The published case
A 41-year-old woman diagnosed with Long COVID who met the diagnostic criteria for ME/CFS. The paper reports fatigue, pain in the posterior neck and shoulders, numbness of the upper limbs, brain fog and insomnia.
Kanshoho was the main intervention, with brief advice on pacing. Existing sertraline was continued at first and later tapered and stopped at the patient’s wish. The case therefore includes concurrent treatment and the passage of time.
Final assessment
| Measure | Baseline | After 10 sessions over 2.5 months |
|---|---|---|
| Fatigue VAS | 79 mm | 0 mm |
| Performance status | 7 | 0 |
| POMS 2, total mood disturbance (raw score) | 136 | −19 |
The paper reports resolution of symptoms at the final assessment. The table records the first and last assessments of this one patient.
The two-patient abstract
Abstract C, a poster at the 28th World Congress of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ICPM 2026), describes two patients with persistent symptoms, including the published case. Published paper and abstract together therefore cover two patients.
In both, several symptoms improved after repeated sessions applied mainly to the posterior and lateral neck. Clear post-treatment worsening documented in the clinical records: 0. Assessment scales and time points follow each patient’s clinical course.
Scope and next steps
Research direction
A proposed comparative study would assess neck symptoms, fatigue and daily function at common time points, with concurrent care, activity management and the clinical course documented. Tracking post-exertional malaise and longer-term outcomes would help define tolerability and durability. The abdominal-wall study offers hypotheses for testing local mechanical measurements in the neck.
Safety
Recording each patient’s condition, including PEM, is the basis for defining conditions under which the technique can be used with confidence. Consent, funding and competing interests are reported in the paper; the course of the second patient is described in Abstract C.
Sources
- Amitani H, Sakato T, Asakawa A. Resolution of Long COVID and myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome symptoms following kanshoho, a low-pressure muscle relaxation technique: a case report. Explore (NY). 2026;22(3):103374. doi:10.1016/j.explore.2026.103374
- Abstract C: Clinical improvement after low-load cervical myofascial intervention in patients with Long COVID: a case series. Poster, ICPM 2026 (Fukuoka). Two patients, including the previously published case. Presented by Haruka Amitani, 24 September 2026, poster P1-43. Official programme
- Abstract D: Softening of the deep myofascial interface after a low-force 4.9 N manual intervention: implications for Long COVID/ME/CFS. Symposium, ICPM 2026 (Fukuoka). Relates the study in 20 healthy men to the published case report. Presented by Haruka Amitani, 25 September 2026, symposium DSY11-2. Official programme
Sections marked “Research direction” describe hypotheses and proposed studies for discussion with collaborators. Observations are presented with their participants, methods and sources.
Last updated: 21 September 2026