Kao Anika R, Loghmani M Terry, Gerling Gregory J
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA.
Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health and Human Sciences, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA.
medRxiv. 2025 Aug 1:2025.07.31.25332529. doi: 10.1101/2025.07.31.25332529.
Soft tissue manipulation is a widely used massage-based intervention in treating myofascial pain, yet its efficacy in increasing tissue mobility is evaluated primarily through subjective observations. To establish objective measures of tissue mobility, this study captures patterns of skin surface deformation during hands-on clinician assessment using digital image correlation. Nineteen participants underwent an established soft tissue manipulation (STM) intervention protocol targeting the cervicothoracic region. Tissue mobility was assessed bilaterally (left v. right) and directionally (superior v. inferior) before and after the STM intervention using eleven strain-based biomarkers. Post-intervention, those biomarkers associated with tissue deformation and glide exhibited systematic changes, indicating increased mobility. Notably, 88% of participants demonstrated improved tissue mobility, especially on the more restricted body side. Among participants reporting more pain on one side of the body, 90% exhibited greater post-intervention improvement on the more painful side. Moreover, distinctions in the strain-based biomarkers well aligned with self-reported pain, supporting their potential for objective assessment of myofascial dysfunction. This study highlights the feasibility of optical skin surface tracking as a tool for evaluating the efficacy of STM intervention, offering a quantitative, low-cost, and realistic clinical approach.
软组织手法治疗是一种广泛应用于治疗肌筋膜疼痛的基于按摩的干预措施，然而其在增加组织活动度方面的疗效主要通过主观观察来评估。为了建立组织活动度的客观测量方法，本研究使用数字图像相关技术捕捉临床医生手法评估过程中皮肤表面变形的模式。19名参与者接受了针对颈胸区域的既定软组织手法治疗（STM）干预方案。在STM干预前后，使用11种基于应变的生物标志物对双侧（左侧对右侧）和不同方向（上方对下方）的组织活动度进行评估。干预后，那些与组织变形和滑动相关的生物标志物呈现出系统性变化，表明活动度增加。值得注意的是，88%的参与者表现出组织活动度改善，尤其是在身体受限更严重的一侧。在报告身体一侧疼痛更严重的参与者中，90%在疼痛更严重的一侧干预后改善更大。此外，基于应变的生物标志物的差异与自我报告的疼痛高度吻合，支持了它们在客观评估肌筋膜功能障碍方面的潜力。本研究强调了光学皮肤表面跟踪作为评估STM干预疗效工具的可行性，提供了一种定量、低成本且切实可行的临床方法。
