title: Can myofascial techniques modify immunological parameters?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to determine the effect of myofascial techniques on the modulation of immunological variables.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine healthy male volunteers were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group underwent three manual therapy modalities: suboccipital muscle release, so-called fourth intracranial ventricle compression, and deep cervical fascia release. The control group remained in a resting position for the same time period under the same environmental conditions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Changes in counts of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19, and natural killer (NK) cells (as immunological markers) between baseline and 20 minutes post-intervention.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant time × groups interaction (F(1,35)=9.33; p=0.004) for CD19. There were no significant time × group interaction effects on CD3, CD4, CD8, or NK cell counts. Intrasubject analyses showed a higher CD19 count in the experimental group post-intervention versus baseline (t=-4.02; p=0.001), with no changes in the control group (t=0.526; p=0.608).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A major immunological modulation, with an increased B lymphocyte count, was observed at 20 minutes after the application of craniocervical myofascial induction techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, School of Health Sciences, University of Granada, Spain. fernandez@ugr.es
authors.forename: Antonio Manuel
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fernández-Pérez
authors.forename: Maria Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Peralta-Ramírez
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pilat
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moreno-Lorenzo
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Villaverde-Gutiérrez
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arroyo-Morales
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000378:metabolism*; D005205:Fascia; D006257:Head; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008349:Manipulation, Orthopedic / Q000379:methods*; D009333:Neck; D055815:Young Adult