Abstract
Background
Every second human will experience a phase of neck pain in their lifetime and a high rate of chronicity exists. Because of the complexity and multiple influencing factors, chronic pain conditions are associated with a long treatment and diagnostic process. This leads to a prolonged healing process and high costs.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of myofascial release on the variables of pain and range of motion in patients with chronic neck pain.
Method
Selection criteria were set to create a search algorithm for a systematic search in the databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, EBM Reviews, Medline, CINAHL, PEDro, and Science Direct. The risk of bias and the methodological quality was analyzed with the PEDro scale.
Result
Ten randomized controlled trials, with 549 participants met the eligibility criteria. The methodological quality was ranked from good to excellent. The myofascial release showed a significant difference in pain (p = 0.03), rotation to the right (p = 0.05), and lateral flexion to the right (p = 0.04), compared to other treatment methods. No significant effect was found for improvements in pressure pain threshold.
Conclusion
Modest effects are observed in pain reduction, suggesting potential benefits of myofascial release in managing chronic neck pain. Further research with standardized protocols and direct comparisons to established therapies is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of myofascial release efficacy.
Contribution of the paper
- Effective pain reduction: Myofascial release might significantly impact the reduction of neck pain.
Uncertain Impact on PPT and ROM: Outcomes for Pressure-Pain Threshold (PPT) and Range of Motion (ROM) remain inconclusive, requiring further research.
- Treatment Diversity Complexity: Diverse treatment comparators pose challenges in isolating MFR effects, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols and caution when interpreting the results.
What does the meta-analysis add to the current literature.
- Scientific Gap and Need for Further Research: The meta-analysis highlights a significant scientific gap in definitive evidence supporting myofascial release treatments for chronic neck pain. The identified shortage of studies underscores the need for further research to establish MFR's efficacy, emphasizing standardized protocols, long-term effects, and direct comparisons with established therapies.
- Consideration of Treatment Modality Variations: The analysis contributes to understanding the complexity introduced by variations in treatment modalities. The meta-analysis emphasizes the importance of homogeneous study designs to enhance outcome comparability. This insight is valuable for researchers and clinicians aiming to interpret and apply findings from diverse studies in the field of MFR and chronic neck pain.