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Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization as a promising approach for children with chronic neck pain: A
Esra Kübra Mıhçıoğlu1, Zehra Güçhan Topcu1, Ayşe Nur Tunalı2
1Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta, Cyprus, Mersin 10 Turkey.
Insights
Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and classical massage (CM) effectively reduced chronic neck pain in children. Both manual therapies showed similar immediate effects on pain and range of motion, though some specific differences were noted.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric physical therapy
- Manual therapy techniques
- Pain management in children
Background:
- Chronic neck pain affects children, necessitating exploration of novel manual therapies.
- Existing interventions for neck pain lack specific investigation in pediatric populations.
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and classical massage (CM) are manual approaches with potential pediatric applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the immediate effects of IASTM and CM on chronic neck pain in 10-11 year olds.
- To evaluate pain severity, range of motion (ROM), and pressure pain threshold (PPT) post-intervention.
- To determine the comparative efficacy of IASTM versus CM in pediatric neck pain.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-two children (10-11 years) with chronic neck pain participated.
- Interventions included IASTM or CM applied to the neck region.
- Outcomes measured: Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain, universal goniometer for ROM, and digital pressure algometer for PPT.
Main Results:
- Both IASTM and CM significantly improved VAS scores and cervical ROM within groups (p < .001).
- CM group showed a significant difference in left cervical PPT (p = .025).
- Between-group analysis revealed significant differences in cervical flexion and left cervical PPT before treatment, and in right cervical PPT, right upper trapezius PPT, and left upper trapezius PPT after treatment.
Conclusions:
- IASTM and CM demonstrated comparable effectiveness in reducing immediate pain severity in children.
- While both therapies improved pain and ROM, subtle region-specific differences were observed, particularly in cervical lateral flexion.
- Further research with long-term follow-up, larger samples, and control groups is needed to fully elucidate clinical effects.
Abstract:
BackgroundNumerous interventions exist for neck pain in all age groups, but novel manual approaches warrant further investigation to assess their applicability in pediatric populations.ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine and compare the immediate effects of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and classical massage (CM) in children aged 10-11 years with chronic neck pain.MethodsIASTM or CM were applied to the neck regions of a total of 52 children with chronic neck pain. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), universal goniometer, and digital pressure algometer were used to evaluate pain severity, Range of Motion (ROM), and pressure pain threshold (PPT).ResultsSignificant within-group improvements were observed in VAS scores and cervical ROM post-treatment (p < .001). Additionally, a significant difference was found only in the PPT value of the left cervical region in the CM group (W = -2.237; p = .025). Between-group differences at each time showed that significant differences were found in cervical flexion (U = 2.630, p = .009) and PPT left cervical (U = -2.326; p = .020) before treatment and also, significant differences were obtained in the PPT right cervical (U = -2.555; p = .011), PPT right upper trapezius (U = -2.545; p = .011), and PPT left upper trapezius (U = -1.968; p = .049), after treatment.ConclusionBoth IASTM and CM were equally effective in reducing pain severity, the study's primary outcome. When adjusted for time, differences emerged only in cervical lateral flexion, with region-specific variations. However, long-term outcomes remain unknown, and future trials should include follow-up periods, larger and more diverse samples, and control or placebo groups to clarify clinical effect.
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