Effects of Myofascial Release Technique in Individual with Neck Pain – A Literature Review

<p><span><em><span>Neck pain is a health problem that is often faced by people all over the world. This condition can cause various movement and body function problems such as pain and decreased functional levels. The aim of this literature review is to determine the effectiveness of the myofascial release technique in improving pain and functional status in individuals with neck pain. This literature review uses 2 databases as sources, namely: Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and PubMed/MEDLINE. The articles used in this study include: (1) Articles with randomized controlled trial (RCT) research designs; (2) Articles were published in the last 5 years (January 2020 - July 2024); (3) Articles must be in English. The initial search across two databases yielded 25 articles, of which 3 were duplicates and excluded. Applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 17 articles were selected. Full-text access was obtained for 15 of these articles. After assessing eligibility, 7 articles were deemed suitable for inclusion. Consequently, the study utilized a total of 7 articles. Data extraction was carried out by two separate reviewers. Risk of bias was assessed using a PEDro scale reviewed by two independent reviewers. The studies collectively included a total of 384 participants with neck pain. Intervention duration ranged from two weeks to four weeks. Various outcome measures were utilized to assess the effectiveness of the interventions, including the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain assessment. The Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Neck Outcome Score (NOOS) are used to measure functionality or disability in neck pain. Based on the literature review, it can be concluded that myofascial release technique can improve pain and neck disability in individuals with neck pain by providing 5 – 8 therapy sessions with a therapy duration of 50 – 60 minutes</span></em></span></p>