The effect of postural control intervention for congenital muscular torticollis: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effects of manual stretching and postural control intervention in infants with congenital muscular torticollis and to investigate the factors that predict treatment duration.

DESIGN

Randomized, controlled trial.

SETTING

An outpatient rehabilitation clinic in a tertiary university hospital.

SUBJECTS: Infants <6 months of age with congenital muscular torticollis.

INTERVENTION: Group 1 included 38 infants who received postural control intervention. Group 2 included 38 infants who received manual stretching.

MAIN MEASURES: The thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor, rear head and facial asymmetry, and head tilt were variables measured before and after treatment. Additionally, the treatment duration was measured.

RESULTS

The mean treatment duration was 92.53 ± 34.38 days for group 1 and 88.21 ± 37.23 days for group 2. The mean change of thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor was 6.88 ± 1.90 mm for group 1 and 6.05 ± 2.85 mm for group 2. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean treatment duration and the mean change of thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor between the groups (P > 0.05). The first treatment day after birth was associated with the treatment duration. In addition, facial asymmetry, the first treatment day, tumor thickness, and head tilt were associated with the treatment duration (P < 0.05). This regression model had a 57.4% explanatory power.

CONCLUSIONS

There was no difference between these treatments regarding the treatment duration and the change of thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor. Infants with congenital muscular torticollis who were treated earlier had a shorter treatment length.