The Effects of Myofascial Release Technique on Depression Following Pain Reduction in a Depressive Patient Suffering from Frozen Shoulder: A Case Report

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Chronic pain and depression are known to interact, possibly through common neurotransmitters and pathways. Frozen shoulder is among the most debilitating musculoskeletal disorders, with a prevalence of 2–5%. Managing one of these disorders may induce dramatic effects on the other. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of myofascial release on the attenuation of depression following pain reduction in a patient with depression and frozen shoulder. Case report/Method A 49-year-old woman with a history of depression for the previous 6 years was referred to us with a diagnosis of left side frozen shoulder. Initial range of shoulder flexion and abduction were 95 and 80 degrees respectively, and pain intensity on a visual analog scale was 10/10. Debilitating pain disturbed her sleep. Muscle weakness was documented with manual muscle testing. The myofascial release technique for the serratus anterior was applied in 5 sessions. Results Shoulder pain was considerably attenuated and range of motion improved notable following treatment. The patient’s Beck Depression Inventory score improved by15 points. Discussion These improvements might be attributed to the interrelationship between pain and depression.