Effectiveness of Foam Rolling vs. Manual Therapy in Postexercise Recovery Interventions for Athletes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

ABSTRACT: Espí-López, GV, Ruescas-Nicolau, MA, Castellet-García, M, Suso-Martí, L, Cuenca-Martínez, F, and Marques-Sule, E. Effectiveness of foam rolling vs. manual therapy in postexercise recovery interventions for athletes: A randomized controlled trial. J Strength Cond Res 37(6): e361-e368, 2023-Self-massage using foam rolling (FR) has been posited to have similar benefits as those traditionally associated with manual therapy (MT) but more economical, easy, and efficient. Despite the widespread use of this technique for the recovery of athletes, there is no evidence supporting the effectiveness of FR vs. MT. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of FR self-massage in athletes after a high-intensity exercise session compared with a MT protocol. A randomized controlled trial was performed. Forty-seven volunteer amateur athletes (22.2 ± 2.5 years, 53.2% men) were divided into 3 groups: a FR group ( n = 18, performed FR self-massage), a MT group ( n = 15, received a MT protocol), and a control group ( n = 14, passive recovery). After an intense exercise session, dynamic balance, lumbar and hip flexibility, and leg dynamic force were assessed before and after the intervention and 1 week later. Results showed that, in the FR group, dynamic balance scores increased for both limbs at postintervention ( p = 0.001) and at follow-up ( p = 0.001). These scores were higher for the FR group vs. the MT group at postintervention (right limb, p = 0.048) and at follow-up (right limb: p = 0.049; left limb: p = 0.048), although this variable differed at baseline. In all the groups, lumbar flexion increased at postintervention ( p < 0.05), although it was only maintained in the FR group at follow-up ( p = 0.048). In conclusion, self-massage with FR may be more effective than MT for the recovery of dynamic balance in athletes after intense exercise, although this result should be interpreted with caution. Foam rolling could have a relevant role in postexercise recovery to prevent injuries in athletes.

Short-Term Effects of Manual Therapy on Balance: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze short-term changes in dynamic and static balance after a manual therapy protocol in healthy participants and analyze any repercussions on mood and perception of change after applying articulatory techniques. METHODS: A single-blind, randomized, multicenter clinical trial was conducted. Participants were allocated to either a manual therapy group (MTG) (n = 101) or a control group (CG) without intervention (n = 99), and measures were taken before treatment, after the intervention, and 1 week after treatment. Assessments included the Star Excursion Balance Test, Unipedal Stance Test (UPST), Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale. RESULTS: Two hundred healthy participants completed the study (mean age, 22 [SD = 2.67]). There was a statistically significant interaction between groups and time measurements in the right leg for anterior (P = .003), posteromedial (P < .001), and posterolateral (P = .001) directions in favor of the MTG, as well as in the left leg for anterior (P < .001), posteromedial (P < .001), and posterolateral (P = .012) directions. The analysis failed to show statistically significant interactions between any of the factors for the UPST and POMS (P > .05). The MTG showed a significant improvement compared to the CG after treatment (P = .003) and at 1-week follow-up (P < .001) on the PGIC scale. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the MT intervention was effective on dynamic balance in post-intervention in healthy participants, and some of the directions maintained the results at 1-week follow-up. Perception of change in post-treatment and 1-week follow-up also significantly improved. The protocol did not seem to produce changes in static balance and mood states. Positive changes after manual therapy were maintained in the short term.

Systematic review of aquatic therapeutic exercise efficacy in breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE: The aim of this review is to establish the efficacy of aquatic therapeutic exercise in female breast cancer survivors for improving fatigue, pain, lymphedema, and quality of life. METHODS: A systematic literature review was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for articles published in the last 10 years. The review focuses on aquatic exercise-based rehabilitation in female breast cancer survivors, according to the PRISMA statement and using the PEDRO and Jadad scales. RESULTS: Ten randomized controlled trials with 606 participants were included. Two studies showed aquatic therapeutic exercise to be effective in reducing fatigue, three in reducing pain, and four in improving quality of life after intervention. Three of five studies obtained significant immediate changes in lymphedema volume, although this improvement was only maintained at 3 months in a single study. The methodological quality of all the studies was ≥ 7 on the PEDro scale and ≥ 3 on the Jadad scale. CONCLUSION: Aquatic therapeutic exercise is an effective strategy for improving fatigue, pain, and quality of life in breast cancer survivors, although the effects on lymphedema remain uncertain. Participants showed high adherence to treatment and no adverse effects after intervention were reported.

