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Effect of the Suboccipital Inhibition Technique on Balance Changes

NCT07670819 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 74

Last updated 2026-06-29

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Postural balance is an essential capacity for functional autonomy and the performance of activities of daily living, relying on the continuous integration of visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information. Within this system, the upper cervical region plays a particularly important role, as it contributes to the orientation of the head in space and to the coordination between the head, eyes, and trunk. Due to their deep location between the occiput, atlas, and axis, the suboccipital muscles have a high proprioceptive significance and are frequently associated with cervical position control and sensorimotor regulation.

Changes in muscle tension, stiffness, or dysfunction in this region may alter the quality of afferent information transmitted to the central nervous system, potentially interfering with postural stability, head position awareness, body sway, and center of pressure control. In this context, the suboccipital inhibition technique is used in osteopathic practice as a manual intervention aimed at reducing myofascial tension, promoting relaxation of the upper cervical musculature, and potentially normalizing proprioceptive input.

Conditions

  • Balance Changes

Interventions

OTHER

Placebo Technique

For the placebo technique, the participant remained in the supine position on the osteopathic table, with the upper and lower limbs extended, the cervical spine in a neutral position, and the eyes closed. The therapist placed the hands in the clavicular region, performing only passive manual contact, without applying pressure, mobilisation, or any therapeutic intent. This technique was used to reproduce the manual contact present in the intervention, without producing specific therapeutic effects. The application also lasted 4 minutes.

OTHER

Intervention Technique

For the application of the suboccipital inhibition technique, the participant was positioned in the supine position on an osteopathic table, with the upper and lower limbs extended, the cervical spine in a neutral position, and the eyes closed. The therapist was seated at the head of the table, with the feet firmly supported on the floor. The technique was performed by placing the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers of both hands in the region between the occiput and the atlas, at the level of the suboccipital musculature, with the metacarpophalangeal joints flexed at approximately 90°. After correct positioning, a gentle and sustained pressure was applied, combined with a slight cephalic traction, in order to promote relaxation of the suboccipital muscles. The technique was applied for 4 minutes.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Natalia MO Campelo · Escola Superior de Saúde do Porto

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
35 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-07-31
Primary Completion
2026-09-30
Completion
2026-09-30

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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 NCT07670819 on ClinicalTrials.gov