NCT05226611

The Effect of Counterstrain Technique on Muscle Stiffness and Pain on Trapezius Tender Points in Medical Students

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 27 (actual)
• Sponsor: New York Institute of Technology · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Medical students are prone to developing neck pain due to prolonged studying and poor posture. This can manifest as tender points in the upper trapezius region. Counterstrain (CS) is an osteopathic manipulative technique that has shown efficacy in previous studies in treating tender points. The MyotonPRO is a myotonometric device that can be used to measure various muscle parameters such as muscle stiffness. There is limited research regarding the use of osteopathic manipulative medicine to produce measurable changes in muscle stiffness by the MyotonPRO. This educational study aims to establish the efficacy of CS technique in decreasing the pain level of upper trapezius tender points in medical students as well as determining if CS causes a significant decrease in muscle stiffness in treated tender points as measured by the MyotonPRO. The investigators hope this educational study will encourage further studies on how osteopathic manipulative techniques affects the physiologic parameters of muscles.

Conditions

• Counterstrain
• MyotonPRO
• Tender Points

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Counterstrain	Counterstrain is a hands-on OMM technique that involves shortening the muscle to resolve the dysfunctional muscle stretch reflex and holding it for 90 seconds. The patient is then brought back to a neutral position and reassessed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-03-10
• Primary completion: 2021-04-14
• Completion: 2021-04-14
• First posted: 2022-02-07
• Last updated: 2022-02-07

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States