Effectiveness of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) Versus Muscle Energy Technique (MET) on Pain, Range of Motion, and Functional Disability Among Individuals with Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain

Abstract

Objectives: To compare the effects of IASTM and MET on pain intensity, active cervical range of motion (ACROM), and functional disability in individuals with NSNP, and to determine which intervention achieves superior clinical outcomes. Methodology: The ethical clearance was obtained from AUHEC (AUHEC/MPT-FT-004/17/02/2025). 52 participants with chronic non-specific neck pain were included in this study, and they were allocated into IASTM group and MET group with 26 participants each. Each participant underwent 12 treatment sessions over six weeks (two sessions per week, one hour per session). Pain was measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), cervical mobility with a universal goniometer, and functional disability with the Neck Disability Index (NDI). Results: Both groups demonstrated significant within-group improvements in pain reduction, ACROM, and functional disability (p<0.05). Between-group analysis showed that the MET group achieved significantly lower NPRS scores compared to IASTM (p<0.05) and significantly lower NDI scores (p<0.05). No significant between-group differences were observed in ACROM across all movement directions (all p>0.05).Conclusion: Both IASTM and MET are effective in managing NSNP. However, MET demonstrated superior benefits in reducing pain intensity and functional disability, whereas both interventions comparably improved cervical mobility