Myofascial Release Therapy and Mechanical Neck Pain

NCT02348268 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: FREMAP
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 59
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Mechanical neck pain is a musculoskeletal disorder usually associated with work absenteeism. Myofascial release therapy (MRT) is currently under development and has the treatment of mechanical neck pain as one of its main focal points. However, there is a paucity of studies reporting its effectiveness. For that purpose a randomized single-blind parallel group study was designed to compare the effectiveness of MRT with manual therapy (MT) for treating occupational mechanical neck pain. The sample (n=59) was randomly assigned to two therapeutic intervention programs. Group I patients were treated with MT and Group II patients were treated with MRT. Variables studied were intensity of neck pain, cervical disability, quality of life (QoL), craniovertebral angle and ranges of cervical motion.

Conditions

Neck Pain

Keywords

Neck Pain; Myofascial release; Manual therapy

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Neck Pain

  Assessed by the VAS, with a 2-point improvement being considered as clinically significant (Farrar et al., 2001; Cleland et al., 2007).

  Baseline

Secondary Outcomes (13)

• Quality of life

  Baseline

• Change from baseline Quality of life at 4 weeks

  4 weeks

• Cervical disability

  Baseline

• Change from baseline cervical disability at 2 weeks

  2 weeks

• Change from baseline cervical disability at 4 weeks

  4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Manual Therapy + Analgesic therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The intervention for this group consisted of analgesic treatment in accordance with the guidelines of the FREMAP Protocol for the treatment of mechanical NP and additionally this group was treated with manual therapy (for 15 minutes).

Other: Manual Therapy; Device: Analgesic therapy

Myofascial Release + Analgesic therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention for this group consisted of analgesic treatment in accordance with the guidelines of the FREMAP Protocol for the treatment of mechanical NP and additionally, this group was treated with myofascial release therapy (for 15 minutes).

Other: Myofascial Release Therapy; Device: Analgesic therapy

Interventions

Manual Therapy OTHER

The manual therapy techniques included: (i) anterior-posterior and side-shift of the cervical spine; (ii) muscle energy technique involving side-bending of cervical spine; (iii) neuromuscular technique for restricted C1-C2 rotation; (iv) inhibitive occipital distraction; and (v) cervical stretching: post-isometric relaxation for the upper trapezius, scalene and sternocleidomastoid muscles.

Manual Therapy + Analgesic therapy

Myofascial Release Therapy OTHER

The myofascial release therapy techniques included: (i) cranial base release, adjusting the relation of the rectus capitis posterior muscles to the dura mater; (ii) gross release of the sternocleidomastoid muscle; (iii) release of the suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscles; and (iv) release of the retrohyoid fascia.

Myofascial Release + Analgesic therapy

Analgesic therapy DEVICE

Analgesic therapy consisted of superficial thermotherapy by an infrared lamp (Infra 2000, Enraf Nonius) and TENS (TENSMED 911, Enraf Nonius). The 250-watts infrared lamp was focused at a distance of 50 cm on the cervical area for 15 minutes. TENS employed 80 Hz frequency, 150 µs pulse duration, with 50x50 mm electrodes (Gel-Trode, Enraf Nonius) placed on the painful or metamers areas for 20 minutes.

Also known as: TENS + IRR

Manual Therapy + Analgesic therapy; Myofascial Release + Analgesic therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• being between 18 and 65 years old; having mechanical neck pain with or without symptoms that radiated to the head and/or upper limbs (Guzman et al., 2009b); and
• scoring 10% or higher on the Neck Disability Index (NDI) or 2 points or more on the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of pain at initial evaluation (Farrar et al., 2001; Cleland et al., 2007).

You may not qualify if:

• Neck pain due to neoplasia, metastasis, severe osteoporosis, infectious or inflammatory processes, fractures, congenital anomalies, herniated disc, whiplash or cervical stenosis;
• evidence of cervical spinal cord compromise or radiculopathy; previous neck surgery;
• neck pain accompanied by dizziness caused by vertebrobasilar insufficiency or by headaches excluding those of cervical origin; and
• pregnant women. Patients were also excluded if they had received physiotherapy treatment in the previous three months; and had pending legal actions.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• FREMAP Mutual Insurance Company for Occupational Accidents and Diseases: lead
• University of Vigo: collaborator
• University Hospital A Coruña: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

FREMAP - Mutual Insurance Company for Occupational Accidents and Diseases.

A Coruña, A Coruña, 15009, Spain

Location

Related Publications (34)

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MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain

Interventions

Musculoskeletal Manipulations; Myofascial Release Therapy; Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Massage; Therapy, Soft Tissue; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Analgesia; Anesthesia and Analgesia

Study Officials

• Francisco J DeToro-Santos, Ph.D.

  Department of Medicine, University of A Coruña.

  STUDY DIRECTOR

• Isaac M Fuentes-Boquete, Ph.D.

  Department of Medicine, University of A Coruña.

  STUDY CHAIR

• Iván Rodríguez-Fuentes, Ph.D.

  FREMAP Mutual Insurance Company for Occupational Accidents and Diseases

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Ph.D.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 13, 2015
• First Posted: January 28, 2015
• Study Start: January 1, 2010
• Primary Completion: December 1, 2010
• Study Completion: December 1, 2010
• Last Updated: January 28, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-01

Locations

ES (1)