From the results, Subjects had increasing of neck ROM in direction of left lateral flexion and
rotation to left after treatment both groups. In addition, subjects had increasing of ROM in direction of
right lateral flexion and rotation to right after treatment in group 2. Increasing of neck ROM may be due
to location of the muscle which more lengthening in direction of neck rotation to the same side or neck
lateral flexion to the opposite side. From results, effect of strain counter-strain technique on increasing
of ROM was similar to ischemic compression followed by passive stretching technique. The increasing
of ROM in group 1 may be caused by effect of strain counter-strain that decreased efferent impulse to
upper trapezius muscle resulted in muscle relaxation. In group 2, application of ischemic compression
resulted in increasing of blood flowed at trigger point that promoted muscle to relaxation. Passive
stretching promoted muscle relaxation by inhibiting nerve impulse efferent to muscle that resulted in
decreasing of muscle contraction (Kisner & Colby, 1985). If muscle relaxed, it might be more sensitive
with compression. This study found no significant change both within group and between groups. It
seemed to be decreasing both groups. In addition, decreasing of pressure pain threshold may be due
to latent effect on the soft tissue above trigger point from ischemic compression technique. Pain was
measured by visual analogue scale during application with pressure 2.5 kg/cm2
at trigger point. So, if
pressure pain threshold decreased, pain intensity would increase. The results showed no significance
difference in terms of within group or between groups. This study was opposite to the study by
Fernandez-de-las-Penas et al (2006). They studied the immediate effect of ischemic compression and
transverse friction massage in subjects with MPS. Their results showed significant improvement in pain
intensity. However, both pain intensity and pressure pain threshold seemed to be worst, but patient’s
perception of change seemed to be good. Both treatment techniques resulted in muscle relaxation that
helped decreasing in subject’s feeling discomfort. Most subjects with active MPS changed to latent MPS after treatment in both groups. Perhaps, decreasing in subject’s feeling discomfort and changing
in type of MPS contributed to subjects’ perception of recovery. Most patients from both groups
perceived recovery after treatment, but results showed no significant difference both within and
between groups. From results of patient’s perception of change, subjects from both groups seemed to
appreciate with strain counter-strain technique as well as ischemic compression followed by passive
stretching technique