programmers consisted of five sessions per week lasting 20 minutes per session, extending over 8 weeks. Operation on the part of head and back: (1) using five-fingers grasping from the head to the nape, then using three-fingers grasping from the nape to the neck; (2) using the manipulation of thumb-straight-pushing on Qiaogong; (3) using parting-pushing on the face; (4) flat-pushing manipulation. Operation on the body: (1) using scrubbing manipulation on the chest; (2) using scrubbing manipulation on the shoulder and lumbar; (3) using scrubbing manipulation on the hypochondrium. Operation on the upper arm: (1) using scrubbing manipulation on the upper arm; (2) using grashing manipulation on the upper arm; (3) rotating the scapulohumeral, tracting the fingers, and shaking the upper arm at last; (4) repeat the operation on the part of head and neck; adding vibrating the Baihui (Du20), Dazhui (Du14) and Mingmen (Du4); pressing the Xinshu (UB15), Feishu (UB13), Pishu (UB20), Shenshu (UB23) and Mingmen (Du23); scrubbing the Shenshu (UB23) and Mingmen (Du4). Before and after the test, the Pulmonary Functional (FEV1, FVC) and Dyspnoea scale and a 6-minute walking distance (6 MWD) test were performed. RESULTS: Totally 30 cases entered the final analysis without any loss. (1) Changes of respiratory function of patients in the two groups before and after treatment: effective rate of dyspnea in the massage group was higher than that in control group (67%, 40%). (2) Changes of pulmonary function of patients in the two groups before and after treatment: after treatment, the values of FWV1 and FVC in massage group were higher than those before treatment (1.419 +/- 0.953, 1.248 +/- 0.743 L; 2.628 +/- 0.921, 2.311 +/- 0.875 L, p < 0.01), while the values in the control group was not changed significantly (p < 0.05). (3) 6-minute walking distance: 6-minute walking distance was increased in both groups. The increase in control group was not significant (from 328 m to 346 m), but the increase in massage group was significant (from 330 m to 389 m, p < 0.01). There were significant difference between massage group and control group after treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Massage can improve pulmonary function, relieve dyspnoea and strengthen exercise tolerance of patients during COPD remission period.

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