Myofascial Release and Positional Release Techniques in Unilateral Trapezitis

March 31, 2026 updated by: Masood Khan, King Saud University

Effectiveness of Myofascial Release and Positional Release Techniques on Pain, Cervical Range of Motion, and Neck Disability in Patients With Unilateral Trapezitis

Unilateral trapezitis is characterized by upper trapezius myofascial pain and trigger points and commonly causes neck pain, restricted cervical range of motion (ROM), and functional disability. While myofascial release (MFR) and positional release technique (PRT) are widely used, their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the effectiveness of MFR versus PRT combined with conventional exercises on pain, cervical lateral flexion ROM, and neck disability in young adults with unilateral trapezitis. Thirty participants (aged 20-25 years) with unilateral trapezitis were randomly assigned to two groups (n=15 each). Group A received MFR plus conventional treatment (active neck movements, trapezius stretching), while Group B received PRT plus the same conventional treatment. Interventions were delivered 3 days/week for 20 minutes/session over 2 months. Outcomes included Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), goniometric cervical lateral flexion ROM (affected/unaffected sides), and Neck Disability Index (NDI), measured pre- and post-intervention. Both MFR and PRT effectively improved pain, ROM, and disability in unilateral trapezitis. PRT demonstrated greater short-term benefits for pain reduction and functional improvement, suggesting it as the preferred initial intervention when rapid symptomatic relief is prioritized.

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.

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

  • India
    • Kerala
      • Kannur, Kerala, India, 670105
        • Co-Operative Institute of Health Sciences

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

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Subjects diagnosed with trapezitis with trigger point by an orthopedic surgeon,
  • with unilateral upper trapezius tender point,
  • taut band palpable in upper trapezius muscle,
  • excruciating spot tenderness at one point along the length of the taut band of upper trapezius muscle,
  • restriction in cervical lateral flexion when measured, and
  • pain elevated by elongating (stretching) the trapezius muscle

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Participants with history of cervical spine trauma or fracture,
  • recent surgery on the cervical spine,
  • skin condition around area to be treated,
  • current use of anti-inflammatory medications,
  • brachial nerve pain,
  • deformities of the neck,
  • sensory/perception anomalies close to the treatment area,
  • radiculopathy or myopathy symptoms,
  • degenerative cervical spine condition,
  • with a history of cardiac illness or presence of a pacemaker,
  • epilepsy,
  • psychological disorder, and
  • pregnant women

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: Experimental Group 1
In this group, participants received the myofascial release technique and conventional treatment, including active neck movements and trapezius stretching.
Other: Myofascial Release Technique
Myofascial release technique is a specialized manual therapy technique used to alleviate chronic pain and restore motion by releasing tension in the fascia.
Active Comparator: Experimental Group 2
In this group, participants received the positional release technique and conventional treatment, including active neck movements and trapezius stretching.
Other: Positional Release Technique
The Positional Release Technique is a gentle manual therapy that resolves pain and tissue dysfunction by moving the body into a "position of ease" or comfort.

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
Neck Pain
Time Frame: 8 weeks.
Pain on the affected side was measured using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale. The Numerical Pain Rating Scale-11 is a widely used 11-point scale for self-reporting pain. The respondent chooses a whole number (0-10) that best reflects the intensity of their pain. The greater the number, the worse is the outcome.
8 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
Range of motion
Time Frame: 8 weeks.
Neck lateral flexion range of motion is the measurement of how far subjects can tilt their head toward the shoulder while looking straight ahead. The greater the range of motion, the better is the outcome.
8 weeks.
Functional status
Time Frame: 8 weeks.
Functional status was measured using the Neck Disability Index (NDI). It includes 10 items related to pain and functional limitations. A higher score indicates worse outcome.
8 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.
King Saud University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
Co-Operative Institute of Health Sciences

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.
September 5, 2023

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.
March 14, 2024

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.
May 20, 2024

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).
March 31, 2026

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.
March 31, 2026

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.
April 7, 2026

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.
April 7, 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.
March 31, 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.
March 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.
  • 36.8 MSK/CR/NEU/MPT/CIHS/2023

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

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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