Efficacy of manual therapy for sacroiliac joint pain syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
Moderate EvidenceIn Plain Language
This study investigated the effectiveness of manual therapy for adults suffering from sacroiliac joint pain syndrome. It found that while manual therapy does not significantly reduce pain, it can help in reducing disability associated with the condition. This is important for improving patients' daily functioning and quality of life.
Key Findings: what this meta-analysis found
- ✓Included 16 RCTs with 421 participants.
- ✓Manual therapy did not significantly reduce pain (SMD: -0.88; p = 0.0686).
- ✓Significant moderate effect in reducing disability (SMD: -0.67; p = 0.0418).
- ✓Quality of RCTs was 'good' (56%) or 'fair' (44%).
- ✓Certainty for pain outcomes was very low, and low for disability outcomes.
What This Means for You
For individuals considering reflexology treatment for sacroiliac joint pain, this study suggests that such therapy may help reduce disability, though it may not significantly alleviate pain. It's worth discussing with a healthcare provider whether reflexology could be beneficial.
What This Means for Practitioners
Reflexology practitioners can use these findings to inform clients about the potential benefits in reducing disability from sacroiliac joint pain, even though the effectiveness for pain relief remains uncertain. Practitioners should also emphasize the importance of integrating manual therapies within a broader treatment plan.
Study Design: how this meta-analysis was run
Limitations: what it cannot tell you
The results are limited by the low sample size of individual studies and high heterogeneity, making it unclear which manual therapy techniques are most effective.
Common questions about this study
What does this study mean in practice?
For individuals considering reflexology treatment for sacroiliac joint pain, this study suggests that such therapy may help reduce disability, though it may not significantly alleviate pain. It's worth discussing with a healthcare provider whether reflexology could be beneficial.
What did this study find?
Included 16 RCTs with 421 participants. Manual therapy did not significantly reduce pain (SMD: -0.88; p = 0.0686). Significant moderate effect in reducing disability (SMD: -0.67; p = 0.0418).
How strong is this evidence?
This is a meta-analysis and we rate its evidence moderate. It covers 421 participants. It was published in The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy, a Q2 journal. This study is indexed here for context; it did not test reflexology itself.
What are the limitations of this study?
The results are limited by the low sample size of individual studies and high heterogeneity, making it unclear which manual therapy techniques are most effective.
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