SynthesisBMC musculoskeletal disorders2024
The effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization on range of motion: a meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC musculoskeletal disorders, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 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.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
5 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- The effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization on pain and function in patients with musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Pooled it
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization for musculoskeletal disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis of its effects on pain, function, and range of motion.European journal of medical research · 2026Article
- Investigating the effectiveness of stretching interventions on post-traumatic elbow stiffness: a systematic review.JSES international · 2025Review
- Do Healthcare Professionals Agree with Delphi Expert Recommendations for Instrument Assisted Soft-Tissue Mobilization Precautions and Contraindications? An Exploratory Survey.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- International Expert Consensus on Instrument-Assisted Soft-Tissue Mobilization Precautions and Contraindications: A Modified Delphi Study.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTo evaluate the effectiveness of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) on range of motion (ROM).
methodsWe performed a literature search of the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases from inception to December 23, 2023. Randomized controlled trials that compared treatment groups receiving IASTM to controls or IASTM plus another treatment(s) to other treatment(s) among healthy individuals with or without ROM deficits, or patients with musculoskeletal disorders were included. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to assess the risk of bias.
resultsNine trials including 450 participants were included in the quantitative analysis. The IASTM was effective in improving ROM in degree in healthy individuals with ROM deficits and patients with musculoskeletal disorders (n=4) (MD = 4.94, 95% CI: 3.29 to 6.60), and in healthy individuals without ROM deficits (n=4) (MD = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.30 to 3.34), but failed to improve ROM in centimeter in healthy individuals with ROM deficits (n=1) (MD = 0.39, 95% CI: -1.34 to 2.11, p=0.66, I
conclusionsIASTM can improve ROM in degree in healthy individuals with or without ROM deficits, or in patients with musculoskeletal disorders (with very low to low certainty).
trial registrationThe PROSPERO registration ID is CRD42023425200.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
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.