Effects of Taping and Balance Exercises on Knee and Lower-Extremity Function in Amateur Soccer Players: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

CONTEXT: Knee injury prevention is a critical aspect in sport rehabilitation sciences, and taping is a widely used technique in this field. Nevertheless, the role and effectiveness of a long-term application of Kinesio Taping (KT) on knee function, disability, and injury prevention remain unclear. OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of KT, alone or in combination with balance exercises (BE), on dynamic and static knee balance and flexibility. DESIGN: Randomized trial design. SETTING: University of Valencia (Spain). PARTICIPANTS: Forty-eight male amateur soccer players. INTERVENTION: Participants were assigned to 3 groups: Sham KT (sKT) + BE, KT + BE, and KT in isolation. The intervention period lasted 4 weeks. Three evaluations were performed: at baseline (pre), at 2 weeks (mid), and at 4 weeks posttreatment (post). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Y Balance Test, unipedal stance test, the toe touch test, and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. RESULTS: Both sKT + BE and KT + BE groups achieved significant pre-post improvements in SEBT, unipedal stance test, and toe touch test. The KT group only showed significant intragroup differences in the left and right unipedal stance test variable (P < .05, d = 0.76, d = 0.62, respectively). The sham KT group obtained the strongest results in all physical variables. Regarding the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, pre-post significant changes were found in the sham group (P < .05, d = 0.28). CONCLUSIONS: Both sham and real KT in combination with BE achieved significant improvements on all physical variables, and these differences were significantly greater compared with those found in the KT in the isolation group, suggesting that benefits in knee function are due to the BE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapy level 1b.

Effect of Kinesio Taping and balance exercises on postural control in amateur soccer players: A randomised control trial.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of Kinesio Taping (KT), alone or together with balance exercises (BE), on parameters related to postural control, such as dynamic balance, static balance and flexibility. Forty-four male amateur soccer players (mean age 24.45 (4.79) years) were randomly allocated to 3 groups: KT+BE that received KT and BE (n = 16); KTp+BE, in which the KT was used as a placebo (n = 15) and KT alone (n = 13). The intervention period lasted 4 weeks. Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), Unipedal Stance Test (UST) and the Toe Touch Test (TTT) were assessed at baseline (pre), two weeks after beginning the treatment (mid) and after the intervention (post). We observed a significant improvement on the SEBT (mid and post-treatment) and the UST (post-treatment), but not on the TTT in either KT+BE or KTp+BE groups post treatment. No differences were found either in KT group at any time point or between groups in any variable studied. In conclusion, KT functional correction technique does not improve static and dynamic balance when applied alone, whereas BE alone or combined with KT significantly improves these variables. None of these techniques has any effect on flexibility. Abbreviation: KT: Kinesiotaping; BE: Balance exercises; KTp: Placebo Kinesiotaping; UST: Unipedal Stance Test; SEBT: Star Excursion Balance Test; TTT: Toe Touch Test.

Cross Sectional Area of the Supraspinatus Muscle and Acromio-humeral Distance in Overhead Athletes With and Without Shoulder Pain: A Cross-sectional Study.

CONTEXT: The supraspinatus muscle has an important role in the stabilization of the glenohumeral joint. Identifying abnormalities concerning its size and the subacromial space in the presence of pain may be relevant to provide more specific treatments focused on the etiology of pain. OBJECTIVE: To determinate whether painful shoulder causes changes in the supraspinatus cross-sectional area (CSA) and the acromio-humeral distance (AHD) between overhead athletes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: University campus and local sports clubs' Physical Therapist room. PARTICIPANTS: 81 male overhead athletes were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of shoulder pain and clinical symptoms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Ultrasonography measurements of the supraspinatus CSA and the AHD in 2 groups of overhead athletes with and without pain. RESULTS: In the pain group, the CSA was significantly smaller compared with the no pain group. No differences between groups were found in the AHD measurement. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder pain in overhead athletes was associated with a reduction in their supraspinatus muscle CSA, but not in the AHD. These findings suggest that muscle atrophy exists in the presence of pain. However, in active overhead athletes, the AHD is not clearly reduced in overhead athletes with shoulder pain. Further studies are needed to understand this condition.

Clinical Changes of Respiratory Parameters in Institutionalized Older Adults after a Physiotherapy Program Combining Respiratory and Musculoskeletal Exercises.

