NCT01709357

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

Short and Medium-term Effects of Manual Therapy on Latent Myofascial Pain : a Comparative Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 117 (actual)
• Sponsor: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

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.

Detailed description

Myofascial pain syndrome is a common non-articular musculoskeletal chronic pain which has not been yet fully understood. It is characterized by myofascial trigger point. This trigger point is clinically classified as active or latent. Some studies have demonstrated the potential relevance of latent trigger point. In fact, its presence may cause muscle activation pattern alterations, increase nociceptive sensitivity and cause sympathetic activity alterations. Nevertheless, the vast majority of individuals, even asymptomatic, have latent trigger point. High prevalence of myofascial trigger points subsists at cervical and scapular regions. There is few data regarding myofascial trigger point physiopathology. Furthermore, a diversity of therapeutic interventions consisting of trigger point inactivation and interruption of the vicious cycle is suggested in literature. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these different interventions in trigger points and the duration of the effects are not yet fully clarified.

Conditions

• Latent Myofascial Trigger Point of Upper Trapezius Muscle

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
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.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-09-01
• Primary completion: 2012-03-01
• Completion: 2012-03-01
• First posted: 2012-10-18
• Last updated: 2012-10-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal