Effects of Myofascial Release Therapy on Body Posture and Facial Symmetry

NCT07610200 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: MYOPOSTFACE-RCT-2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of myofascial release therapy on body posture and facial symmetry in healthy individuals. Postural disorders and fascial tension may lead to biomechanical alterations not only in the musculoskeletal system but also in facial soft tissues and symmetry. Myofascial release techniques are widely used in physiotherapy to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue tension, and support postural alignment. However, the potential effects of these interventions on facial symmetry have not been sufficiently investigated. A total of 60 healthy participants will be included in the study and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group will not receive any physical intervention during the same period. Body posture and facial symmetry assessments will be performed at baseline and after the intervention period. Postural assessment will be conducted using the PostureScreen Mobile application through standardized anterior, posterior, and lateral photographs. Facial symmetry will be evaluated using anthropometric facial landmarks identified on standardized facial photographs. Directional asymmetry scores, linear measurements, proportional analyses, and angular measurements will be calculated. The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the relationship between fascial interventions, postural alignment, and facial symmetry, and may contribute to the development of new physiotherapy approaches targeting fascial and postural dysfunctions.

Conditions

Postural Disorders; Facial Asymmetry; Myofascial Dysfunction

Keywords

Myofascial Release Therapy; Posture; Facial Symmetry; Fascial System; Manual Therapy; Postural Alignment; Physiotherapy; Facial Asymmetry; Myofascial Dysfunction; Randomized Controlled Trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Facial Directional Asymmetry Score

  Facial symmetry will be evaluated using standardized digital facial photographs and anthropometric facial landmarks. Directional asymmetry scores will be calculated by comparing right and left facial measurements before and after the intervention period.

  Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention

Study Arms (2)

Myofascial Release Therapy Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks. The intervention protocol will include cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial manual therapy techniques performed by a trained physiotherapist.

Procedure: Myofascial Release Therapy

Control Group

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the control group will not receive any manual therapy or physical intervention during the study period and will only undergo assessment procedures.

Interventions

Myofascial Release Therapy PROCEDURE

Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive standardized myofascial release therapy performed by a trained physiotherapist twice weekly for 6 weeks. The intervention protocol will include single arm pull, lateral neck shoulder release, thoracic transverse plane technique, and anterior cervical fascial release techniques targeting cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial regions. Each session will be conducted under standardized clinical conditions to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue tension, and support postural alignment and facial symmetry.

Also known as: Myofascial Therapy, Fascial Release Therapy, Manual Myofascial Release

Myofascial Release Therapy Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Healthy individuals aged between 18 and 45 years
• Ability to understand and follow study instructions
• Independent performance of daily living activities
• No regular physiotherapy or manual therapy treatment within the previous 3 months
• Willingness to participate voluntarily and sign the informed consent form
• Ability to attend assessment and intervention sessions regularly

You may not qualify if:

• History of neurological or orthopedic disorders affecting posture or facial symmetry
• Current musculoskeletal injury or ongoing rehabilitation treatment
• Previous facial, spinal, or major musculoskeletal surgery or trauma
• Pregnancy
• Use of medications affecting muscle tone or neuromuscular function
• Psychiatric or cognitive disorders limiting study participation
• Inability to comply with study procedures

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ece ACAR: lead

Related Publications (3)

• Szucs KA, Brown EVD. Rater reliability and construct validity of a mobile application for posture analysis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2018 Jan;30(1):31-36. doi: 10.1589/jpts.30.31. Epub 2018 Jan 27.

  PMID: 29410561 BACKGROUND

• Wilke J, Krause F, Vogt L, Banzer W. What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Mar;97(3):454-61. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2015.07.023. Epub 2015 Aug 14.

  PMID: 26281953 BACKGROUND

• Schleip R, Jager H, Klingler W. What is 'fascia'? A review of different nomenclatures. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2012 Oct;16(4):496-502. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2012.08.001. Epub 2012 Aug 22.

  PMID: 23036881 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Facial Asymmetry

Interventions

Myofascial Release Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pathological Conditions, Anatomical; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Massage; Therapy, Soft Tissue; Musculoskeletal Manipulations; Complementary Therapies; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation

Study Officials

• Ece Acar

  Karabuk University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Ece Acar, Assistant Professor, Physiothe

CONTACT

+905457925035; eceacar@karabuk.edu.tr

Eylül ESEN, MsC

CONTACT

+905385799415; eylulesennnn@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Outcome assessors analyzing posture photographs and facial symmetry measurements will be blinded to group allocation. Participants and therapists providing the intervention will not be blinded due to the nature of the manual therapy application.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group using a parallel-group design. The intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group will undergo observation and assessment only. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 20, 2026
• First Posted: May 27, 2026
• Study Start: June 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): February 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Last Updated: May 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05