• Bakar Y
• Sertel M
• Ozturk A
• Yumin ET
• Tatarli N
• Ankarali H

• Chronic Pain / therapy
• Connective Tissue
• Massage / methods
• Muscle Relaxation
• Neck Pain / therapy
• Pain Threshold
• Pressure

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of classic massage (CM) and connective tissue massage (CTM) on pressure pain threshold and muscle relaxation response in women with chronic neck pain.

Methods: Participants included 45 female volunteers (ages between 25 and 45 years) presenting to the Köroglu State Hospital Neurosurgery Polyclinic who had experienced neck pain for 3 to 6 months. The volunteers were randomly assigned to 2 groups (CM or CTM to the thoracic spine and the neck). Each treatment was carried out for 1 session. Outcome measures were obtained before and after treatment, which included pressure pain threshold that was measured with an algometer and muscle relaxation response that was evaluated with electromyography biofeedback (EMG-BF).

Results: Pressure pain threshold of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was significantly different for the CM (P < .05) group. The EMG-BF values were significantly different for the CTM group (P < .05). Comparing the results of CM and CTM, EMG-BF averages favored the CTM group (P < .05).

Conclusion: For the group of women with chronic neck pain that were included in this study, 1 treatment of CTM demonstrated relaxation responses and 1 treatment of CM demonstrated pain reduction.

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