To examine the short-term effects of percussive massage of the upper trapezius muscle on cervical spine flexion ROM and strength.
Using a crossover study design with a 24-hour washout period, 25 healthy male and female participants aged 18 to 30 years completed this pilot study. A 2.5-minute percussive massage was performed bilaterally on the upper trapezius muscle. Cervical spine flexion ROM (Cervical Spine Range of Motion© (CROM©) device) and cervical spine flexion strength (Lafayette Manual Muscle Tester©) was measured pre-and post-intervention. Descriptive statistics and repeated measures mixed ANOVA were used to analyze the data with a p.05.
There was a statistically significance interaction effect with a large effect size for treatment condition and time on cervical spine flexion ROM (F(1,48)=11.105, p=.002, partial ƞ2.188). There was no statistically significant interaction effect for treatment condition and time on cervical spine flexion strength (F(1,48)=.001, p=.972). There were also no other statistically significant effects found during data analysis or with post-hoc testing.
Percussive massage had a statistically significant effect on increasing cervical spine flexion ROM but did not demonstrate clinical significance. Additionally, percussive massage did not have a statistically significant effect on cervical spine flexion strength. Future research should continue to explore the effects of percussive massage to determine its clinical utility in clinical trial involving a symptomatic or pathological population. Furthermore, future research may look at the effects of percussive massage on other cervical spine movement directions for ROM and strength measures such as cervical spine rotation, side flexion, and extension.
The results of this study may provide coaches, clinicians, and athletic trainers with information regarding the short-term effects of percussive massage on cervical spine flexion ROM and strength.
Cervical spine
ROM and strength
