Immediate Effects of a Single Session of Cervical Spine Manipulation on Cervical Movement Patterns in People With Nonspecific Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess the immediate effects of a single session of cervical spine manipulation on cervical movement patterns, disability, and the patient's perceived improvement in people with nonspecific neck pain. METHODS: A single-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled trial was carried out at a biomechanics institute. Fifty participants diagnosed with acute and chronic nonspecific neck pain (minimum duration of the symptoms being 1 month) were randomized to an experimental group (EG, n = 25) or a sham-control group (CG, n = 25, 23 of whom completed the study). EG received a single cervical spine manipulation session; CG received a single placebo intervention. Both groups received manipulation or sham from the same physiotherapist. Main outcome measures were neck kinematics (ie, range of motion and movement harmony) during cyclic movements, self-reported neck disability, and impression of change assessed before and 5 minutes after treatment. RESULTS: The EG showed no significant improvements (P > .05) in any of the studied biomechanical variables, except for right-side bending and left rotation, in which we found a range of motion significant mean difference of 1.97° and 1.95°, respectively (P < .05). The CG showed enhanced harmonic motion during flexion (P < .05). Both groups showed a significant decrease in self-reported neck disability after treatment (P < .05), and EG participants perceived a significantly larger improvement after manipulation compared with the CG (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: A single session of cervical manipulation provided by a physiotherapist had no impact on cervical motion during cyclic movements, but rather induced self-reported perceived improvement in neck disability and impression of change after treatment in people with nonspecific neck pain.

Effects of massage therapy alone or together with passive mobilisations on weight gain and length of hospitalisation in preterm infants: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effect of massage therapy alone or together with passive mobilisations on weight gain and length of hospitalisation in very preterm and moderate-to-late preterm infants remains to be elucidated. AIM: To compare massage therapy alone or combined with passive mobilisations with a control group in preterm infants. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement was conducted. Randomised controlled trials comparing massage therapy alone or combined with passive mobilisations with a control group in preterm infants were included. MEDLINE, EMBASE, ENFISPO, PEDro and Cochrane databases were searched up to March 2022. SUBJECTS: Preterm infants. OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight gain and time of hospitalisation. RESULTS: Compared to usual care, massage therapy combined with passive mobilisations was demonstrated to be more effective in improving weight gain (standardized mean difference [95%CI] 0.67 [0.31, 1.02]) and reducing length of hospitalisation (0.53 [0.10, 0.97]) outcomes. However, massage therapy alone was not effective in improving weight gain (1.14 [-0.22, 2.49]). No differences in the effectiveness of these therapies between groups according to gestational age were found (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on fair-to-high quality evidence, massage therapy combined with passive mobilisations significantly improves weight gain and reduces length of hospitalisation in premature infants. However, massage therapy alone does not achieve these improvements.

Understanding the clinical profile of patients with frozen shoulder: a longitudinal multicentre observational study.

INTRODUCTION: There is a large diversity in the clinical presentation of frozen shoulder (FS) and the clinical outcome is not always satisfactory. The aim of the current study was to examine to what extent range of motion (ROM) limitation, metabolic factors (diabetes mellitus and thyroid disorders), autonomic symptoms and pain sensitivity may contribute to the prognosis in terms of shoulder pain and disability and quality of life in patients with FS. METHODS: Patients with stage 1 or 2 FS were longitudinally followed-up during 9 months after baseline assessment. They completed six questionnaires and underwent quantitative sensory testing (pressure pain thresholds, temporal summation and conditioned pain modulation) and ROM assessment. RESULTS: One hundred and forty-nine patients with FS were initially recruited and 121 completed at least one follow-up measurement. Shoulder pain and disability improved over time and diabetes mellitus was found to be a prognostic factor for final outcome. Several domains of quality of life also improved over time and external rotation ROM, diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorder and autonomic symptoms were found to be prognostic factors for final outcome. These prognostic factors explained 2.5%-6.3% of the final outcome of shoulder pain and disability and quality of life. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: In patients with FS, prognostic variables were able to predict different outcomes, indicating that outcomes in this population can be variable-dependent. Other variables not explored in this study might contribute to the prognosis of patients with FS, which should be investigated in future research. In clinical practice, baseline assessment of prognostic factors and focusing on a more holistic approach might be useful to inform healthcare practitioners about progression of patients with FS during a 9-month period.

A Manual Therapy and Home Stretching Program in Patients With Primary Frozen Shoulder Contracture Syndrome: A Case Series.

BACKGROUND: Manual therapy has been demonstrated to reduce pain and improve function in patients with frozen shoulder contracture syndrome (FSCS), but no evidence exists to support one form of manual therapy over another. This case series describes both short- and long-term outcomes after a manual therapy program and home stretching exercises based on specific impairments in shoulder mobility and level of tissue irritability in patients with FSCS. CASE DESCRIPTION: Eleven patients with primary FSCS were treated with an individually tailored, multimodal manual therapy approach once weekly for 12 visits, coupled with home stretching exercises once a day, 5 days per week. Pain, disability, range of motion (ROM), and muscle strength of the affected shoulder were assessed at baseline, posttreatment, at 6 months, and at 9 months. OUTCOMES: Significant improvements in self-reported pain, disability, shoulder ROM, and strength were reported following treatment. Additionally, 4 of 11 patients showed pain improvements that exceeded the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) on the visual analog scale postintervention, and 8 of 11 showed pain improvements at 6 and 9 months. Moreover, 7 of 11 patients showed improvements in Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire scores exceeding the MCID postintervention and at 6 months, and 8 of 11 exceeded the MCID at 9 months. DISCUSSION: Clinically meaningful changes in shoulder pain and disability, ROM, or muscle strength were observed in 11 patients with primary FSCS treated with an individually tailored approach of both manual therapy techniques and stretching exercises, accounting for tissue irritability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapy, level 5. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2019;49(3):192-201. Epub 18 Jan 2019. doi:10.2519/jospt.2019.8194.

Effect of manual therapy versus proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation in dynamic balance, mobility and flexibility in field hockey players. A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effectiveness of a specific Manual Therapy (MT) protocol applied to field hockey players (FHP), versus a Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) protocol, in the improvement of dynamic balance, active range of movement and lumbar flexibility one-week and four-weeks after the treatment. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. Participants were assigned to 2 groups: MT and PNF. 30 min' sessions were performed once a week for three weeks. Three evaluations were performed: basal, one-week and four-weeks post-treatment. SETTING: University of Valencia (Spain). PARTICIPANTS: 22 in MT group and 20 in PNF group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Dynamic Balance, measured with Star Excursion Balance Test; Active Range of Motion (ROM), using a manual goniometer and Lumbar Flexibility, assessed with Fingertip-to-floor test. RESULTS: Both groups significantly improved in lateral and medial dynamic balance one-week post-treatment (p < 0.05); but the improvement in the MT group lasted until the fourth-week after treatment in both reaches (lateral and medial) (p < 0.05). MT group also obtained significant improvements in dorsal flexion of the ankle in the fourth-week post-treatment (p < 0.05) and in lumbar flexibility one-week post-treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MT and PNF improve dynamic balance one-week post-treatment; however, the improvement obtained through MT is maintained four-weeks later. Only MT improves dorsal flexion of the ankle four-weeks post-treatment and lumbar flexibility one-week post-treatment.