Comparative Effect of Muscle Energy Technique and Kinesiotherapy on Non Specific Low Back Pain

NCT07426627 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: REC/RCR & AHS/24/01108
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 64
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The study was conducted to determine the comparative effect of muscle energy technique and kinesiotherapy on the patients of non specific low back pain

Conditions

Non Specific Low Back Pain

Keywords

Muscle Energy Technique; Kinesiotherapy; Range of motion; Non specific low back pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)

  Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), English version, was used to assess functional disability; it was a disease specific questionnaire that measures disability associated with low back pain. ODI is divided into 10 questions, which cover various areas of daily living activities and the scores are in percentage, the higher the score, the more disability a person

  From enrollment till the end of treatment at 6 weeks.

• Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

  The intensity of pain was determined by means of Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), which is a 11-point self-report rating scale with a range of 0 to 10, where 10 is the worst imaginable pain and 0 is no pain. The respondents were requested to assess their present pain at res

  From enrollment till the end of treatment at 6 weeks

• Inclinometer for ROM

  A reflection of lumbar range of motion was established with the help of a handheld inclinometer, which is an objective measure of the spinal movement in degrees of lumbar flexion, lumbar extension, and side bending.

  From enrollment till the end of treatment at 6 weeks .

Study Arms (2)

Muscle energy technique with conventional treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

Other: Standard Physical therapy; Other: Muscle energy technique

Kinesiotherapy with conventional treatment

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Other: Standard Physical therapy; Other: Kinesiotherapy

Interventions

Muscle energy technique OTHER

The muscle energy techniques which involved isometric contraction of the agonist muscle for 10s. This contraction started just short of the restriction range. After that, the patient was asked to relax for 2-3 s, and then, the examiner stretched the contracted muscle in the opposite direction for 10 s. This was repeated three repetitions for each muscle bilaterally. This technique was applied to the quadratus lumborum, hamstring, and lower back muscles three times per week.

Muscle energy technique with conventional treatment

Kinesiotherapy OTHER

Kinesiotherapy treatment will be performed using a therapeutic ball therapy kinesiotherapy protocol will perform weekly. For 1º to 4º weeks: stretches in chains Anterior, Posterior and Lateral performed at the beginning and end of the sessions; paravertebral strengthening in isometry; abdominals (straight anterior and oblique) concentric and eccentric, all performed on the therapeutic ball with increasing time and repetitions progressively. For 5º to 8º weeks: stretching exercises were repeated first month, increasing the degree of difficulty. Strengthening exercises have evolved for isotonic (concentric and eccentric) exercises, with increasing degree of difficulty.

Kinesiotherapy with conventional treatment

Standard Physical therapy OTHER

Core stability exercises Pelvic tilt exercises This exercise was done by keeping both hands behind the buttocks and pressing on them by flattening the spine and bending the pelvis up slightly, then holding for up to 10 seconds with 20 times of repetitions. Partial curl The patient was in a supine position with knee bent and arms behind the head, the feet slightly away from the buttocks, then patient raise the upper body from the ground approximately 30 to 40 degrees, the abdominal muscles begin to contract, then the upper body was in lower to the ground 3\. Back extension exercise The patient needs to lie in a prone position on a mat with legs straightening with a pronated forearm, then lift the upper back. Hips should be pressed into the mat with the head and neck in a neutral position. Hot pack for 10 mins on low back in prone position.

Kinesiotherapy with conventional treatment; Muscle energy technique with conventional treatment

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 20 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Gender both male and female Age 20yr-40yr Prolong sitting hour (greater or equal to 3hr) Pain rating scale 4-6 on NPRS Individuals having localized lumber region pain (L1-L5) ODI score of ≥5 to ≤24 of having mild to moderate disability Negative Lasegue test

You may not qualify if:

• Spine pathology Spine surgery Spinal stenosis Trauma Neurological disorder Psychological issue Systemic disease

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Riphah International University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Helping Hand for Relief and Development Center, Chakwal

Chakwal, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Location

Related Publications (7)

• Fahmy E, Shaker H, Ragab W, Helmy H, Gaber M. Efficacy of spinal extension exercise program versus muscle energy technique in treatment of chronic mechanical low back pain. The Egyptian Journal of Neurology, Psychiatry and Neurosurgery. 2019;55(1):77.

  BACKGROUND

• Akram A, Imtiaz K, Maryem S, Mahmood W, Mahmood T, Babur MN. Comparison of Pilates exercises versus muscle energy technique with Kinesio taping in non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial. Khyber Medical University Journal. 2024;16(1):3-9

  BACKGROUND

• Khalid R, Hasan S, Anis T, Riaz SW, Maroof A, Arshad A, et al. Comparative Effectiveness of Muscle Energy Technique (MET) With or Without Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Pattern in Lumbosacral Dysfunction: Comparative Effectiveness of Muscle Energy Technique (MET). THE THERAPIST (Journal of Therapies & Rehabilitation Sciences). 2024:51-5.

  BACKGROUND

• Santos GK, Goncalves de Oliveira R, Campos de Oliveira L, Ferreira C de Oliveira C, Andraus RA, Ngomo S, Fusco A, Cortis C, DA Silva RA. Effectiveness of muscle energy technique in patients with nonspecific low back pain: a systematic review with meta-analysis. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2022 Dec;58(6):827-837. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.22.07424-X. Epub 2022 Sep 28.

  PMID: 36169931 BACKGROUND

• Kosic M, Malnar D, Lekic A. A Study of 60 Patients with Low Back Pain to Compare Outcomes Following Magnetotherapy, Ultrasound, Laser, and Electrotherapy with and without Lumbosacral Kinesiotherapy. Med Sci Monit. 2024 Apr 1;30:e943732. doi: 10.12659/MSM.943732.

  PMID: 38556775 BACKGROUND

• Yoon JD, Jung JH, Cho HY, Shin HJ. The Immediate Effects of Muscle Energy Technique in Chronic Low Back Pain Patients with Functional Leg Length Discrepancy: A Randomized and Placebo-Controlled Trial. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Dec 26;12(1):53. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12010053.

  PMID: 38200959 BACKGROUND

• Patel VD, Eapen C, Ceepee Z, Kamath R. Effect of muscle energy technique with and without strain-counterstrain technique in acute low back pain - A randomized clinical trial. Hong Kong Physiother J. 2018 Jun;38(1):41-51. doi: 10.1142/S1013702518500051. Epub 2018 Apr 4.

  PMID: 30930578 BACKGROUND

Study Officials

• Saba Rafiq

  Riphah International University

  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: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 17, 2026
• First Posted: February 23, 2026
• Study Start: January 13, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 31, 2025
• Study Completion: October 31, 2025
• Last Updated: February 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)