J Clin Med. 2026 Apr 10;15(8):2896. doi: 10.3390/jcm15082896.

ABSTRACT

Background: Tension-type headache (TTH) is the most prevalent primary headache disorder worldwide and represents a major source of disability related to chronic pain. Despite its high prevalence, uncertainty remains regarding optimal conservative management strategies, and limited evidence is available on how physiotherapists apply existing recommendations in routine clinical practice. Objective: The objective was to explore physiotherapists’ perceptions, clinical experiences, and treatment strategies in the management of tension-type headache, with particular emphasis on commonly used interventions, clinical decision-making, and characteristics of physiotherapy care. Methods: A cross-sectional survey study was conducted using a self-administered online survey developed in accordance with the CHERRIES guidelines. One hundred Spanish physiotherapists with clinical experience in treating patients with TTH participated. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, while open-ended responses were examined using inductive thematic analysis following the framework proposed by Braun and Clarke. Results: Manual therapy was the most frequently reported intervention (96%), followed by therapeutic exercise (61%) and invasive techniques, primarily dry needling (48%). The suboccipital and upper cervical regions were consistently identified as primary therapeutic targets, reflecting a predominant craniocervical treatment focus. Most respondents reported individualized treatment plans, typically delivered in weekly sessions lasting 45-60 min, with expected clinical improvement within 4-6 weeks. Pain education strategies were reported infrequently. Considerable variability was observed in the selection and combination of therapeutic techniques. Conclusions: Physiotherapists managing tension-type headache commonly adopt a multimodal approach, largely centered on manual and tissue-focused interventions. Although many reported practices are aligned with current evidence, the substantial heterogeneity observed and the limited integration of biopsychosocial strategies highlight the need for consensus-based guidelines and further research addressing real-world clinical effectiveness.

PMID:42074701 | DOI:10.3390/jcm15082896