Nowadays pulmonary diseases are an increasingly important cause of morbidity and mortality. Diaphragmatic breathing is a controlled-breathing technique that aims to optimize thoracoabdominal movements. The aim of this study was to apply a respiratory and musculoskeletal physiotherapy program in institutionalized older adults and to assess the effects on their pulmonary function tests and oxygen saturation. A randomized double-blind clinical trial was conducted with thirty institutionalized older adults, randomly assigned to a control group (CG), who conducted musculoskeletal exercises; or an experimental group (EG) who, in addition, carried out diaphragmatic breathing, administered for eight weeks, three times/week. Outcomes were pulmonary function variables (forced vital capacity, FVC; forced expired volume at 1 s, FEV1; the FEV1/FVC ratio) and oxygen saturation (SpO2) before and after treatment. Normality of the distributions was tested with Saphiro-Wilk and the pre-post improvement was assessed with a two-sample Mann-Whitney test. Significance level was corrected for multiple comparisons using Benjamini-Hochberg correction (p < 0.04). There was a clinically significant improvement of FVC and FEV1 for the EG. Moreover, the EG showed a statistically significant increase of SpO2 (p = 0.028) after treatment when compared to CG. A physiotherapy program combining breathing and musculoskeletal exercises, improved respiratory parameters in institutionalized older adults.

Effect of a Craniosacral Therapy Protocol in People with Migraine: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Migraine is a common neurological disorder, and it is the second leading cause of disability worldwide. Manual techniques based on physical therapy have been proposed to improve migraine aspects; however, further research is needed on their effectiveness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a craniosacral therapy protocol on different features in migraine patients. Methods: Fifty individuals with migraine were randomly divided into two groups (n = 25 per group): (i) craniosacral therapy group (CTG), following a craniosacral therapy protocol, and (ii) sham control group (SCG), with a sham treatment. The analyzed variables were pain, migraine severity and frequency of episodes, functional, emotional, and overall disability, medication intake, and self-reported perceived changes, at baseline, after a 4 week intervention, and at 8 week follow-up. Results: After the intervention, the CTG significantly reduced pain (p = 0.01), frequency of episodes (p = 0.001), functional (p = 0.001) and overall disability (p = 0.02), and medication intake (p = 0.01), as well as led to a significantly higher self-reported perception of change (p = 0.01), when compared to SCG. In addition, the results were maintained at follow-up evaluation in all variables. Conclusions: A protocol based on craniosacral therapy is effective in improving pain, frequency of episodes, functional and overall disability, and medication intake in migraineurs. This protocol may be considered as a therapeutic approach in migraine patients.

Development of Advanced Competencies in Physiotherapy: Impact of a Single-Blinded Controlled Trial on Ethics Competence.

BACKGROUND: Innovation in the training of future physiotherapy professionals through the use of collaborative learning could be an effective method for developing advanced competencies such as professional ethics. This study aimed at comparing the effects of cooperative learning and individual learning on the knowledge of professional ethics, the perception of knowledge regarding professional ethics, the teaching quality assessment and satisfaction in future physiotherapy professionals. METHODS: A prospective, assessor-blinded, controlled trial was performed. A 12-week program was carried out with future physiotherapy professionals. The cooperative learning group was based on group activities, while the individual learning group performed the same activities with an individual approach. Knowledge, perception of knowledge regarding professional ethics, teaching quality and satisfaction were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 216 participants completed the study (cooperative group n = 106; individual group n = 110). The cooperative learning group showed higher knowledge and perception of knowledge regarding professional ethics compared to the individual learning group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, the cooperative learning group reported higher scores in the teaching materials, attitude towards future professionals and the teacher's global score. CONCLUSIONS: Cooperative learning showed a positive impact on developing advanced competencies such as knowledge and perception of knowledge regarding professional ethics. Both methodologies showed adequate results in the assessment of teaching quality and satisfaction.

