Journals / Adıyaman Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 12 Sayı: 2

Investigating the effectiveness of the strain counterstrain technique in women with fibromyalgia syndrome: A randomised controlled trial

Fibromiyalji sendromlu kadınlarda strain-counterstrain tekniğinin etkinliğinin incelenmesi: Randomize kontrollü bir çalışma

Pages
188–199
Publication Date
2026-08-20
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Conclusion: Adding the strain counterstrain technique to conventional physiotherapy may improve pain, psychological symptoms and disease impact in women with fibromyalgia syndrome.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Aim: Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic condition characterised by pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The treatment groups received 15 sessions of treatment over a three-week period.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:Conclusion: Adding the strain counterstrain technique to conventional physiotherapy may improve pain, psychological symptoms and disease impact in women with fibromyalgia syndrome.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Fibromiyalji sendromu · Ağrı · Fizyoterapi

Abstract

Aim: Fibromyalgia syndrome is a chronic condition characterised by pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue and sleep disturbances. Its management remains challenging. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the strain-counterstrain technique on these symptoms in women with fibromyalgia. Materials and Methods: One hundred and five female patients who met the American College of Rheumatology criteria for fibromyalgia syndrome were randomly allocated to one of three groups: a control group; a conservative treatment group; or a strain-counterstrain group. The treatment groups received 15 sessions of treatment over a three-week period. Assessments were performed before and after the intervention. Results: No significant changes were observed in the control group (p>0.05), whereas significant improvements in pain, fatigue, anxiety, depression and fibromyalgia impact scores were found in both treatment groups (p<0.05). The strain counterstrain group demonstrated greater improvements than the conservative treatment group in all outcomes except fatigue severity. Conclusion: Adding the strain counterstrain technique to conventional physiotherapy may improve pain, psychological symptoms and disease impact in women with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Özet

Amaç: Fibromiyalji sendromu; ağrı, anksiyete, depresyon, yorgunluk ve uyku bozuklukları ile karakterize kronik bir hastalık olup yönetimi güç klinik bir durumdur. Bu çalışmanın amacı, strain counterstrain tekniğinin bu semptomlar üzerindeki etkilerini fibromiyalji sendromlu kadınlarda değerlendirmektir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Amerikan Romatoloji Koleji kriterlerini karşılayan 105 kadın hasta kontrol grubu, konservatif tedavi grubu ve strain counterstrain grubu olmak üzere rastgele üç gruba ayrıldı. Tedavi gruplarına üç hafta boyunca toplam 15 seans tedavi uygulandı. Değerlendirmeler tedavi öncesinde ve sonrasında gerçekleştirildi. Bulgular: Kontrol grubunda anlamlı değişiklik gözlenmezken (p>0,05), her iki tedavi grubunda da ağrı, yorgunluk, anksiyete, depresyon ve fibromiyalji etki puanlarında anlamlı iyileşmeler saptandı (p<0,05). Strain counterstrain grubu, yorgunluk şiddeti dışında tüm sonuç ölçütlerinde konservatif tedavi grubuna kıyasla daha fazla iyileşme gösterdi. Sonuç: Strain counterstrain tekniğinin konvansiyonel fizyoterapiye eklenmesi, fibromiyalji sendromlu kadınlarda ağrı, psikolojik semptomlar ve hastalığın etkisinin azaltılmasında ek yararlar sağlayabilir.

🔖

Cite This Article

Demir, İ., Aktürk, S. (2026). Investigating the effectiveness of the strain counterstrain technique in women with fibromyalgia syndrome: A randomised controlled trial. Adıyaman Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi, Cilt: 12 Sayı: 2, 188–199. https://doi.org/10.30569/adiyamansaglik.1929467

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (38)

