Immediate Effects of Simultaneous Application of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Ultrasound Phonophoresis on Active Myofascial Trigger Points: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of phonophoresis with combined therapy on active myofascial trigger points.

PARTICIPANTS: One hundred participants with acute mechanical neck pain and at least one active myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius were randomly assigned into four equal groups.

INTERVENTION: Groups consisted of diclofenac phonophoresis with combined therapy, diclofenac phonophoresis, ultrasound (US) with coupling gel, and sham US and applied for 10 mins over myofascial trigger points.

MEASUREMENTS: Measurements included pressure pain threshold and active cervical lateral flexion.

RESULTS: There were statistically significant improvements in postintervention pressure pain threshold and range of motion values in treatment groups (P < 0.0001). As for the sham US, no significant difference was found between the preintervention and postintervention values (P > 0.05). Bonferroni correction test revealed that there was a significant difference between all the four groups in pressure pain threshold values (P < 0.0001); however, it was nonsignificant (P > 0.05) for range of motion.

CONCLUSIONS: Diclofenac phonophoresis with combined therapy, phonophoresis, and US were all effective in increasing pressure pain threshold values and range of motion. In addition, phonophoresis with combined therapy was shown to be superior over phonophoresis, and phonophoresis was superior over US in terms of reducing pain sensitivity. However, none of the treatment groups were found to be superior over the other in increasing range of motion.