Potential Add-On Effects of Manual Therapy Techniques in Migraine Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Objective: To ascertain whether the combination of soft tissue and articulatory manual techniques is more effective than either one of these techniques alone for reducing migraine impact; Methods: Seventy-five participants with migraine were randomly divided into three groups (n = 25 per group): (i) soft tissue (STG), (ii) articulatory (AG), and (iii) combined treatment (STAG). Pain, frequency of occurrence, duration, disability and impact, depression and anxiety levels, and perception of change were analysed at baseline, post intervention (T2) and at four-week follow-up (T3); Results: STAG showed a significantly greater reduction in pain versus STG and AG at T2 (p < 0.001; p = 0.014) and at T3 (p < 0.001; p = 0.01). Furthermore, STAG achieved a significantly greater reduction in pain duration versus STG at T2 (p = 0.020) and T3 (p = 0.026) and a greater impression of change versus STG (p = 0.004) and AG (p = 0.037) at T3. Similar effects were observed in all groups for frequency of occurrence, migraine disability, impact, and depression and anxiety levels; Conclusions: A combined manual therapy protocol including soft tissue and articulatory techniques yields larger improvements on pain and perception of change than either technique alone, yet the three therapeutic approaches show similar benefits for reducing pain, disability and impact caused by the migraine, depression or anxiety levels.

Effects of Foam Rolling vs. Manual Therapy in Patients with Tension-Type Headache: A Randomized Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: This study compares the effect of foam rolling (FR) vs. manual therapy (MT) on pain, pressure pain threshold (PPT), headache disability (HDI) and impact of headache (HIT-6) in patients with tension-type headache (TTH). METHODS: A total of 38 participants with TTH were randomly assigned to an FR group (FRG, n = 13), an MT group (MTG, n = 13) or a control group (CG, n = 12). FRG received FR treatment; MTG received MT techniques; CG received a placebo treatment. The treatment lasted one month. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and follow-up. RESULTS: Both FRG and MTG showed significant improvements in all variables after the treatment, but the intervention effect was maintained only for functional disability (p = 0.002 and p = 0.005, respectively), overall disability (p = 0.007; p = 0.030) and HIT-6 (p = 0.002; p = 0.001) at follow-up. After treatment, FRG and MTG presented a significantly higher PPT in right (p = 0.044; p = 0.009) and left suboccipital (p = 0.004; p = 0.021). MTG showed a significantly lower HIT-6 than CG (p = 0.008). No differences between FRG and MTG were found in any variable. CONCLUSIONS: Both FR and MT are effective treatments for the improvement of clinical symptoms in TTH. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings in a larger population.

Canoe polo Athletes' Anthropometric, Physical, Nutritional, and Functional Characteristics and Performance in a Rowing Task: Cross-Sectional Study.

Understanding the physical, functional, mental, and nutritional attributes of canoe polo athletes is essential for training and development. Forty-three canoe polo athletes (mean age: 21.54 ± 6.03) participated in the study and were assessed for: anthropometric measurements, exercise motivation, eating habits, adherence to the Mediterranean Diet, and physical and functional abilities. Correlation and multivariate analysis were conducted. Individual performance in a rowing task showed body mass index (ß = 0.41) and female gender (ß = 0.34) to be the strongest anthropometric predictors, whereas body fat (ß = -0.35) and triceps brachii skinfold fatty tissue (ß = -0.35) were the strongest negative predictors. Pushing strength (ß = 0.37) and range of motion with internal rotation (ß = 0.30) were the strongest physical predictors. The physical dimension of the Exercise Motivation Index was a significant psychosocial predictor (ß = 0.27). Senior participants had a higher waist-hip ratio (p = 0.04, d = 0.66), arm circumference (p = 0.03, d = 0.68), handgrip strength (p < 0.01, d = 1.27), and push strength (p < 0.01, d = 1.42) than under 21-year-olds. Understanding the highlighted sport-specific characteristics of canoe polo athletes can help trainers to design programs at all levels to optimize performance.

Effectiveness of a manual therapy protocol based on articulatory techniques in migraine patients. A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Physiotherapy is used as a non-pharmacological treatment for migraine. However, controversy exists over whether articulatory manual techniques are effective in some aspects related to migraine. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of a manual therapy protocol based on articulatory techniques in pain intensity, frequency of episodes, migraine disability, quality of life, medication intake and self-reported perceived change after treatment in migraine patients. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Fifty individuals with migraine were randomized into the experimental group, which received manual therapy based on articulatory techniques (n = 25), or the placebo group (n = 25). The intervention lasted 4 weeks and included 4 sessions. Patients were assessed before (T1), after (T2) and at a one-month follow-up following the intervention (T3). The instruments used were the Migraine Disability Assessment (MIDAS) questionnaire, the Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), the medication intake and The Patients' Global Impression of Change scale. RESULTS: In comparison with placebo group, manual therapy patients reported significant effects on pain intensity at T2 (p < 0.001; d = 1.15) and at T3 (p < 0.001; d = 1.13), migraine disability at T3 (p < 0.05; d = 0.69), physical quality of life at T2 (p < 0.05; d = 0.72), overall quality of life at T2 (p < 0.05; d = 0.60), decrease in medication intake at T2 (p < 0.001; d = 1.11) and at T3 (p < 0.05; d = 0.77) and self-reported perceived change after treatment at T2 and T3 (p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: The application of a manual therapy protocol based on articulatory techniques reduced pain intensity, migraine disability, and medication intake, while improving quality of life in patients with migraine.

