Adding Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization to Core Stability Training in Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain

NCT05860049 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: P.T.REC/012/003837
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 52
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of adding instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization to core stability training in treatment of chronic mechanical neck pain on pain level, cervical ROM, proprioception, muscle activity, H-reflex, and functions.

Conditions

Neck Pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (5)

• Pain level

  The pain level was measured by visual analogue scale.The VAS is a 100-mm horizontal line anchored by word descriptors at each end by ''no pain'' on the left and ''worst imaginable pain'' on the right. The minimum score means it is better.

  4 weeks

• Cervical range of motion and proprioception

  Cervical range of motion and proprioception were measured using CROM.

  4 weeks

• Functions

  Functions were measured by Arabic version of Neck Disability Index. It is consisting of 10 items with six choices (0-5), Each item is scored from zero (no disability) to five (total disability). Minimum score means it is better.

  4 weeks

• Muscle activity

  Muscle activity was measured by electromyography (EMG).

  4 weeks

• H-reflex

  H-reflex was measured by EMG.

  4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

They received conventional physical therapy and core stability for 4 weeks.

Other: Conventional physiotherapy; Other: Core stability

Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability + Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

EXPERIMENTAL

They received conventional physical therapy, core stability, and IASTM technique for 4 weeks.

Other: Conventional physiotherapy; Other: Core stability; Device: Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization

Interventions

Conventional physiotherapy OTHER

All participants in both groups (A and B) received conventional physiotherapy program including infrared thermotherapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, stretching exercises for for Upper Trapezius, Levator Scapulae, Sternocleidomastoid and Scalenes muscles, and active neck ROM exercises, 3 sessions per week, for 4 weeks.

Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability; Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability + Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

Core stability OTHER

All participants in both groups (A and B) received core stability exercises in the form of bridging exercise, bridging exercise on a ball, plank, and side plank 3 sessions per week, for 4 weeks.

Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability; Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability + Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization DEVICE

Each participant in group (B) was seated in a comfortable position. The participant's forehead rested on his/her forearm on a table in front of him/her. A lubricant (Vaseline) was applied to the skin around the neck area prior to treatment, and the M2T blade (Figure 4) was cleaned with an alcohol pad. First, the M2T blade was used to find the exact areas of restriction in the RT upper trapezius. Then, the M2T blade was used at an angle of 45°, utilizing treatment planes 1, 2, and 3, to apply slow strokes along the muscle, without causing any discomfort or pain, from the muscle origin to its insertion for approximately 3 minutes. This procedure was repeated twice a week, for 4 weeks.

Conventional physiotherapy + Core stability + Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Patients diagnosed as having chronic mechanical neck pain.
• Patient's age between 18-55 years old.

You may not qualify if:

• Subjects with any specific neck pathology as radiculopathy, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic diseases.
• sensory problems at mid or upper back.
• A history of head and upper trunk trauma or surgery.
• severe disorders of the cervical spine such as disk prolapse and cervical stenosis.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Cairo University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ismailia Medical Complex

Ismailia, 0643213902, Egypt

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain

Interventions

Core Stability

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Postural Balance; Proprioception; Vestibulocochlear Physiological Phenomena; Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Sensation; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Haytham El-Hafez, PhD

  Professor, Cairo university

  STUDY CHAIR

Study Design

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

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 28, 2023
• First Posted: May 16, 2023
• Study Start: August 29, 2023
• Primary Completion: January 29, 2024
• Study Completion: March 30, 2024
• Last Updated: August 22, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-08

Locations

EG (1)