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Short and Medium-term Effects of Manual Therapy on Latent Myofascial Pain

NCT01709357 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 117

Last updated 2012-10-18

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this study was to investigate the short and medium-term effects of three manual techniques on cervical range of motion and pressure pain sensitivity in subjects with mechanical stress, presenting latent trigger point of upper trapezius muscle.

Conditions

  • Latent Myofascial Trigger Point of Upper Trapezius Muscle

Interventions

OTHER

Muscle energy technique

The therapist, with one hand on the occipital bone and the other on the shoulder, performed passive side flexion, contralateral to the muscle, taking the subject's head until the end-feel. Then, subjects performed an isometric contraction of 25% of their maximum force, for 5 seconds, while the therapist offered manual resistance. Afterwards the subject was let to relax in this position for additional 5 seconds. Side flexion was now increased until a new end-feel point was reached. This sequence was repeated 3 times. At the end, the therapist passively guided the cervical segment to the neutral position.

OTHER

Passive stretching technique

The therapist, with one hand on the occipital bone and the other on the shoulder, performed a contralateral side flexion of the muscle passively until the maximum obtainable amplitude was reached, while subjects were asked to breathe steadily. During the breathing phase the therapist increased the side flexion until the end of the obtainable amplitude, this position was maintained. This procedure was repeated during 30 seconds. Finally the therapist passively guided the cervical segment to the neutral position.

OTHER

Ischemic compression technique

The therapist, with a pincer contact, applied gradual pressure on the latent trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle. Subjects had been previously asked to say when pain was "moderate but bearable", a pain value of 7 in a 1 to 1o scale of pain (in which 1 corresponds to "no pain" and 10 do "unbearable pain"). At this point, pressure was maintained until pain levels were reduced to level 3. The therapist increased once more the pressure until the level of pain was 7 again. This procedure was repeated during 90 seconds.

OTHER

Sham technique

The therapist was seated at the head of the treatment table, and with one hand on the occipital bone and the other on the shoulder, without executing any movement, for 30 seconds.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Natália MO Campelo · Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2011-09-30
Primary Completion
2012-03-31
Completion
2012-03-31

Countries

  • Portugal

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT01709357 on ClinicalTrials.gov