Técnicas de mobilização de tecidos moles podem ser eficazes no tratamento da dor crônica? : uma revisão guarda-chuva.

Abstract

Chronic pain persists for at least three months and is highly prevalent. Soft tissue mobilization (STM) has emerged as a treatment option. Although several systematic reviews have examined its effects, heterogeneity in protocols, comparators, methodological quality, and study overlap limits the clarity of the evidence. This study aimed to appraise and synthesize systematic review evidence on STM for chronic pain in adults, considering methodological quality, risk of bias, study overlap, and consistency of findings. This umbrella review searched PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase for systematic reviews investigating the effects of STM on chronic pain in adults. Outcomes included pain perception and pressure pain threshold (PPT). Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using AMSTAR-2 and ROBIS, respectively. Overlap of primary studies was also assessed. From 2,108 records, 11 systematic reviews were included, comprising 136 primary studies (low overlap, 2.4%) and 9,551 participants. Interventions included myofascial release (n=5), massage (n=3), multiple techniques (n=2), and traditional Thai massage (n=1). Pain sites included lumbar (n=6), cervical (n=5), shoulder (n=1), and general (n=2). Most reviews were of low methodological quality (n=8; 72.7%), while a minority presented low risk of bias (n=2; 18.2%). Reviews consistently reported short-term pain reduction in lumbar (n=6; 33–70%), cervical (n=5; 17–38%), and shoulder conditions (n=1; 15–46%) following STM. No effects were observed on PPT (n=7). Long-term effects remain unclear. Based on the best available evidence, STM may promote short-term pain relief across body regions; however, evidence is insufficient to support long-term effects.