Riassunto dello studio

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.