{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,27]],"date-time":"2026-06-27T09:28:17Z","timestamp":1782552497094,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":37,"publisher":"PeerJ","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,15]],"date-time":"2021-03-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1615766400000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"abstract":"\n Background<\/jats:title>\n Myofascial release (MFR) and Mulligan Sustained Natural Apophyseal Glides (SNAGs) are manual therapy techniques routinely practiced in the management of non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). As a solo intervention or along with other therapies, both methods have reported positive results for individuals with NSLBP. However, which technique improves NSLBP-related pain, restricted range of motion (ROM) and disability, warrants further research.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Objective<\/jats:title>\n To study the comparative effects of MFR and SNAGs on pain, disability, functional ability, and lumbar ROM in NSLBP.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Method<\/jats:title>\n \n A parallel-group study was conducted at tertiary care hospitals. Sixty-five Sub-acute or chronic NSLBP patients were allocated to receive strengthening exercises along with either MFR (\n n<\/jats:italic>\n \u00a0=\u00a033) or SNAGs (\n n<\/jats:italic>\n \u00a0=\u00a032) for six treatment sessions over one week. An independent assessor evaluated outcome measures such as the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Patient-Specific Function Scale (PSFS), and ROM at baseline, immediate (after 1st treatment), and short-term (post-sixth day of the intervention). The Modified Oswestry disability index (MODI) was assessed at baseline and short-term.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n \n Within-group analysis found clinically and statistically significant (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u00a0<\u00a00.05) changes for VAS and PSFS at immediate and short-term for both the groups. The lumbar extension also showed improvement immediately and in the short-term. Improvement in Lumbar flexion was seen only in the SNAGs group over the short-term. A statistically significant improvement was seen for MODI in both the groups but was not clinically significant in the MFR group. The analysis observed no statistically significant difference (\n p<\/jats:italic>\n \u00a0<\u00a00.05) between the groups at both the immediate and short-term.\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n Pain and restricted function associated with NSLBP can be improved using SNAGs or MFR, along with strengthening exercises. For limited lumbar flexion ROM, Mulligan SNAGs have a better outcome than MFR over the short-term. Hence, both manual therapy techniques can be incorporated along with exercises for immediate and short-term management of sub-acute to chronic NSLBP.<\/jats:p>\n \n Clinical Trial Registration<\/jats:bold>\n . CTRI\/2018\/12\/016787 (\n http:\/\/ctri.nic.in\/Clinicaltrials\/<\/jats:ext-link>\n ).\n <\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.7717\/peerj.10706","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,3,15]],"date-time":"2021-03-15T06:14:39Z","timestamp":1615788879000},"page":"e10706","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Myofascial release versus Mulligan sustained natural apophyseal glides\u2019 immediate and short-term effects on pain, function, and mobility in non-specific low back pain"],"prefix":"10.7717","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Vignesh","family":"Bhat P","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vivek Dineshbhai","family":"Patel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Charu","family":"Eapen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Karnataka, India"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Manisha","family":"Shenoy","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Physical Therapy, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Steve","family":"Milanese","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Centre for Allied Health Evidence, University of South Australia, Adelaide, South Australia, 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