Background:Active trigger points (TrPs) of the suboccipital muscles greatly contribute to the occurrence of chronic tension-type headache, with increased sensitivity of TrPs and facilitated referred pain.Objects:This study aimed to investigate whether the integration of high-frequency diathermy into suboccipital release is more beneficial than the use of suboccipital release alone.Methods:Thirty subjects were assigned to either experimental group-1 (EG-1) to undergo suboccipital release combined with high-frequency diathermy (frequency: 0.3 MHz, and electrode type: resistive electronic transfer), or EG-2 to undergo suboccipital release alone, or the control group (CG) with no intervention, with 10 subjects in each group. The assessment tools included the headache impact test 6 (HIT-6), perceived level of tenderness, neck disability index, and neck mobility. Intervention was performed for 10 minutes, twice per week, for 4 weeks, and measurements were performed before and after the interventions.Results:The between-group comparison of the post-test values and changes between pretest and post-test showed significant differences for all parameters at p<.05, except for the left-to-right lateral bending range. In the post hoc test, EG-1 showed significant differences for the parameters in comparison with the CG, while no significant differences in the perceived tenderness level, on both temporal regions, were found between EG-2 and CG. Furthermore, the HIT-6 score and perceived tenderness level, in the right temporal region, showed significant differences between EG-1 and EG-2. In the within-group comparison, EG-1 and EG-2 appeared to be significantly different between pretest and post-test (p<.05), except for the perceived tenderness level in the right temporal region, with significance for the EG-1 group only (p<.05).Conclusion:These findings suggest that the suboccipital release technique may be advantageous to improve headache, tenderness, and neck function and mobility, with more favorable effects with the incorporation of high-frequency diathermy.

• 이형렬(새하늘정형외과의원 물리치료실,) | Hyoung-ryeol Lee (Dept. of Physical Therapy, Saehaneul Orthopedic Surgery Clinic)
• 심재훈(백석대학교 보건학부 물리치료학과,) | Jae-hun Shim (Dept. of Physical Therapy, Division of Health Science Baekseok University)
• 오덕원(청주대학교 보건의료대학 물리치료학과) | Duck-won Oh (Dept. of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Cheongju University)