The Effect of Therapeutic Massage in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain

Abstract

Chronic neck pain is having a considerable impact on quality of life and is a challenging condition to treat in clinical practice. The aim of this study is to assess the therapeutic methodology, which includes massage therapy with treatment of trigger points and stretching, in a combination with passive exercises, and its effect on patients with chronical neck pain. Objects: 52 patients with chronical neck pain, organized in two groups-experimental and control group. Methods: Twenty-six patients in the experimental group received ten therapeutic massages with exercise therapy. The patients in control group subjected to only control testing without undergoing a therapeutic massage course. For the study purposes twice were assessed the changes in the static and dynamic pain via modified Borg´s static pain tests and Merle D'Aubigné dynamic pain test, and also the changes of cervical spine mobility. Results: At the end of the research, it was statistically ascertained that in case of experimental group patients there was a significant pain decrease at palpation and motions. At a maximum intensity of static pain at baseline of 7.35 (± SD2.6), at the end of therapy it was 3.96 (± SD4.9) (p <0.001). At ten therapeutic massages, intensity of pain in movement was significantly reduced-2.8,3 (±SD≤1.96) (p<0.001), while in control group that change was minimal. In experimental group was report improved neck range function (LR=56,3± 2,4) (p≤0