Effect of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization combined with exercise therapy on pain and muscle endurance in patients with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled study.
OrthoEvidence Journal (OE Journal) - ACE Report
OE Journal. 2024;12(15):51 J Man Manip Ther . 2024 Apr;32(2):131-140.What this means for my practice?
Overall, combining instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization with exercise therapy offers superior outcomes in reducing pain and improving muscle endurance in chronic neck pain patients compared to exercise therapy alone. The study suggests that this combined approach can improve short-term recovery, but more research is needed to determine its long-term effects. One limitation of the study is the relatively small sample size and the short duration of follow-up.
Study Summary
Forty-eight patients with chronic neck pain were randomized to receive either instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization combined with exercise therapy (CT group, n = 24) or exercise therapy alone (ET group, n = 24). The primary outcome of interest was pain intensity measured by the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes included muscle endurance assessed by the Deep Neck Flexor Muscle Endurance (DNFE) test. Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment. Overall, the study revealed that both groups showed significant reductions in pain, with a greater effect in the CT group compared to the ET group. Additionally, only the CT group demonstrated significant improvements in muscle endurance. These findings suggest that IASTM combined with exercise therapy may enhance short-term recovery in chronic neck pain patients.
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