  1. Bazzichi L, Giacomelli C, Consensi A, Giorgi V, Batticciotto A, Di Franco M, et al. One year in review 2020: fibromyalgia. Clin Exp Rheumatol. 2020;38(Suppl 123):3–8.
  2. Goebel A. Fibromyalgia syndrome—am I an autoimmune condition? Pain reports. 2025;10(4):e1270.
  3. Gupta A, Silman AJ. Psychological stress and fibromyalgia: a review of the evidence suggesting a neuroendocrine link. Arthritis Res Ther. 2004;6(3):98.
  4. Demori I, Losacco S, Giordano G, Mucci V, Blanchini F, Burlando B. Fibromyalgia pathogenesis explained by a neuroendocrine multistable model. Plos one. 2024;19(7):e0303573.
  5. Wolfe F, Smythe HA, Yunus MB, Bennett RM, Bombardier C, Goldenberg DL, et al. The American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for the classification of fibromyalgia. Arthritis & Rheumatism: Official Journal of the American College of Rheumatology. 1990;33(2):160–72.
  6. Wolfe F, Clauw DJ, Fitzcharles MA, Goldenberg DL, Katz RS, Mease P, et al. The American College of Rheumatology preliminary diagnostic criteria for fibromyalgia and measurement of symptom severity. Arthritis care & research. 2010;62(5):600–10.
  7. Heidari F, Afshari M, Moosazadeh M. Prevalence of fibromyalgia in general population and patients, a systematic review and meta-analysis. Rheumatology international. 2017;37:1527–39.
  8. Ali Abasy Ali W, Hamed Mahmoud M, Mossad Ali M, Mohamed Elsayed S. Physical Function of Patients with Fibromyalgia in the Light of Healthy Lifestyle. Journal of Nursing Science Benha University. 2026;7(2):210–33.
  9. Perry R, Leach V, Davies P, Penfold C, Ness A, Churchill R. An overview of systematic reviews of complementary and alternative therapies for fibromyalgia using both AMSTAR and ROBIS as quality assessment tools. Systematic reviews. 2017;6:1–23.
  10. Devigili G, Di Stefano G, Donadio V, Frattale I, Grazzi L, Mantovani E, et al. Therapeutic approach to fibromyalgia: a consensus statement on pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment from the neuropathic pain special interest group of the Italian neurological society. Neurological Sciences. 2025;46(5):2263–88.
  11. Travell JG, Simons DG. Myofascial pain and dysfunction: the trigger point manual: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1992.
  12. El-Khateeb YS, Mahmoud AG, Mohamed MH, Abd El-Azeim AS. Influence of adding strain-counterstrain to standard therapy on axioscapular muscles amplitude and fatigue in mechanical neck pain: a single-blind, randomized trial. European Journal of physical and rehabilitation Medicine. 2022;58(4):621.
  13. Azam I, Chahal A, Kapoor G, Chaudhuri P, Alghadir AH, Khan M, et al. Effects of a program consisting of strain/counterstrain technique, phonophoresis, heat therapy, and stretching in patients with temporomandibular joint dysfunction. Medicine. 2023;102(32):e34569.
  14. Ahmed J, Anwar K, Sajjad ag. Effects Of Strain Counter Strain Technique in treatment of chronic mechanical low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Rehman journal of health sciences. 2021;3(2):85–91.
  15. Wong Ck, Schauer-Alvarez C. Effect Of Strain Counterstrain On Pain And Strength In Hip Musculature. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy. 2004;12(4):215–23.
  16. Collins CK. Physical therapy management of complex regional pain syndrome I in a 14-year-old patient using strain counterstrain: a case report. Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy. 2007;15(1):25–41.
  17. Koura GMR, Elshiwi AMF, Selim MN, Asiri AAM, Alqahtani RHJ, Elimy DA, et al. Comparing the Therapeutic Impact of Strain-Counterstrain and Exercise on Low Back Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Randomized Trial. Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 2025:1–12.
  18. Hou C-R, Tsai L-C, Cheng K-F, Chung K-C, Hong C-Z. Immediate effects of various physical therapeutic modalities on cervical myofascial pain and trigger-point sensitivity. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2002;83(10):1406–14.
