Comparing the effects of vibration and ultrasound waves accompanied with stretching exercises on myofascial trigger points of posterior neck muscles in athletes

Various physical modalities and exercises have been recommended for treatment of myofacial trigger points, but there are not randomized controlled trails to compare these methods. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of vibration and ultrasound therapy accompanied with stretching exercises on myofascial trigger points of posterior neck muscles in athletes. In this double-blind randomized controlled trial study. Thirty athletes with myofascial trigger points in their posterior neck muscles were recruited through simple non-probability sampling. They were randomly assigned to either a vibration (n=15) or an ultrasound therapy accompanied with stretching exercises group (n=15). Before and after intervention, neck disability (ordinal) was assessed with Neck Disability Index (NDI), neck pain with visual analog scale (ordinal) and Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPNPQ), and shoulder pain and disability with Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). A 10 session program which lasted 4 weeks, 3 sessions per week, and 30 minutes per session was performed for both groups. Independent t-test or Mann-Whitney U, paired t-test or Wilcoxon and One Way ANOVA were used for analysis of data. The neck disability index was decreased from 25.33±5.35 to 13.93±4.1 in the vibration group and from 25.20±4.63 to 13.80±4.36 in the ultrasound therapy group (P<0.001). The neck pain index was decreased from 15±3.91 to 6.47±3.7 in the vibration group and from 13.47±4.56 to 5.53±4.19 in the ultrasound therapy group (P<0.001). The shoulder pain and disability index was decreased from 69.08±30.53 to 24.83±22.36 in the vibration group and from 64.69±23.61 to 17.27±11.42 in the ultrasound therapy group (P<0.001). However, no significant difference was observed between two groups regarding improving function and reducing pain and disability of neck and shoulder (P>0.05). In athletes with myofascial trigger points in posterior neck muscles, both vibration and ultrasound therapy accompanied with stretching exercises causes decreasing in shoulder and neck pain and disability.