The effects of massage on weight and motor development of the premature new-born: Systematic review

Objective: To demonstrate the effects of massage on weight and motor development of the premature new-born. Methods: A systematic review was carried out following the PRISMA regulations. The articles were searched in the databases Pubmed/Medline, PEDro, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud, Cochrane Library, Lilacs, EBSCO, CINAHL Complete, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus, Web Of Science, Scielo, Pediatrics and ScienceDirect. They were also searched in specialised magazines such as Journal of the American Medical Association, Pediatrics, Pediatric Physical Therapy, Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Infant Behavior and Development and Neuropediatrics. The articles that were selected had to show a relationship between massaging premature new-borns and the variables weight and motor development. To assess the risk of bias in the studies, the PEDro scale was used. The last search was made in March 2018. Results: A total of 10 articles published between 2001 and 2013 were part of this systematic review, and of these, 6 were randomised clinical trials (RCTs). Seven articles showed a weight gain and seven showed favourable results regarding motor development. The tactile protocol with kinaesthesia seems to produce the most benefits. Conclusion: Although the articles present a high risk of bias and diverse methodology, it has been proved that massage applied in the neonatal intensive care unit does not produce adverse effects, is not significantly costly, and produces evident benefits in weight and motor development of the premature new-born