Effectiveness of Myofascial Release Along with Conventional Physiotherapy for Chronic Neck Pain Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Chronic neck pain ranks as the fourth most common cause of disability globally. However, the treatment for this condition is expensive and lacks substantial proof of its efficacy. Objectives: The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of myofascial release (MFR) on the upper trapezius and scalene muscles for chronic neck pain. Methods and Materials: The study was a double-blind, randomized controlled trial. A total of 40 individuals with persistent neck pain were allocated randomly to an experimental and a control group. The trial group provided MFR along with conventional physiotherapy. The control group got just conventional physiotherapy. The total number of therapy sessions was nine, with a frequency of three sessions per week for duration of three weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to measure pain, universal goniometer to measure range of motion (ROM), and the neck disability index (NDI) to measure neck function and disability. Results: The experimental group revealed significant differences (p <0.05) and had a positive correlation between the pre- and post-NDI scores. Statistically significant changes (p<0.05) were seen in pain intensity and ROM. The results also showed that paired t-test within group analysis for NDI has positive effects on both groups. Patients' pain intensity and NDI scores improved considerably compared to the control group. Conclusion: Myofascial release therapy has shown to be beneficial in lowering pain intensity and increasing ROM in different directions for individuals with chronic neck pain.