Biomechanical and viscoelastic properties of the ankle muscles in men with previous history of ankle sprain.

In this study, we aimed to explore the impact of previous history of lateral ankle sprain on the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL) and gastrocnemius lateralis (GL) and medialis (GM) in asymptomatic men. For this purpose, a group of 26 men with previous history of lateral ankle sprain (ASG) and a control group (CG) of 29 healthy counter-parts participated in this study. Tone, stiffness, elasticity and mechanical stress relaxation time were measured using a myotonometer in a single session. Higher tone was noted for TA and GL in ASG as compared to CG (effect size of Cohen's d = 0.57 [p = 0.04] and 0.59 [p = 0.04], respectively). Further, stiffness was higher in ASG than in CG for TA (d = 0.56; p = 0.04), PL (d = 0.58; p = 0.04) and GL (d = 0.63; p = 0.02). Stress relaxation time was also lower for the ASG compared to the CG for TA (d = 0.61; p = 0.03), PL (d = 0.55; p = 0.04) and GL (d = 0.68; p = 0.02). There were no significant differences between groups in elasticity (p > 0.05). GM experienced no significant changes after ankle sprain in any of the variables (p > 0.05). To conclude, previous history of lateral ankle sprain results in higher TA and GL muscle tone. Likewise, these muscles in addition to PL exhibit less deformation against resistance due to their increased stiffness, thus needing a shorter time to restore to their original shape after deformation.

Efficacy of a proprioceptive exercise program in patients with nonspecific neck pain: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Nonspecific neck pain is associated with chronic pain, disability, reduced cervical mobility, postural control disorders and impaired proprioceptive control. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of two therapeutic exercise programs (i.e. cervical proprioception and cervical mobility) in reducing pain and disability in individuals with nonspecific neck pain. We further aimed to compare the effectiveness of the two treatments in improving pressure pain threshold, cervical range of motion and head repositioning accuracy. DESIGN: This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: This study took place in a private rehabilitation clinic. POPULATION: Forty-two participants diagnosed with nonspecific neck pain, aged 18-65 years, were randomized to a cervical mobility group (N.=22) or a proprioception group (N.=20). METHODS: The cervical mobility group combined a passive treatment and active mobility exercises, whereas the Proprioception group combined a passive treatment and proprioceptive exercises. Pain intensity, disability, pressure pain threshold, range of motion, and head repositioning accuracy were assessed at baseline and after 10 sessions. RESULTS: Pain intensity and disability significantly improved for both interventions (p<0.01), but such improvement was greater for pain intensity in the proprioception group than in the cervical mobility group (P<0.01). Pressure pain threshold, range of motion and head repositioning accuracy improved only in the proprioception group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: A program based on cervical proprioception exercises demonstrated to improve pain, disability, pressure pain threshold, range of motion and head repositioning accuracy in patients with nonspecific neck pain. However, a program based on cervical mobility exercises only showed to improve pain intensity and disability, while such improvement was not clinically relevant. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: The proprioceptive exercise program may be considered as the treatment of choice in patients with nonspecific neck pain.

The beneficial effects of therapeutic craniofacial massage on quality of life, mental health and menopausal symptoms and body image: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the effect of massage in the craniofacial area in menopausal women after the treatment and one month after its completion, and to measure its influence on quality of life in relation to symptoms of menopause, mental health, and body image perception. DESIGN: 50 participants with menopause, aged 45-65 years, participated in a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: craniofacial massage group (CMG), who received massage treatment (n = 25), and control group (CG), without treatment (n = 25). Prior to randomization, all participants provided demographic and clinical information. Quality of life, mental health and body image perception were evaluated at three time points: at the beginning of the study, at the end, and one month after finishing the treatment. RESULTS: A repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance (RM-MANOVA) was used to determine if mean scores in the criteria differed significantly between time points within subjects. The results obtained indicate that the cranial massage techniques had a large, positive between-subjects effect on our three criteria (Wilks Λ = .83, F(3, 44) = 3.04, p. <.05; Partial η = .17; ƒ = .45) as well as a large, positive between-within subjects effect (Wilks Λ = .64, F(6, 41) = 3.91, p. <.01; Partial η = .36; ƒ = .76). In short, our treatment improved participants' mental health, partially ameliorated the decrease in scores on the Menopause Rating Scale and stopped the decrease in Body Image perception's scores. CONCLUSIONS: The craniofacial massage protocol, applied to the craniofacial sphere, constitutes a complementary and valid therapy-based therapeutic option for clinicians in the treatment of different symptoms that occur in the climacteric period.

