Effects of mechanical massage, manual lymphatic drainage and connective tissue manipulation techniques on fat mass in women with cellulite.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate and compare the effectiveness of three different noninvasive treatment techniques on fat mass and regional fat thickness of the patients with cellulites.

METHODS

Sixty subjects were randomized into three groups. Group 1 (n = 20) treated with mechanical massage (MM), group 2 (n = 20) treated with manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) and group 3 (n = 20) treated with connective tissue manipulation (CTM) techniques. Subjects were evaluated by using standardized photographs, body composition analyzer (TBF 300) (body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), fat %, fat mass (FM), fat free mass (FFM), total body water (TBW)), circumference measurement from thigh, waist-hip ratio (WHR), fat thickness measurements from abdomen, suprailium and thigh regions with skin fold caliper.

RESULTS

All groups had an improvement in thinning of the subcutaneous fat after the treatment (P < 0.05). Thigh circumference decreased by an average of 0.5 cm in all groups and thigh fat thickness decreased 1.66 mm in Group 1, 2.21 mm in Group 2 and 3.03 mm in Group 3. Abdomen and suprailium fat thicknesses decreased 2.4 and 2.58 mm in Group 1, 1.78 and 2 mm in Group 2 and 1.23 and 0.64 mm in Group 3, respectively. The mean difference in waist-hip ratio was 0.1 cm in all groups.

CONCLUSION

All the treatment techniques are effective in decreasing the regional fat values of the patients with cellulites.