Treatment Outcomes of Myofascial Decompression on Hamstring Pathology

This study examined the effectiveness of two different hamstring soft tissue treatments; myofascial decompression (MFD) and a moist heat pack with self-myofascial release using a foam roller (SMR). Myofascial decompression, or cupping therapy, is a traditional Chinese therapy that has been adapted to the field of sports medicine. METHODS: This treatment served as the intervention group, a foam roll treatment and heat pack served as the control. Participants consisted of 17 division I student athletes from Oklahoma State University of both male and female genders (4 females and 13 males). All subjects signed an IRB approved consent form prior to any participation. Range of motion measures and a Perceived Functional Ability Questionnaire (PFAQ) scale, to assess patient perception, were used before and after each treatment. The Global Rating Of Change (GROC) scale was completed by all subjects after each treatment to reflect each subject's perception of treatment effect. Subjects were randomly assigned to either the control group (SMR) or the intervention group (MFD). A paired samples T-test was used to determine differences in pre and post measures and a one-way ANOVA was used to compared differences between the two treatment groups. Statistically significant differences were found for range of motions measures regardless of the treatment subjects received. The same was found comparing overall flexibility and comparing the flexibility of the hamstrings on the PFAQ scale. A statistically significant difference was found in favor of the intervention group for the GROC values. The results of this study suggest that either treatment may be beneficial for range of motion increases in patients with hamstring injuries. It also provides a foundation for future researchers inquiring about the clinical effects of myofascial decompression as it pertains to sports medicine. Future research should include a larger patient population and possibly different patient populations. Adding more functional and objective measures may also prove beneficial in future studies to better document treatment outcomes.Education (all programs