General procedures for treating myofascial pain syndrome with therapeutic exercises and massage

The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of massage and therapeutic exercises for patients with myofascial pain syndrome. The study compared the results of a survey of patients before, during, and after treatment with massage, therapeutic exercises, and a combination of both. Pain characteristics were evaluated on an 11-point scale and functional performance on a 5-point scale. In the course of the study, it was found that the effectiveness of various methods of therapy for myofascial pain syndrome of the trapezius muscle was high. All patients successfully completed the full course of treatment, which demonstrated a significant reduction in pain and improvement in functional activity. The best results were demonstrated by the group that received combined treatment with massage and therapeutic exercises. In patients in this group, positive changes were observed as early as on Day 5 of therapy, while in the group with only massage, relief occurred on Day 6 and Day 7. Patients who had been treated with therapeutic exercises alone began to experience significant improvements towards the end of the course. According to statistics, pain in most patients after treatment decreased to 1-2 points on an 11-point scale. The highest effectiveness was demonstrated by the combined treatment group, in which pain decreased by an average of 5.55 points, and 85% of patients reported only minor pain. In the massage-only group, 75% of patients reported a reduction in pain levels to 1–2 points on an 11-point scale. In the therapeutic exercises group, pain decreased in 65% of patients, but the recovery process was slower. None of the patients reported pain of 7-8 points after the treatment. Overall results showed that a combination of massage and therapeutic exercises is the most effective method for reducing pain and restoring functional activity