Effect of Muscle Energy Technique on Latissimus Dorsi on Pain , Functional Disability and Range of Motion in Patients With Mechanical Low Back Pain

NCT07328126 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: FUI/CTR/2025/07
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 32
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Mechanical low back pain (LBP) stems from spinal structures or surrounding tissues, often caused by overuse or trauma, and is prevalent globally with high recurrence rates. Key contributing factors include biomechanical, psychological, and social elements. The latissimus dorsi (LD), along with other back muscles, plays a crucial role in lumbar stability via the thoracolumbar fascia. Stretching the LD has shown positive effects in reducing pain and improving function in chronic LBP patients. Physical therapy treatments include manual therapy, core stabilization, and flexibility exercises. Muscle Energy Techniques (MET), particularly targeting the LD, can enhance flexibility and spinal mobility when applied correctly.

Conditions

Mechanical Low Back Pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Low back pain

  Numeric Pain Rating Scale will be used. An 11-point scale comprising a number from 0 through 10; 0 indicates "no pain", and 10 indicates the "worst imaginable pain". Patients are instructed to choose a single number from the scale that best indicates their level of pain.

  4 weeks

• Functional Disability of back

  Oswestry disability index will be used. To evaluate the functional impact of low back pain on a person's daily life. It consists of 10 items on the degree of severity to which back (or leg) trouble has affected the ability to manage in everyday life. The 10 sections cover the pain and the daily function (including pain intensity, personal hygiene, lifting, walking, sitting, standing, sleeping, sexual activity, social activity, and traveling). Each item is rated on a 6-point scale (0-5); the higher score means the higher level of disability related to LBP. The present study used the traditional Chinese version of the ODI 2.1

  4 weeks

• Range of motion of low back.

  Dual Inclinometer will be used. It is a handheld, circular, fluid-filled disc that has a weighted gravity pendulum attached to it that is maintained in the vertical direction. It is graduated by 0.5 degree intervals over 360.

  4 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Conservative physical therapy

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Hot pack + TENS (10 min), followed by a structured program of warm-up, 20-minute core/back strengthening, stretching (hip flexors, hamstrings, lumbar extensors), and cool-down exercises.

Procedure: Conservative physical therapy

Post facilitation stretch of latissimus dorsi with conservative physical therapy

EXPERIMENTAL

Receives the same conservative physical therapy as the control group plus Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Energy Technique (isometric contraction for 10seconds, relaxation 2-3seconds, followed by 10seconds stretch, applied bilaterally each session).

Procedure: Post-facilitation stretch of latissimus dorsi with conservative physical therapy

Interventions

Conservative physical therapy PROCEDURE

Hot pack + TENS (10 min), followed by a structured program of warm-up, 20-minute core/back strengthening, stretching (hip flexors, hamstrings, lumbar extensors), and cool-down exercises.

Conservative physical therapy

Post-facilitation stretch of latissimus dorsi with conservative physical therapy PROCEDURE

Receives the same conservative physical therapy as the control group plus Latissimus Dorsi Muscle Energy Technique (isometric contraction for 10seconds, relaxation 2-3seconds, followed by 10seconds stretch, applied bilaterally each session).

Post facilitation stretch of latissimus dorsi with conservative physical therapy

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 30 Years - 55 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Patients had low back pain for more than 3 months Moderate disability (20 to 40 %) determined through Oswestry Disability Index Subjects with pain ranging 3 to 8 on NPRS Able to perform ROM of lumbar spine (flexion and extension) within range of pain Patient were not under any medical treatment (analgesics etc) both male and female

You may not qualify if:

• presence of any red flags (i.e tumor , metabolic disease, rheumatoid arthritis , osteoporosis , history of use of steroids ) SLR test positive Muscle weakness or paralysis of lower extremity Prior surgery of lumbar spine and pregnancy Any psychological problem

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Foundation University Islamabad: lead

Study Sites (1)

Foundation University Islamabad

Rawalpindi, Punjab Province, 46000, Pakistan

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

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

Study Officials

• Laraib Khurshid, DPT

  Foundation University Islamabad

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Laraib Khurshid, DPT

CONTACT

+923135965114; laraibhamza20@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 26, 2025
• First Posted: January 8, 2026
• Study Start: January 25, 2025
• Primary Completion: December 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 15, 2026
• Last Updated: January 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-10

Locations

PA (1)