The effect of postural control intervention for congenital muscular torticollis: A randomized controlled trial

Objective. To compare the effects of manual stretching and postural control intervention in infants with

congenital muscular torticollis and to investigate the factors that predict treatment duration.

Design. Randomized, controlled trial.

Setting. An outpatient rehabilitation clinic in a tertiary university hospital.

Subjects. Infants <6 months of age with congenital muscular torticollis.

Intervention. Group 1 included 38 infants who received postural control intervention. Group 2 included

38 infants who received manual stretching.

Main measures. The thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor, rear head and facial asymmetry, and

head tilt were variables measured before and after treatment. Additionally, the treatment duration was

measured.

Results. The mean treatment duration was 92.53 ± 34.38 days for group 1 and 88.21 ± 37.23 days for

group 2. The mean change of thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor was 6.88 ± 1.90 mm for group

1 and 6.05 ± 2.85 mm for group 2. There were no statistically significant differences in the mean treatment

duration and the mean change of thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor between the groups (P >

0.05). The first treatment day after birth was associated with the treatment duration. In addition, facial

asymmetry, the first treatment day, tumor thickness, and head tilt were associated with the treatment

duration (P < 0.05). This regression model had a 57.4% explanatory power.

Conclusions. There was no difference between these treatments regarding the treatment duration and

the change of thickness of the sternocleidomastoid tumor. Infants with congenital muscular torticollis

who were treated earlier had a shorter treatment length.