Abstract

Introduction: evidence suggests the effectiveness of massage, stretching and resistance training of the neck, abdominal and paraspinal muscles in the treatment of cervical and lumbar pain. However, it is unknown the effect of these therapeutic modalities in the treatment of mechanical thoracic spine pain. Objective: to compare the effects of massage and stretching, with and without the addition of a resistance training of the torso muscles, on the decrease of mechanical thoracic spine pain. Material and Method: randomized controlled pilot trial. Setting: physiotherapy consultation. Patients: patients diagnosed of mechanical thoracic spine pain (n = 19), 16 women (84 %) and 3 men (16 %), with a mean age and weight, respectively of 48 years (SD 9) and 66.5 kg (SD 14). Patients were randomly assigned to a massage group (n =10) or a training group (n = 9). Exclusion criteria were: upper extremities pain, fibromyalgia, meningeal irritation and serious pathology. There were 2 dropouts. Intervention: 10 sessions for 4- month, with an average of 1 session each 12 days. Measurements: intensity pain at baseline and at 4 months using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The outcomes were analysed with the parametric tests T Student for independent samples and T Student for dependent samples. Results: at the 4-month follow-up, pain decreased in both groups. Comparison between groups showed a decrease pain 1.3 points (95 % CI = 0.3 to 2.3) p = 0.01; and intragroup, massage and training group, respectively a decrease pain 1.7 points (95 % CI = 1.1 to 2.5) p < 0.001 and 4.3 points (95 % CI = 3.4 to 5.2) p < 0.001. Conclusions: the addition of a resistance training of the torso muscles to a treatment with massage and stretching for 4-month yields more benefits in reductions of pain.