  19. Schulz KF, Altman DG, Moher D, Group C. CONSORT 2010 statement: updated guidelines for reporting parallel group randomised trials. Journal of clinical epidemiology. 2010;63(8):834–40.
  20. Coskun Benlidayi I. The effectiveness and safety of electrotherapy in the management of fibromyalgia. Rheumatology international. 2020;40(10):1571–80.
  21. Kolu E, Buyukavci R, Akturk S, Eren F, Ersoy Y. Comparison of high-intensity laser therapy and combination of transcutaneous nerve stimulation and ultrasound treatment in patients with chronic lumbar radiculopathy: A randomized single-blind study. Pakistan journal of medical sciences. 2018;34(3):530.
  22. Ohnhaus EE, Adler R. Methodological problems in the measurement of pain: a comparison between the verbal rating scale and the visual analogue scale. Pain. 1975;1(4):379–84.
  23. Valko PO, Bassetti CL, Bloch KE, Held U, Baumann CR. Validation of the fatigue severity scale in a Swiss cohort. Sleep. 2008;31(11):1601–7.
  24. Beck AT, Steer RA, Brown GK. Manual for the Beck Depression Inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation; 1996.
  25. Beck AT, Epstein N, Brown G, Steer RA. An inventory for measuring clinical anxiety: Psychometric properties. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1988;56(6):893–897.
  26. Wolfe F, Walitt B, Perrot S, Rasker JJ, Häuser W. Fibromyalgia diagnosis and biased assessment: Sex, prevalence and bias. PloS one. 2018;13(9):e0203755.
  27. Wolfe F, Rasker JJ, Rasker JJJ. The evolution of fibromyalgia, its concepts, and criteria. Cureus. 2021;13(11).
  28. Benlidayi IC. Physical Modalities for the Treatment of Pain in Patients with Fibromyalgia. Mediterranean Journal of Rheumatology. 2025;36(1):12.
  29. Bernardi L, Bertuccelli M, Formaggio E, Rubega M, Bosco G, Tenconi E, et al. Beyond physiotherapy and pharmacological treatment for fibromyalgia syndrome: tailored tACS as a new therapeutic tool. European archives of psychiatry and clinical neuroscience. 2021;271(1):199–210.
  30. Sarzi-Puttini P, Giorgi V, Marotto D, Atzeni F. Fibromyalgia: an update on clinical characteristics, aetiopathogenesis and treatment. Nature Reviews Rheumatology. 2020;16(11):645–60.
  31. Schneider M, Vernon H, Ko G, Lawson G, Perera J. Chiropractic management of fibromyalgia syndrome: a systematic review of the literature. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics. 2009;32(1):25–40.
  32. Meseguer AA, Fernández-de-las-Peñas C, Navarro-Poza JL, Rodríguez-Blanco C, Gandia JJB. Immediate effects of the strain/counterstrain technique in local pain evoked by tender points in the upper trapezius muscle. Clinical chiropractic. 2006;9(3):112–8.
  33. Segura-Ortí E, Prades-Vergara S, Manzaneda-Piña L, Valero-Martínez R, Polo-Traverso J. Trigger point dry needling versus strain–counterstrain technique for upper trapezius myofascial trigger points: a randomised controlled trial. Acupuncture in Medicine. 2016;34(3):171–7.
  34. Patel VD, Eapen C, Ceepee Z, Kamath R. Effect of muscle energy technique with and without strain–counterstrain technique in acute low back pain—A randomized clinical trial. Hong Kong Physiotherapy Journal. 2018;38(01):41–51.
  35. Ioannou A, Papastavrou E, Avraamides MN, Charalambous A. Virtual reality and symptoms management of anxiety, depression, fatigue, and pain: a systematic review. SAGE open nursing. 2020;6:2377960820936163.
  36. Yunus MB, Ahles TA, Aldag JC, Masi AT. Relationship of clinical features with psychological status in primary fibromyalgia. Arthritis & Rheumatism: Official Journal of the American College of Rheumatology. 1991;34(1):15–21.
  37. Giesecke T, Gracely RH, Williams DA, Geisser ME, Petzke FW, Clauw DJ. The relationship between depression, clinical pain, and experimental pain in a chronic pain cohort. Arthritis & Rheumatism. 2005;52(5):1577–84.
  38. Jamison JR. A psychological profile of fibromyalgia patients: a chiropractic case study. Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics. 1999;22(7):454–7.