Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Egyptian Chinese University, Ain Shams, Egypt -
Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Egyptian Chinese University, Ain Shams, Egypt.
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2022 Aug;58(4):621-629. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.22.07194-5. Epub 2022 Jun 6.
Strain-counterstrain technique (SCS) or positional release therapy is strongly recommended for patients with mechanical neck pain (MNP) because this method has excellent benefits, but the clinical significance of this method is unclear.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of adding the SCS technique to standard therapy on pain, pressure pain threshold, disability according to Neck Disability Index (NDI), and electrophysiological characteristics (amplitude and fatigue) of the upper part of trapezius in the axioscapular muscles of patients with mechanical neck pain.
Single-blind, randomized clinical trial.
Outpatient clinic.
Sixty patients (19-38 years old) with mechanical neck pain participated in this study and were recruited from the outpatient clinic at the faculty of physical therapy after a referral from an orthopedist.
Patients were randomly assigned by opaque sealed envelope to two treatment groups: group A received SCS, standard therapy in form of active range of motion, stretching exercises, and postural correction exercises (PCES), whereas group B, received standard therapy only; therapeutic sessions were performed three times/week for 4 weeks. The visual analogue scale, pressure pain threshold, NDI, upper trapezius median frequency, and root mean square were used to evaluate the patients' pretreatment and post-treatment status.
Multiple pairwise comparisons within each group revealed statistically significant differences in all outcome variables with favor to the SCS group.
The Strain-counterstrain technique combined with traditional standard therapy is an effective method more than traditional standard therapy alone for the management of patients with MNP.
The present study has implications, especially for clinical decision-making about therapy of choice in MNP to reduce pain, improve function as measured through SCS technique and its impact on normal lifestyle, and to highlight the need for active intervention.
应变性牵伸技术（SCS）或位置释放疗法强烈推荐用于机械性颈痛（MNP）患者，因为这种方法具有极好的益处，但这种方法的临床意义尚不清楚。
本研究旨在探讨在标准治疗的基础上增加 SCS 技术对机械性颈痛患者的疼痛、压痛阈、根据颈痛残疾指数（NDI）的残疾程度以及斜方肌上部的轴索-肩带肌的电生理特征（幅度和疲劳）的影响。
单盲、随机临床试验。
门诊诊所。
60 名（19-38 岁）患有机械性颈痛的患者参与了这项研究，他们是从物理治疗系的门诊诊所经骨科医生转诊而来的。
患者通过不透明密封信封随机分配到两组治疗组：A 组接受 SCS，标准治疗形式为主动运动范围、伸展运动和姿势矫正运动（PCES），而 B 组仅接受标准治疗；治疗疗程每周进行 3 次，共 4 周。使用视觉模拟评分、压痛阈、NDI、斜方肌上部中频和均方根来评估患者治疗前和治疗后的状态。
每组内的多次两两比较显示，所有结局变量均有统计学意义，且 SCS 组更为有利。
应变性牵伸技术结合传统标准治疗是一种有效的方法，优于单独使用传统标准治疗，可用于管理机械性颈痛患者。
本研究具有重要意义，特别是在选择治疗方法方面，可用于机械性颈痛的治疗，以减轻疼痛，改善功能（通过 SCS 技术及其对正常生活方式的影响来衡量），并强调需要积极干预。
