Effects of Meridian Massage on physical growth and infants' health as perceived by mothers

Background: Meridian Massage is a traditional practice that manually stimulates the body's meridian system – the same network of vital energy channels used in acupuncture. The present study was to assess the effect of Meridian Massage on physical growth and infants' health as perceived by mothers. Methods: A study was conducted in a community health center in Korea. A total of 169 healthy infant–mother dyads were assigned to the Meridian Massage group (n= 89) or the gentle touch massage group (n= 80), based on the mother's preference. All massages were conducted by the mothers for 15 min per session, one time daily over a course of 6 weeks. In each group, the infant's weights, heights, and the number of days with illness as perceived by mothers and related clinic visits were measured. Results: Significant differences were observed in weight and height after 6 weeks between the Meridian group and the gentle touch massage group (P < 0.001). Infants in the Meridian Massage group showed a significantly different number of days with perceived clinic visits compared to those in the control group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Meridian Massage may facilitate physical growth and improve infants' health outcome as perceived by mothers. A randomized controlled trial is required to further explore the effects of Meridian Massage in early infancy.