This rapid scoping review (ScR) aims to summarize the methodologies of HPTMG usage and identify research gaps that could be addressed in future studies. Specifically, it explores the factors contributing to the variability in HPTMG's effects and offers suggestions for optimal usage parameters.
A rapid ScR was conducted to systematically search, select, and synthesize relevant knowledge regarding HPTMG. The participants included both healthy individuals and those undergoing treatment, with a focus on outcomes such as pain, flexibility, and muscle strength. Systematic searches were performed using databases including PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Open Grey, and ClinicalTrials.gov. Screening of titles, abstracts, full texts, and data extraction were carried out by one author and verified by a second author.
A total of 3,794 titles and abstracts were retrieved from the databases. After screening abstracts and removing duplicates, 38 full-text articles were assessed, with an additional 8 papers added from citations in previous studies and journal websites. In total, 24 studies meeting the inclusion criteria were included in this rapid scoping review. Most participants were young, healthy individuals, with only two studies involving participants presenting symptoms. The most commonly used device was the Theragun, featuring an amplitude of 16 mm and a ball-type attachment. The typical intervention settings involved a duration of 5 minutes, a single intervention session, and a frequency of 53 Hz. Most interventions targeted muscles of the lower limbs, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, and triceps surae, with only one study focusing on the muscle-tendon junction. Most studies assessed immediate effects. Improvement in ROM was the most frequently observed effect; however, four adverse events—rhabdomyolysis, lens subluxation, Vertebral Artery Dissection and increased pain—were also reported. Notably, the three adverse events occurred when the device was used without guidance from healthcare professionals, raising concerns about the safety of unsupervised usage.
Although this review highlighted the usage characteristics of HPTMG, methodological inconsistencies hindered the identification of optimal usage parameters.
The study emphasized the need for further research to determine the appropriate parameters for HPTMG use in clinical applications, particularly for interventions involving patients with medical conditions in the future.
Range of Motion
Rapid Scoping Review
