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Therapeutic effect of microcurrent therapy in infants with congenital muscular torticollis

Min Young Kim1, Dong Rak Kwon, Hak Il Lee

  • 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, CHA University College of Medicine, Bundang CHA Hospital, Kyonggi-do, Korea.

PM & R : the Journal of Injury, Function, and Rehabilitation
|August 22, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Microcurrent therapy significantly improved head tilting angle and neck rotation in infants with torticollis. This treatment also resulted in less crying during therapy compared to traditional methods.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Physical Therapy
  • Rehabilitative Medicine
  • Infant Health

Background:

  • Torticollis is a common condition in infants, characterized by head tilt and limited neck rotation.
  • Traditional treatments often involve stretching and ultrasound therapy.
  • The efficacy of microcurrent therapy for infantile torticollis requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of microcurrent therapy in infants diagnosed with torticollis.
  • To compare the outcomes of microcurrent therapy with traditional ultrasound therapy combined with stretching exercises.
  • To assess the impact on key clinical measurements and patient compliance.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective, unblinded, controlled trial was conducted with 15 infants.
  • The control group (CG) received ultrasound therapy and stretching exercises.
  • The experimental group (EG) received microcurrent therapy and stretching exercises.
  • Treatment involved 3 sessions per week for 2 consecutive weeks.

Main Results:

  • The experimental group showed significantly greater improvement in head tilting angle (TA) (P < .01) and neck rotation range of motion (RR) (P < .05) compared to the control group.
  • Infants receiving microcurrent therapy exhibited a significantly lower incidence of crying during treatment (P < .05).
  • Mean TA improved from 15.7 to 6.7 degrees in the EG, versus 16.3 to 13.9 degrees in the CG.

Conclusions:

  • Microcurrent therapy demonstrates superior effectiveness in improving both head tilting angle and neck rotation in infants with torticollis.
  • The study suggests better therapeutic compliance with microcurrent therapy due to reduced crying.
  • Microcurrent therapy presents a promising alternative or adjunct to traditional treatments for infantile torticollis.
Abstract

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