Highlights
- •Diaphragm manual therapy is effective in improving thoracoabdominal expansion.
- •Diaphragm manual therapy is effective in improving diaphragmatic mobility.
- •Diaphragm manual therapy obtains a better posterior muscle chain flexibility.
- •Limited studies show improvements at lumbar and cervical level.
Abstract
Objectives
To analyze the effects at the musculoskeletal level of manual treatment of the diaphragm
muscle in adults.
Data Sources
Systematic review using 4 databases: PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus.
Study Selection and Data Extraction
Two independent reviewers applied the selection criteria and assessed the quality
of the studies using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale for experimental studies.
A third reviewer intervened in cases where a consensus had not been reached. A total
of 9 studies were included in the review.
Data Synthesis
Manual therapy directed to the diaphragm has been shown to be effective in terms of
the immediate increase in diaphragmatic mobility and thoracoabdominal expansion. The
immediate improvement in the posterior muscle chain flexibility test is another of
the most frequently found findings in the evaluated studies. Limited studies show
improvements at the lumbar and cervical level in the range of motion and in pain.
Conclusion
Manual diaphragm therapy has shown an immediate significant effect on parameters related
to costal, spinal, and posterior muscle chain mobility. Further studies are needed,
not only to demonstrate the effectiveness of manual diaphragm therapy in the long-term
and in symptomatic populations, but also to investigate the specific neurophysiological
mechanisms involved in this type of therapy.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), PEDro (Physiotherapy Evidence Database), PPT (pressure pain threshold), ROM (range of motion)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: April 28, 2021
Accepted:
March 23,
2021
Received in revised form:
February 14,
2021
Received:
October 31,
2020
Footnotes
PROSPERO Clinical Trial Registration No.: CRD42020156186.
Disclosures: none
Identification
Copyright
© 2021 The American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
