Unlocking Healing Potentials: Soft Tissue Manipulation As Mechanotherapy

Abstract

This concise review offers a valuable perspective on the significant role of soft tissue manipulation/mobilization (STM) as an influential and direct mechanotherapy approach with wide-reaching implications in the realms of physical rehabilitation, disease prevention, and health promotion. STM, exemplified by therapeutic massage, whether administered manually or with the assistance of mechanical devices, stands as a prominent form of manual therapy employed by clinicians globally to address common musculoskeletal pain conditions. Mechanotherapy, in this context, utilizes non-invasive mechanical stimuli applied to the body's surface, effectively influencing molecular, cellular, and tissue structures and functions through mechanotransduction processes, ultimately yielding improved clinical outcomes.

The article also furnishes a concise overview of mechanotransduction, with a particular emphasis on the ECM-integrin cytoskeleton pathway. Furthermore, it delves into the effects of STM's mechanical stimulation on various types of bodily tissues. The review underscores the need for ongoing research to further validate STM as a viable, cost-effective treatment option, especially in an aging population. The clinical relevance of STM is explored, emphasizing the importance of approaching STM intervention as a precise prescription, wherein optimal pressures and frequencies are meticulously tailored to achieve the desired therapeutic outcomes and propel the field of soft tissue manual therapies forward