myoActivation® for Chronic Pain in a Marginalized Population

NCT04261959 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: H19-02567
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 41
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Marginalized populations are at increased risk of chronic pain, trauma and use of street drugs to manage this suffering, with the associated risk of overdoses. Non-pharmacological options to manage chronic pain are difficult for this population to access. myoActivation® is an innovative structured assessment and therapeutic approach. This study will be conducted in the Vancouver Community Pain Service and will will examine the impact of this treatment on pain outcomes, function and quality of life.

Conditions

Pain, Chronic; Widespread Chronic Pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• PEG score wk 4

  PEG is a validated self-report measure of (1) Pain intensity, (2) interference with Enjoyment of life, (3) interference with General activity. Each of the 3 dimensions is scored on a 0-10 scale. Total score is the average (mean) of the 3 values, minimum 0, maximum 10, lower score indicates a better outcome.

  4 weeks

• PEG score wk 12

  PEG is a validated self-report measure of (1) Pain intensity, (2) interference with Enjoyment of life, (3) interference with General activity. Each of the 3 dimensions is scored on a 0-10 scale. Total score is the average (mean) of the 3 values, minimum 0, maximum 10, lower score indicates a better outcome.

  12 weeks

• PEG score wk 24

  PEG is a validated self-report measure of (1) Pain intensity, (2) interference with Enjoyment of life, (3) interference with General activity. Each of the 3 dimensions is scored on a 0-10 scale. Total score is the average (mean) of the 3 values, minimum 0, maximum 10, lower score indicates a better outcome.

  24 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (9)

• PCS score wk 4

  4 weeks

• PCS score wk 12

  12 weeks

• PCS score wk 24

  24 weeks

• PSEQ score wk 4

  4 weeks

• PSEQ score wk 12

  12 weeks

Study Arms (1)

myoActivation and other pain services

Participants who receive one or more sessions of myoActivation. They may receive 1:1 counselling and physiotherapy also.

Other: myoActivation

Interventions

myoActivation OTHER

myoActivation is a novel, structured assessment and non-pharmacological therapeutic approach to both diagnosis and treatment of chronic myofascial pain. A detailed history of the timeline of lifetime trauma combined with a quick, structured and reproducible set of posture and movement tests help to easily identify myofascial components of chronic pain. The therapeutic component is delivered utilizing a needling technique, or myofascial release, focused to active myofascial trigger points, fascia in tension and tethered scars.

myoActivation and other pain services

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Structurally vulnerable persons (i.e. within marginalized populations) with chronic pain, and typically also mental health issues, substance use disorders, physical and emotional trauma.

You may qualify if:

• Any English-speaking patient with myofascial related chronic pain lasting \>3 months, referred to the Vancouver Community (VC) chronic pain service by primary care.

You may not qualify if:

• Any patient who has received any of the following pain interventions or treatment in the 3 months preceding recruitment/intake to the pain service:
• Intramuscular Stimulation (IMS);
• Trigger Point Injection (TPI) with or without injectate;
• External physiotherapy (i.e. outside the service offered at VC pain clinic);
• Massage;
• Joint injection;
• Chiropractic;
• Acupuncture;
• Group counselling at VC Pain Service (or has an existing appointment to attend Group counselling).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of British Columbia: lead
• Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute: collaborator
• BC Children's Hospital Research Institute: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Vancouver Community Pain Service, 524 East Pender Street

Vancouver, British Columbia, V6A 1V3, Canada

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Nguyen L, Eddy BL, West N, Bone JN, Currie LM, Lauder G. The Impact of a Novel Methodological Process for Needling Scars, Fascia, and Muscles in the Management of Myofascial Dysfunction and Chronic Pain in a Population Living With Social and Health Inequities: Quantitative Findings From a Longitudinal Observational Pilot Study. Pain Res Manag. 2025 Sep 28;2025:8567447. doi: 10.1155/prm/8567447. eCollection 2025.

  PMID: 41058955 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Chronic Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Barbara Eddy

  Vancouver Coastal Health

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Member in the UBC Department of Medicine, Division of Palliative Care

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 3, 2020
• First Posted: February 10, 2020
• Study Start: February 18, 2020
• Primary Completion: August 2, 2022
• Study Completion: August 2, 2022
• Last Updated: September 16, 2025

Record last verified: 2022-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)