Table 3.
Effect Sizes of Range-of-Motion (ROM) Outcomes of Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) in Uninjured and Comparison Groups: Baseline to Time Point
| Author (Product) |
Body Part |
Treatment Time × No. of Treatments |
ROM |
Time-Elapsed Effect Size With 95% Confidence Intervals (Short-Term; IASTM Listed First)a |
|||||
| 0 h |
24 h |
48 h |
72 h |
2 wk |
4 wk |
||||
| Bailey et al4 (SASTM) | Shoulder | 2 min × 1 | GH ER | 0.19 (−0.32, 0.69) | |||||
| 0.11 (−0.40, 0.61) | |||||||||
| GH IR | 1.11 (0.57, 1.65)b | ||||||||
| 0.76 (0.23, 1.28) | |||||||||
| GH HA | 1.45 (0.88, 2.02)b | ||||||||
| 0.63 (0.11, 1.15) | |||||||||
| Heinecke et al44 (GT) | Shoulder | 3–5 min × 8 | GH IR right | 0.44 (−0.62, 1.50) | 0.46 (−0.60, 1.52)b | ||||
| 0.62 (−0.45, 1.69) | 0.16 (−0.89, 1.21) | ||||||||
| GH IR left | 0.51 (−0.55, 1.58)b | 0.58 (−0.49, 1.65)b | |||||||
| 0.26 (−0.79, 1.31) | −0.03 (−1.07, 1.02) | ||||||||
| GH ER right | 0.35 (−0.71, 1.40) | 0.80 (−0.29, 1.89)b | |||||||
| 0.56 (−0.50, 1.63) | 0.73 (−0.35, 1.81) | ||||||||
| GH ER left | 0.33 (−0.72, 1.36) | 0.80 (−0.29, 1.89)b | |||||||
| 0.30 (−0.75, 1.35) | 0.67 (−0.41, 1.75) | ||||||||
| GH HA right | 0.98 (−0.13, 2.09)b | 1.23 (0.09, 2.37) | |||||||
| 0.53 (−0.54, 1.60) | 1.27 (0.12, 2.42) | ||||||||
| GH HA left | 0.89 (−0.21, 1.99) | 1.24 (0.09, 2.38) | |||||||
| 0.91 (−0.19, 2.01) | 1.51 (0.33, 2.70) | ||||||||
| Laudner et al46 (GT) | Shoulder | 40 s × 1 | GH IR | 0.44 (−0.24, 1.12)b | |||||
| −0.05 (−0.70, 0.61) | |||||||||
| GH HA | 1.91 (1.10, 2.73)b | ||||||||
| −0.01 (−0.67, 0.64) | |||||||||
| Markovic6 (FAT) | Hip and knee | 2 min × 1 | Hip flex | 2.46 (1.30, 3.62)b | 1.64 (0.63, 2.65)b | ||||
| 1.13 (0.19, 2.08) | 0.16 (0.63, 2.65) | ||||||||
| Knee flex | 2.48 (1.31, 3.65)b | 1.73 (0.70, 2.76)b | |||||||
| 1.46 (0.47, 2.44) | 0.25 (−0.63, 1.13) | ||||||||
| Vardiman et al50 (GT) | Lower leg | 7–8 min × 1 | Ankle DF | 0.03 (−0.80, 0.87) | 0.05 (−0.79, 0.88) | 0.05 (−0.79, 0.88) | −0.28 (−1.12, 0.56) | ||
| −0.06 (−0.90, 0.77) | −0.23 (−1.07, 0.61) | 0.11 (−0.72, 0.95) | −0.07 (−0.90, 0.77) | ||||||
| Schaefer and Sandrey48 (GT) | Ankle | 8 min × 8 | Ankle DF | 1.62 (0.76, 2.47)b | |||||
| 1.00 (0.11, 1.89) | |||||||||
| Ankle PF | 0.92 (0.14, 1.70)b | ||||||||
| 0.14 (−0.70, 0.98) | |||||||||
| Ankle Inv | 0.75 (−0.02, 1.51) | ||||||||
| 0.36 (−0.49, 1.20) | |||||||||
| Ankle Ev | 1.0 (0.21, 1.79) | ||||||||
| 1.08 (0.19, 1.98) | |||||||||
Abbreviations: DF, dorsiflexion; ER, external rotation; Ev, eversion; FAT, Fascial Abrasion Technique; flex, flexion; GH, glenohumeral; GT, Graston Technique; HA, horizontal adduction; Inv, inversion; IR, internal rotation; PF, plantar flexion; SASTM, sound-assisted soft-tissue mobilization.
a
Effect size of <0.35 is considered trivial, 0.35–0.79 is considered small, 0.80–1.50 is considered moderate, >1.50 is considered large.29,31 A positive effect size indicates an improvement in ROM.
b
The IASTM group was at least 1 Rhea effect-size category larger than the listed comparison group.