[Purpose] To compare the influences of the active release technique (ART) and joint
mobilization (JM) on the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, pressure pain threshold
(PPT), and neck range of motion (ROM) of patients with chronic neck pain. [Subjects]
Twenty-four individuals with chronic neck pain were randomly and equally assigned to 3
groups: an ART group, a joint mobilization (JM) group, and a control group. Before and
after the intervention, the degree of pain, PPT, and ROM of the neck were measured using a
VAS, algometer, and goniometer, respectively. [Results] The ART group and JM group
demonstrated significant changes in VAS and ROM between pre and post-intervention, while
no significant change was observed in the control group. Significant differences in the
PPT of all muscles were found in the ART group, while significant differences in all
muscles other than the trapezius were found in the JM group. No significant difference in
PPT was observed in any muscle of the control group. The posthoc test indicated no
statistically significant difference between the ART and JM group, but the differences of
variation in VAS, PPT, and ROM were greater in the ART group than in the JM and control
groups. [Conclusion] ART for the treatment of chronic neck pain may be beneficial for neck
pain and movement.