Physical Therapy Intervention in Dental Students

NCT05851586 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: AZ-5178
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 16
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The main purpose of our study is to assess whether guided strength training and stretching intervention with a written home exercise program is more effective than a home exercise program alone for pre-clinical dental students in improving and preventing pain associated with dental laboratory practice. Secondary aims will be to assess relationships between strength and quality of life measures of an individual and pain levels.

Conditions

Pain; Strength; Quality of Life

Keywords

Dental students; Supervised exercise; Home exercise program; Strength; Quality of life

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (6)

• Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)

  PROMIS® is a publicly available system of highly reliable, precise measures of patient-reported health status for physical, mental, and social well-being. This will be measured via electronic survey.

  Baseline

• Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)

  PROMIS® is a publicly available system of highly reliable, precise measures of patient-reported health status for physical, mental, and social well-being. This will be measured via electronic survey.

  Intervention conclusion (7 months)

• Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)

  PROMIS® is a publicly available system of highly reliable, precise measures of patient-reported health status for physical, mental, and social well-being. This will be measured via electronic survey.

  11 months

• Pain Intensity

  Visual analog scale (0-10 rating)

  Baseline

• Pain Intensity

  Visual analog scale (0-10 rating)

  Intervention conclusion (7 months)

• Pain Intensity

  Visual analog scale (0-10 rating)

  11 months

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Pec Minor Length Test

  Baseline, intervention conclusion (7 months), and 4 month follow up prior to beginning clinical rotations.

• Pec Minor Length Test

  Intervention conclusion (7 months)

• Pec Minor Length Test

  11 months

• Middle Trapezius Manual Muscle Test

  Baseline

• Middle Trapezius Manual Muscle Test

  Intervention conclusion (7 months)

Study Arms (2)

Supervised exercise + home exercise program

EXPERIMENTAL

The intervention group (supervised exercise) which will receive supervised strengthening and stretching exercises by a licensed physical therapist in a group setting 2 times per month for 30 minutes each session as well as a home exercise program with general stretching and strengthening exercises for various body parts (focusing on neck, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, shoulder and hand/wrist) that will be identical to the home exercise program only group.

Procedure: Supervised exercise + home exercise program

Home exercise program only

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The home exercise program only group will be provided with a written home exercise program consisting of general stretching and strengthening exercises for various body parts (focusing on neck, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, shoulder and hand/wrist). The exercise programs will be identical for both the supervised exericse and the home exercise program only groups.

Procedure: Home exercise program only

Interventions

Supervised exercise + home exercise program PROCEDURE

The supervised exercise + home exercise program group will receive a written home exercise program with general stretching and strengthening exercises for the neck, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, shoulder and hand/wrist. They will also be provided with two supervised exercise sessions per month delivered in a group setting in order to ensure proper performance of the home exercise programs.

Supervised exercise + home exercise program

Home exercise program only PROCEDURE

The home exercise program only group will receive a written home exercise program with general stretching and strengthening exercises for the neck, thoracic spine, lumbar spine, shoulder and hand/wrist, without any supervised guidance on exercise performance.

Home exercise program only

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Adults ages 18+
• Current 2nd year university dental students

You may not qualify if:

• Any type of musculoskeletal surgery in the past 6 months

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Joshua Subialka: lead

Study Sites (1)

Midwestern University

Glendale, Arizona, 85308, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Lacey Frankland, DPT

  Midwestern University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor, Associate Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 20, 2023
• First Posted: May 9, 2023
• Study Start: September 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: August 12, 2024
• Study Completion: August 12, 2024
• Last Updated: September 30, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-09

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)