Modified-Active Release Therapy in Patients with Scapulocostal Syndrome and Masticatory Myofascial Pain: A Stratified-Randomized Controlled Trial

Modified-active release therapy (mART) was developed to treat patients experiencing upper quarter pain. The objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the mART in treating pain, promoting function, and measuring emotions in patients with scapulocostal syndrome (SCS) and masticatory myofascial pain (MMP). A stratified-randomized controlled trial was employed in 38 participants separated into two groups. All participants underwent the same series visual analog scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), mouth opening (MO), maximum mouth opening (MMO), craniovertebral angle (CV-angle), and pain catastrophizing scale Thai version (PCS-Thai-version) at the baseline. The mART group underwent the mART program three times a week for 4 weeks with a hot pack and an educational briefing while the control group received only a hot pack and the educational briefing. After treatment, both groups showed significant improvement (p < 0.05) in all parameters except MO, MMO, and CV-angle. When comparing outcomes between the groups, the mART group showed a statistically significant greater number of improvements than did the control group. In conclusion, the mART program can improve pain experienced by patients with SCS and MMP and it can be used as an adjuvant technique with conservative treatment.