earticle

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Background: Prolonged smartphone use is a primary cause of wrist pain and functional limitations, leading to a global increase in musculoskeletal disorders. While Mulligan's mobilization with movement (MWM) is an established manual therapy, research on its patient-applied variant, Self-MWM, for this condition remains limited. This study determined the effects of Self-MWM on pain, grip strength, and function in patients with chronic wrist pain from smartphone use. Methods: Forty adults with chronic smartphone-related wrist pain were randomized into a Self-MWM group and a control group performing general stretching and strengthening. Both groups received basic physical therapy (heat and electrical therapy) for 30 minutes, three times weekly for 6 weeks. Outcomes were measured preand post-intervention using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, a hand-held dynamometer for grip strength (GS), and the disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaire for function. Results: After 6 weeks, both the Self-MWM and control groups showed statistically significant improvements in pain, grip strength, and function. However, the Self-MWM group demonstrated markedly greater improvements across all measures. Pain reduction, grip strength gain, and functional enhancement were substantially more pronounced in the Self-MWM group, with the differences in improvement between the groups being highly significant (p<.001). Conclusion: Integrating Self-MWM into a standard physical therapy protocol is significantly more effective for managing pain, improving grip strength, and restoring function in patients with smartphone-induced wrist pain. This approach offers a practical, powerful self-management tool for this prevalent musculoskeletal concern.