Objectives

To analyze the effects at the musculoskeletal level of manual treatment of the diaphragm muscle in adults.

Data Sources

Systematic review using 4 databases: PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and Scopus.

Study Selection and Data Extraction

Two independent reviewers applied the selection criteria and assessed the quality of the studies using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale for experimental studies. A third reviewer intervened in cases where a consensus had not been reached. A total of 9 studies were included in the review.

Data Synthesis

Manual therapy directed to the diaphragm has been shown to be effective in terms of the immediate increase in diaphragmatic mobility and thoracoabdominal expansion. The immediate improvement in the posterior muscle chain flexibility test is another of the most frequently found findings in the evaluated studies. Limited studies show improvements at the lumbar and cervical level in the range of motion and in pain.

Conclusion

Manual diaphragm therapy has shown an immediate significant effect on parameters related to costal, spinal, and posterior muscle chain mobility. Further studies are needed, not only to demonstrate the effectiveness of manual diaphragm therapy in the long-term and in symptomatic populations, but also to investigate the specific neurophysiological mechanisms involved in this type of therapy.

中文翻译：

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手法治疗对肌肉骨骼系统膈肌的影响：系统评价

目标

分析成人膈肌手法治疗对肌肉骨骼水平的影响。

数据源

使用 4 个数据库进行系统评价：PubMed、Science Direct、Web of Science 和 Scopus。

研究选择和数据提取

两名独立审查员应用了选择标准，并使用物理治疗证据数据库量表进行了实验研究，评估了研究的质量。在未达成共识的情况下，第三位审稿人进行了干预。该评价共纳入 9 项研究。

数据综合

针对膈肌的手法治疗已被证明在立即增加膈肌活动度和胸腹扩张方面是有效的。后部肌肉链柔韧性测试的即时改善是评估研究中另一个最常见的发现。有限的研究表明腰椎和颈椎在运动范围和疼痛方面有所改善。

结论

手动膈肌疗法已显示出对与肋骨、脊柱和后部肌肉链活动度相关的参数的直接显着影响。需要进一步的研究，不仅要证明手动膈肌疗法在长期和有症状人群中的有效性，还要研究此类疗法所涉及的特定神经生理学机制。