Comparison Between Classic and Light Touch Massage on Psychological and Physical Functional Variables in Athletes: a Randomized Pilot Trial.

BACKGROUND: Despite the general belief of the benefits and the widespread use of massage in sport field, there are limited empirical data on possible effectiveness of massage on psychological and physical functional variables. PURPOSE: The main objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of classical and light touch massage on psychological and physical functional variables in athletes. SETTING: Athletic club of Valencia. PARTICIPANTS: 20 amateur athletes were recruited from two athletic clubs. RESEARCH DESIGN: A single-blind, randomized, pilot-placebo trial. INTERVENTION: The subjects were randomly allocated to two different groups: a) Massage group (MG) (n=10); b) Control group (CG) (n=10). The intervention period lasted one month (one session per week). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Assessment of the participants was performed at baseline and 24 hours following the completion of the intervention. Outcome measures included hip flexion, knee extension, and mood state. RESULTS: The results suggest that MG obtained better results on physical variables (p < .05). However, for both groups, trends suggest significant improvements in the overall mood state of the participants (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that classic massage could be an effective intervention to improve functional physical variables in athletes. However, trends suggest that a light touch intervention could provoke improvements in physiological measures.

Effect of Kinesio taping on clinical symptoms in people with fibromyalgia: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and muscle soreness. Because of its high prevalence, many therapeutic approaches have been proposed with the aim of improving overall physical function and reducing pain. Since low adherence is one of the major limitations among these patients, treatments that do not interfere with their daily routines, such as KT, would be a feasible option. OBJECTIVE: The main goal of this study was to analyze the effect of Kinesio Tape (KT) on pain, posture, body comfort and quality of life (QoL) in people with FMS. METHODS: Thirty-five women (between 17 and 70 years of age) with FMS were randomly allocated to two treatment groups, depending on the location of the KT: "Upper trunk group" (UTG) (n= 18) and "Global trunk group" (GTG) (n= 17). The intervention period lasted 3 weeks. Pain, comfort, trunk posture and QoL were assessed before and after the intervention. RESULTS: Both KT treatments were effective in reducing pain and improving neck and shoulder comfort (p< 0.05). The GTG achieved a significant improvement in thoracic comfort (p< 0.05), whereas the UTG experienced a significant improvement in non-dominant side trunk posture and showed a significant improvement in the QoL score (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: GT and UT KT applications have positive effects on patients with FMS and may be considered as a suitable treatment option among this population.

Effect of the soft-tissue techniques in the quality of life in patients with Crohn's disease: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Crohn's disease (CD) is a highly prevalent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), characterized by recurring flares altered by periods of inactive disease and remission, affecting physical and psychological aspects and quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic benefits of soft non-manipulative osteopathic techniques in patients with CD. METHODS: A single-blind randomized controlled trial was performed. 30 individuals with CD were divided into 2 groups: 16 in the experimental group (EG) and 14 in the control group (CG). The intervention period lasted 30 days (1 session every 10 days). Pain, global quality of life (GQoL) and QoL specific for CD (QoLCD) were assessed before and after the intervention. Anxiety and depression levels were measured at the beginning of the study. RESULTS: We observed a significant effect of the treatment in both the physical and task subscales of the GQoL (P = .01 and P = .04, respectively) and also in the QoLCD (P ≤.0001) but not in pain score (P = .28). When the intensity of pain was taken into consideration in the analysis of the EG, there was a significantly greater increment in the QoLCD after treatment in people without pain than in those with pain (P = .02) The improvements in GQoL were independent from the disease status (P = .16). CONCLUSIONS: Soft, non-manipulative osteopathic treatment is effective in improving overall and physical-related QoL in CD patients, regardless of the phase of the disease. Pain is an important factor that inversely correlates with the improvements in QoL.

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.