Benefits of Massage Therapy for Children

First published February 2016
Updated October 2025

Benefits of Massage Therapy for Children

When most people think of massage, they picture a quiet spa, soothing music and relaxation. But massage is far more than a moment of quiet indulgence. Research shows that massage therapy can play an important role in supporting children’s physical, emotional and social well-being.

Children today lead busy, active lives. Whether they’re athletes, musicians, dedicated students or navigating the challenges of growing up, many kids face daily stressors and physical demands. Massage therapy is one tool that can help them feel better, recover faster and build healthy lifelong habits.

The application of massage therapy to children has also expanded into more medical settings including outpatient clinics and inpatient acute care units during hospital admissions. With appropriate modifications to treatments, outcomes have been promising as a supportive therapy intervention for children with a wide variety of conditions.

Massage therapy can provide physical and emotional benefits for children, some ways that it helps include:

• Reduce stress and improves mood. Massage decreases cortisol (the stress hormone) and increases dopamine and serotonin, the “feel-good” chemicals in the brain.
• Ease muscle tension and improve flexibility. Massage therapy relaxes tight muscles and improves range of motion, making it especially useful for young athletes and performers who put repetitive strain on their bodies.
• Supports healing and recovering. Using massage therapy as a complementary therapy for children recovering from injuries, surgeries or chronic conditions can help reduce pain and speed up recovery time.
• Improve sleep quality. Massage has been linked to better sleep patterns, which can boost energy, focus and learning.
• Supports mental health. Massage can help reduce anxiety, depression and stress-related symptoms in children and adolescents.

Beyond the physical and emotional benefits, massage therapy can help children build awareness of their own bodies. Learning how to notice tension, manage stress and care for their physical health at a young age may prevent chronic pain and poor habits later in life.