Abstract
Twenty middle-advanced-aged subjects with chronic stiff shoulder or headache were massaged for the site of stiff shoulder only (group A) and on both the above site and the masseter region (group B) to examine the therapeutical effect via masticatory force, pain threshold and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Possible change in masticatory force was also examined between before and after consecutive 5 day-massage. As a result, 1) group B showed improvements in all items after massage, while group A showed no therapeutical difference between before and after massage, and 2) the change in masticatory force before and after consecutive 5 day-massage was increased significantly from day 3. The above results suggested massage of both the affected site and the masseter region may be necessary to make a symptomatic improvement in cases of chronic stiff shoulder and headache.