Comparison of the effects of chiropractic spinal manipulation and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization in individuals with chronic neck pain

In recent years, chiropractic techniques have been widely used to treat persistent mechanical neck discomfort. Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization is yet another preventive treatment approach employed in neck care. This study compares the effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization versus chiropractic spine manipulation in treating patients with chronic neck pain. People between the ages of 20 and 65 who experience neck discomfort and disability for longer than three months and who scored at least 5 on the visual analog scale make up the study's target sample. Pre-test and post-test evaluation techniques are used in the study, which is a randomized controlled clinical trial with a control group. With a total of 42 participants—14 in each group—treatment implements were conducted at the Fizyogym Physiotherapy and Counseling Center site. Three groups of participants were assigned at random. The SPSS package program was used to evaluate the data that were obtained after the implements. The research data were analyzed using Kruskal Wallis Test and descriptive statistics. When each group was assessed separately, it was found that the quality of life improved at all times following treatment for the daily living activity measured with the Short form - 36 scale, but there was no statistically significant difference between the 3 groups. In the goniometric evaluations used for normal joint range of motion, it was determined that patients reported an increase in joint range of motion in all groups during and after the 2nd week of treatment. In addition, in the evaluations made with the neck disability index, it was observed that the increase in all groups was significant and decreased neck disability.