Effect of Two Osteopathic Techniques on Thickness of Paravertebral Muscles of the Lumbar Spine

Effect of Two Osteopathic Techniques on Thickness of Paravertebral Muscles of the Lumbar Spine: Randomized Controlled Trial

The objective of this randomized controlled trial is to describe the effect of two osteopathic techniques - "high velocity, low amplitude" (HVLA) and muscle energy (ME) - on thickness, activation, strength, pressure pain threshold (PPT) of the paravertebral muscles at the lumbar spine, as well as the peak plantar pressures immediately and after a two-day follow-up.

The muscle thickness of the paravertebral muscles at the lumbar spine, namely internal oblique, external oblique and transversus abdominis can be altered after the application of 'high-velocity low-amplitude'(HVLA)and 'muscle energy' (ME)techniques immediately and after a two-day follow-up.

Study Overview

• Status: Unknown
• Conditions: Low Back Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: High-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA); Other: Muscle energy (ME); Other: Sham

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Anticipated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • Rio Grande do Sul
    • Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, 90050170
      • Laboratory of Physiotherapy - The Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• At least one episode of low back pain over the last three months; confirmation of lumbar spine dysfunction by an experienced osteopath; age between 18 and 40 years; do not have performed physical stress activities over the last 24 hours; do not be physically active (physical activity for at least three times a week); fulfill the orientations to the follow-up assessment.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of surgery, fracture or fixation on the lumbar spine and/or the pelvis; being pregnant; signs of radiculopathy; disc herniation at the lumbar spine; degenerative process at the lumbar spine; have received any kind of manipulative treatments over the past four weeks;

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: SINGLE

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: HVLA; The subjects allocated to this group will receive a 'High-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA) technique over the lumbar spine.	Other: High-velocity, low-amplitude (HVLA); With the subject lying on his/her side, the therapist will rotate the patient's trunk, flex his/her hip and knee of the upper leg. The therapist positions his caudad forearm over the hip, while the cephalad forearm lies over the patient's shoulder. The therapist's hands will be positioned over the lumbar spine's spinous process to be manipulated.; Other Names: Thrust manipulation
Experimental: ME; Subjects allocated to this group will receive a muscle energy (ME) technique.	Other: Muscle energy (ME); This technique involves the active movement of the patient to activate a specific musculature in order to move a bony segment of a given joint in a specific direction in relation to the adjacent bone. This technique aims to restore the restricted movement of the joint in question.; Other Names: Mitchell's technique
Sham Comparator: Sham group; The individuals allocated to this group received an intervention of the "sham". The sample of this group will consist of subjects with history of dysfunctions of the lumbar spine.	Other: Sham; Individuals in this group received a sham intervention type, in order to simulate an intervention.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Muscle thickness	We will evaluate the muscle thickness of four muscles that comprises the paravertebral musculature at the lumbar spine: internal oblique, external oblique, lumbar multifidus and transversus abdominis.	immediate
Muscle thickness	We will evaluate the muscle thickness of four muscles that comprises the paravertebral musculature at the lumbar spine: internal oblique, external oblique, lumbar multifidus and transversus abdominis.	Two days

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pressure pain threshold	subjects will be evaluated regarding their pressure pain threshold (PPT) on the spinous process of all of the lumbar vertebrae.	Immediate
Pressure pain threshold	subjects will be evaluated regarding their pressure pain threshold (PPT) on the spinous process of all of the lumbar vertebrae.	Two days

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Rodrigo F Angellos, Physiotherapis, The Federal University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: February 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Anticipated): June 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Anticipated): December 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 24, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 29, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): October 30, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): March 18, 2014
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 15, 2014
• Last Verified: October 1, 2013

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Low back pain; Spinal manipulation; Osteopathy; Muscle energy technique; Muscle thickness
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Back Pain; Low Back Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: Osteo-ufcspa