Affiliations:
Department of Applied Thai Traditional Medicine, College of Allied Health Sciences, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University, Samut Songkhram, Thailand
Neck and shoulder pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that restricts mobility and affects daily functioning. Although traditional Thai massage with herbal oils is widely practiced, scientific evidence on its effectiveness remains limited. This study examined the efficacy of Plai (Zingiber cassumunar) herbal massage oil in reducing neck and shoulder pain and improving cervical mobility. A two-group pretest–posttest design was conducted with 60 participants experiencing moderate pain, randomly assigned to either an intervention group receiving Plai oil massage for three consecutive days or a comparison group receiving standard health advice. Pain intensity (Numeric Rating Scale), cervical range of motion (ROM), and pressure pain threshold were assessed before and after treatment. Results showed that the intervention group had significant reductions in pain scores (p < 0.001), improved ROM, particularly in extension and right lateral flexion (p = 0.009 and p < 0.001), and increased pressure pain threshold (p < 0.001), whereas the comparison group showed no significant changes (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that Plai herbal massage oil is effective in relieving pain, enhancing mobility, and reducing muscle stiffness, supporting its role as a complementary therapy for musculoskeletal pain management.
Neck pain, Shoulder pain, Herbal massage, Plai, Complementary therapy
https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.11.017
Promdao, W., Kritsadee, S., & Kunsilarak, S. (2025). Efficacy of Plai oil massage for the management of neck and shoulder pain: A traditional Thai herbal approach. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 12(11), 176–182. https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2025.11.017