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Review
. 2018 Jul;30(3):164-175.
doi: 10.1097/PEP.0000000000000517.

Informing the Update to the Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline

Emily Heidenreich  1 , Robert Johnson, Barbara Sargent
Affiliations
Review

Informing the Update to the Physical Therapy Management of Congenital Muscular Torticollis Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline

Emily Heidenreich et al. Pediatr Phys Ther. 2018 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose: To systematically review the recent evidence on physical therapy (PT) diagnosis, prognosis, and intervention of congenital muscular torticollis to inform the update to the PT management of congenital muscular torticollis evidence-based clinical practice guideline.

Methods: From 2012 to 2017, 7 databases were searched for studies that informed PT diagnosis, prognosis, or intervention of infants and children with congenital muscular torticollis. Studies were appraised for risk of bias and quality.

Results: Twenty studies were included. No studies informed PT diagnosis. Fourteen studies informed prognosis, including factors associated with presence of a sternocleidomastoid lesion, extent of symptom resolution, treatment duration, adherence to intervention, cervical spine outcomes, and motor outcome. Six studies informed intervention including stretching frequency, microcurrent, kinesiology tape, group therapy, and postoperative PT.

Conclusions: New evidence supports that low birth weight, breech presentation, and motor asymmetry are prognostic factors associated with longer treatment duration. Higher-level evidence is emerging for microcurrent intervention.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
PRISMA flow diagram.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

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Publication types

Supplementary concepts