Search Results (4)

Background: Mastectomy, a common treatment for breast cancer, often leads to complications such as pain, fibrosis, restricted mobility, lymphedema, reduced strength in the affected arm, and emotional distress. Non-pharmacological therapies, including massage therapy, offer a holistic approach to managing these symptoms. The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of massage therapy on the symptomatology in women post-mastectomy for breast cancer. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Databases including PubMed, Cochrane, PEDro, Dialnet, Science Direct, and Scopus were searched for relevant studies published in English or Spanish over the past 16 years. The search was conducted in March 2025. Inclusion criteria encompassed controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials, quasi-experimental studies, retrospective analyses, and secondary trial analyses involving women aged 45–64 who received massage therapy as a complementary treatment. Results: Twenty-six studies involving 1522 participants were included. Interventions assessed were manual lymphatic drainage, myofascial release, foot massage, classical massage, and the Cyriax technique. The key findings demonstrated significant benefits, including improved range of motion, reduced arm circumference and lymphedema volume, enhanced quality of life, and increased relaxation. Conclusions: According to the results of this systematic review, massage therapy interventions can have a positive impact on the symptomatology in women post-mastectomy for breast cancer and may represent a suitable complementary approach to post-mastectomy breast cancer treatment. Full article

This study aims to determine if a dose–response relationship exists between the pressure applied during deep friction massage (DFM) and the time to the onset of analgesia in an asymptomatic patellar tendon. For this purpose, pressures applied by physiotherapists during DFM (study 1) were characterized and then, based on these pressures, the effects of different DFM pressures on the time to the onset of analgesia were assessed (study 2). First, the mean pressure applied by 40 physiotherapists during a DFM session was assessed with a pressure sensor through an observational, cross-sectional and analytical study. Next, the effects of different pressure intensities (the median, the percentile 25 (P25), and the percentile 75 (P75) of the mean pressure obtained in study 1) were studied in a crossover trial enrolling 30 participants with an asymptomatic patellar tendon. A pressure sensor was used to register the pressures applied during DFM. Our main results indicated that the physiotherapists applied pressures with a wide variation ((mean pressure: 2.317 kg/cm² (P25: 1.022 kg/cm²; P75: 4.161 kg/cm²)). It was also shown that higher pressures had shorter times to the onset of analgesia (pressure: 1 kg/m², time to the onset of analgesia: 67.0 s (P25: 84.5 s; P75: 113.5 s); pressure: 2.3 kg/m², time to the onset of analgesia: 59.0 s (P25: 73.5 s; P75: 87.3 s); pressure: 4.2 kg/m², time to the onset of analgesia: 37.8 s (P25: 54.0 s; P75: 62.0 s)) (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the mean DFM pressure obtained by the physiotherapists was 2.3 kg/cm² (P25: 1.02 kg/cm²; P75: 4.16 kg/cm²). Higher pressures of DFM resulted in shorter times to the onset of analgesia. Full article

Background: Deep friction massage (DFM) is a widely used technique by physical therapists worldwide for chronic pain management. According to Dr. James Cyriax, compliance with the proposed guidelines is vital to obtain the desired therapeutic results. Objectives: This study explored the beliefs and attitudes of Cypriot physical therapists to DFM and their compliance with the suggested guidelines to identify any empirical-based application patterns and compare them to the suggestions of Cyriax. In addition, the prevalence of DFM use in clinical practice in Cyprus was investigated. Methods: Questionnaires, consisting of 18 multiple choice questions and a table of six sub-questions, were distributed to 90 local physical therapists. Results: A total of 70% of respondents declared that they perform DFM in their daily practice. The respondents answered 11 out of the 19 technical questions in compliance with the guidelines. Conclusion: The study revealed the DFM application pattern of Cypriot physical therapists. The compliance percentage of this pattern to Cyriax guidelines was 58% in general and 62.5% for patients with chronic conditions. Full article

Background and objectives: Cyriax friction massage is a widely known and used technique in the field of chronic pain management. Despite its frequent use in daily clinical practice, the technique lacks evidence to support its therapeutic value. While this might be due to various factors, the authors of this paper suggest that the technique might need to be improved and/or modernized according to the recent literature. The purpose of this letter is to further analyze our point of view. Materials and Methods: Using the most relevant methods to the subject literature, the authors intended to point out a few technical details that might need reconsideration and/or modernization. Results: An appropriate terminology is suggested in the text. Further, suggestions are made regarding the technique’s interval time, a possible addition of self-treatment, a discussion of the combination with Mill’s manipulation, tendon positioning and other parameters. Conclusions: As a therapeutic value has not yet been clearly documented, and since the modernization and/or improvement of the technique might be needed, we suggest that this technique should not be used as a first-line treatment for the management of chronic pain. Full article