OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of a combination of therapeutic exercise and ultrasound with or without additional microcurrent therapy in infants with congenital muscular torticollis involving the entire sternocleidomastoid muscle. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. SETTING: An outpatient rehabilitation clinic in a tertiary university hospital. SUBJECTS: Infants (n = 20) with congenital muscular torticollis involving the entire sternocleidomastoid muscle. INTERVENTIONS: Group 1 comprised 10 infants who received therapeutic exercise with ultrasound alone and group 2 comprised 10 infants who received the same treatment with microcurrent therapy. MAIN MEASURES: Passive cervical rotational range of motion was measured at before treatment and one, two, three, and six months after initial treatment. Thickness, cross-sectional area, and red pixel intensity on colour histograms, which were all assessed before treatment and at three months after initial treatment. Additionally, the duration of treatment was measured. RESULTS: The mean passive cervical rotational range of motion measured at three months posttreatment was significantly greater in group 2 (101.1 degrees) than that in group 1 (86.4 degrees), and the thickness, cross-sectional area, and red pixel intensity of the affected sternocleidomastoid muscle were all less in group 2 (7.8 mm, 100.3 mm2, and 126.1, respectively) than those in group 1 (9.6 mm, 121.5 mm2, and 140.5, respectively). The mean duration of treatment was significantly shorter in group 2 (2.6 months) than in group 1 (6.3 months). CONCLUSIONS: Microcurrent therapy may increase the efficacy of therapeutic exercise with ultrasound for the treatment of congenital muscular torticollis involving the entire sternocleidomastoid muscle.

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