Trial reportInternational journal of environmental research and public health2023
Acute Effects of Percussive Massage Therapy on Thoracolumbar Fascia Thickness and Ultrasound Echo Intensity in Healthy Male Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Trial report in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. It is linked to trial NCT06240975 (Comparative Effects of Theragun and Dry Needling on Neck Pain, Range of Motion and Disability Among Heavy Weightlifters), which is not on this map. Cited by 18 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Comparative Effects of Theragun and Dry Needling on Neck Pain, Range of Motion and Disability Among Heavy Weightlifters
Who cites it
18 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 23 citations in OpenAlex.
- Ultrasound Imaging of Thoracolumbar Fascia: A Systematic Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Pooled it
- Effects of percussive massage therapy on fascia echo intensity and fascia thickness in firefighters with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2024Trial
- A comparison of dynamic warm-up and "warm-up" using self-massage tools on subsequent sit-and-reach displacement.PloS one · 2024Trial
- Effect of percussive massage treatment and static stretching on muscle tone, stiffness, and strength recovery after exercise-induced muscle fatigue: A randomized controlled study.Sports medicine and health science · 2026Article
- The Impact of a Heated Effleurage and Heated Tapotement Massage on Low-Back Discomfort from a Seat.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- [Ultrasound-Guided Injection of the Thoracolumbar Fascia in the Treatment of Low Back Pain: Methodological Approach and Anatomical Study].Acta chirurgiae orthopaedicae et traumatologiae Cechoslovaca · 2026Article
- Assessment of the Fascial System Thickness in Patients with and Without Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Foam Rolling or Percussive Massage for Muscle Recovery: Insights into Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Article
- Vertebral artery dissection with cerebellar stroke after use of a percussive massage device: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2025Article
- Short-Term Effect of Percussive Massage Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain Patients With Active Myofascial Trigger Points: A Randomized Trial.Journal of chiropractic medicine · 2025Article
- Physiological Effects of Local Theragun™ Application: An Observational Study in Healthy Female Participants.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- Correction: Yang et al. Acute Effects of Percussive Massage Therapy on Thoracolumbar Fascia Thickness and Ultrasound Echo Intensity in Healthy Male Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
- Article
- Effects of Myofascial Release Techniques on Joint Range of Motion of Athletes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Effects of Percussive Massage Treatments on Symptoms Associated with Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2024Article
- Consumer Perceptions of Home-Based Percussive Massage Therapy for Musculoskeletal Concerns: Inductive Thematic Qualitative Analysis.JMIR rehabilitation and assistive technologies · 2024Article
- The Effects of Massage Guns on Performance and Recovery: A Systematic Review.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2023Review
- Response to Mechanical Properties and Physiological Challenges of Fascia: Diagnosis and Rehabilitative Therapeutic Intervention for Myofascial System Disorders.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Percussive massage therapy (PT) has been widely used by therapists and the fitness population to treat myofascial-related conditions. However, there is no evidence to confirm the effects of PT on the fascia. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PT on thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) morphology and other related outcomes.
methodsSixty-six healthy males participated and were randomly allocated into a percussive massage group (PT group) and a control group. The PT group received 15 min of back percussion massage, while the control group rested prone lying in the same environment for 15 min. Thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) thickness and echo intensity, perceived stiffness, lumbar flexibility, and skin temperature were measured in both groups before and immediately after the intervention.
resultTLF thickness and lumbar flexibility did not change when compared in the two groups. However, the echo intensity (left side, difference -3.36, 95% CI -5.1 to -1.6; right side, difference -4.39, 95% CI -6.1 to -2.7) and perceived stiffness (difference, -1.18, 95% CI -1.84 to -0.52) in the TLF region were significantly lower in the PT group than in the control group and were accompanied by increased skin temperature (difference 0.29, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.48).
conclusionWe suggest that a 15 min PT with 30 Hz on the back region could reduce TLF echo intensity and perceived stiffness and increase skin temperature in healthy men individual.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.