Efficacy of Postural Reeducation in Elite Gymnasts With Back Pain

February 19, 2026 updated by: Juan Martínez Fuentes, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

Efficacy of Postural Reeducation in Elite Gymnasts With Back Pain. A Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Low back pain is a musculoskeletal disorder that is associated with symptoms such as pain, limitation of joint range and postural problems in athletes. Postural control is a key factor in disciplines with high biomechanical demands, such as rhythmic gymnastics. In addition, the potential influence of occlusal splints on body posture has been discussed, although evidence remains inconclusive. Methods: The study design is a randomized controlled clinical trial with a minimum of 35 elite gymnasts with back pain. Two postural treatments will be implemented, Mezieres Method and Isostretching, to verify whether there is improvement in low back pain in gymnasts and to compare both procedures. Postural variables will also allow exploratory analysis of factors potentially associated with postural regulation, including the possible influence of occlusal-byte use. Discussion: This trial could generate a greater understanding of the importance of posture related to low back pain and its possible treatments. It may also contribute to clarifying the relationship between postural therapeutic approaches and other factors influencing postural control.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

A randomized controlled clinical trial with two groups (intervention and placebo) will be implemented. The intervention group will receive the Mezieres technique as postural treatment, while the placebo group will perform a total of six Isostretching positions. Both interventions will consist of 30-minute sessions delivered twice weekly over a 12-week period. All treatments will be administered by the same certified therapist with at least five years of experience in postural therapy. Outcome measurements will be obtained immediately after the first session, and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks. Assessments will be conducted by a blinded researcher who will not participate in the treatments and who has prior experience in postural evaluation. Postural measurements will additionally permit exploratory analyses of factors potentially influencing postural regulation, including the possible impact of occlusal-byte use.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
30

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Spain
      • Murcia, Spain, 30107
        • Universidad Católica de Murcia

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

15 years to 30 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Elite gymnastic athletes with low back pain
  • Active participation in the national competition
  • Practice at least three times a week for 60 minutes
  • Minimum training time of 7 hours a week

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Gymnast whom suffer from chronic disease or acute musculoskeletal injury
  • Herniated disc
  • Spondylolisthesis

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Mezieres Group
This intervention includes a total of three postures of the Mézières therapy. Specifically, the postures maintained for 12 weeks consist of: supine dancer; in supine position with the upper extremities abducted 120 °; and dancer in a sitting position.
Other: Mezieres Postural Treatment
Implementation of 12 weeks suitable postures of Mezieres method
Active Comparator: Isostretching Group
This study aims to follow a total of 6 isostretching postures, the most similar to the Mezieres method. In each of the isostretching positions, if it is symmetric, 3, 6 or 9 repetitions will be performed and if it is asymmetric, 2, 4, or 8 repetitions.
Other: Mezieres Postural Treatment
Implementation of 12 weeks suitable postures of Mezieres method

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Back status
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Oswestry questionaire. It consists of 10 categories. Each category consists of 6 items scored from 0 to 5 with the first statement scoring 0 until the last statement scoring 5.
12 weeks
Back disability
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Roland Morris Questionaire wich consist in 24 points of back disability actual phrases
12 weeks
Range of motion
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Baiobit software
12 weeks
Pain intensity
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Numeric Rating Scale wich consist in measure pain intensity with a score of 0-10
12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Subjetive tension perception
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Borg Scale, which include a rating of 6 perceiving "no exertion at all" to 20 perceiving a "maximal exertion" of effort.
12 weeks
Spinal curvature evaluation
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Spinal Mouse Software
12 weeks
Stiffness test
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with Baiobit software
12 weeks
Posture stability
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured with stabilometry with a duration of 50 seconds with Lizard posturometric and stabilometric platform
12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Juan Martínez Fuentes, Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 14, 2022

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 16, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
July 30, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
November 19, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 2, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
December 8, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 23, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 19, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • CE102105

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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