Comparison of two manual therapy techniques on pain and function in subjects with neck pain

Neck pain is of the common musculoskeletal disorders. Physical maltreatment may have caused disability and socioeconomic repercussions. However، manual therapy techniques are less costly، with least side effects in treatment of neck pain، but there is a lack of evidence about the efficacy of these methods or a comparison of treatment to suggest the best technique. Thirty subjects with neck pain، aged 18-35 years old، were participated in this study. All individuals were randomly classified into two groups. One group received massage therapy and the other strain-counter strain technique. Participants had three therapy sessions every other day. Pain was accessed via pain numerical rating scale (PNRS) and neck disability index (NDI) questionnaire was used to measure the level of functional disability just before and immediately after each technique. Paired and sample t-tests were used to analyze the data. There was a significant improvement in pain intensity and disability level after massage therapy (PNRS = 0. 001، NDI = 0) and strain counter-strain (PNRS = 0، NDI = 0. 03). Nevertheless no significant differences were found just after intervention in NDI between both groups (P > 0. 05). Differences in NRS between both intervention groups were statistically found (P < 0. 05). Both massage and Strain-Counter strain alleviate pain and improved function in patients with neck pain، although massage therapy was more effective in these patients.