Immediate effects of Graston Technique on hamstring muscle extensibility and pain intensity in patients with nonspecific low back pain.
Jong Hoon Moon, Jin-Hwa Jung, Young Sik Won and 1 others
PMID 28265144WHAT IT FOUND
One 60-second Graston session had a larger immediate sit-and-reach change than static stretching (11.03 vs 8.62), but pain scores did not differ between groups.
The trial had only 24 patients.
Key findings
01A single 60-second Graston session produced a larger immediate sit-and-reach change than a single 60-second static stretching session (11.03 vs 8.62, p=0.002).
02The between-group change in pain scores was not significant (−0.92 vs −0.58, p=0.210).
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 24 university staff and students, so generalisability is limited. The treatment was applied only once, and the outcome was measured immediately after a 5-minute break, so long-term effects are unknown. The authors state the sit-and-reach test did not have the highest level of reliability and validity. The paper does not clearly name a primary outcome, and its pain reporting is inconsistent: it says there were no significant VAS changes, while Table 2 lists within-group VAS p-values. The supplied text does not report dropouts or whether all 24 participants were analysed.
Declared interests
No funding or conflict-of-interest statement is provided in the supplied text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that Graston Technique reduces low back pain or provides lasting improvement. The pain change did not differ significantly between groups, and the study measured only the immediate effect after one 60-second session in 24 patients.