One-week time course of the effects of Mulligan's Mobilisation with Movement and taping in painful shoulders

Abstract

Previous research suggests that Mulligan's Mobilisation-with-Movement (MWM) technique for the shoulder produces an immediate improvement in movement and pain. The aims of this study were to investigate the time course of the effects of a single MWM technique and to ascertain the effects of adding tape following MWM in people with shoulder pain. Twenty-five participants (15 males, 10 females), who responded positively to an initial application of MWM, were randomly assigned to MWM or MWM-with-Tape. Range of movement (ROM), pressure pain threshold (PPT) and current pain severity (PVAS) were measured pre- and post-intervention, 30-min, 24-h and one week follow-up. Following a one-week washout period, participants were crossed over to receive a single session of the opposite intervention with follow-up measures repeated. ROM significantly improved with MWM-with-Tape and was sustained over one week follow-up (p < 0.001; 18.8°, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 7.3–30.4), and in PVAS up to 30-min follow-up (38.4 mm, 95% CI 20.6–56.1 mm). MWM demonstrated an improvement in ROM (11.8°, 95% CI 1.9–21.7) and PVAS (40.4 mm, 95% CI 27.8–53.0 mm), but only up to 30-min follow-up. There was no significant improvement in PPT for either intervention at any time point. MWM-with-Tape significantly improved ROM over the one-week follow-up compared to MWM alone (15.9°, 95% CI 7.4–24.4). Both MWM and MWM-with-Tape provide a short-lasting improvement in pain and ROM, and MWM-with-Tape also provides a sustained improvement in ROM to one-week follow-up, which is superior to MWM alone.