Effectiveness of Myofascial Release vs High Frequency TENS for Pain Relief and Functional Improvement in College Students with Trapezius Myalgia: A Comparative Study

Background: Trapezius Myalgia is characterized by pain in the trapezius muscle. The patient suffering from myalgia usually complaints of pain, stiffness and tightness of the upper trapezius muscle. Acute or chronic neck-shoulder pain is the hallmark of this condition. The pain in the muscle usually lasts for few days or it can be even longer. The presence of spasm in upper trapezius muscle is shown by neck pain in the back of the neck and between the bases of the neck and the shoulder. This protocol has been created that describes the design of experimental study to evaluate and compare the effect of Myofascial Release (MFR) versus High-Frequency TENS for pain relief and functional improvement in subjects with Trapezius Myalgia.

Methods: The participants (n=45) will be recruited in the study suffering from Trapezius Myalgia and meeting the inclusion criteria. Two groups will be formed such that group A will be treated with Myofascial Release technique and group B will be treated with High Frequency TENS modality. The protocol will cover 4 weeks of treatment. Regular assessment will be carried out on 1st and 4th week of the rehabilitation period. During the rehabilitation period, we will evaluate pain status and functional improvement and range of motion of the neck in the subject at regular intervals. Our outcome measures will be – Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Neck Disability Index (NDI).

Discussion: The efficacy of the intervention will be evaluated by analyzing pain relief using Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and functional improvement by using Neck Disability Index (NDI). The result of the study will significantly provide affirmation on using these modalities for treating myalgia patients.