Noninvasive Treatment of Upper Trapezius Active Trigger Points in College Students With Neck Pain

Noninvasive Treatment of Upper Trapezius Active Trigger Points in College Students With Neck Pain. A Randomized Clinical Trial

Hyperexcitable myofascial trigger points located within a taut band of skeletal muscle or fascia cause referred pain, local tenderness, and autonomic changes. The scientific data refer to an immediate improvement in the symptoms of these active points treated with manual therapy. Based on these factors, the objective of the study is to determine the effect of the combined therapy of the Jones, Chaitow, Lewit technique and pain-free positioning in participants with the presence of an active upper trapezius trigger point.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Neck Pain; Trigger Point Pain, Myofascial
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Jones Group (Strain Counterstrain); Other: Placebo Group; Other: Lewit Group; Other: Chaitow Group

Detailed Description

The treatment will last a total of 15 minutes accompanied by a baseline assessment and after 10 minutes of the intervention in 3 experimental groups and a placebo group, of no-pain positioning. In addition to basic indices and scales of cervical pain and functionality, it is intended to measure flexibility, range of motion, proprioception and cognition through software with sensors of the latest technology when it comes to representing reliable results in differences between techniques.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 80
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

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

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 19 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• persistent neck pain or headache for more than 3 days
• presence of active trigger point in upper trapezius

Exclusion Criteria:

• Participants who present dizziness, vertigo and/or symptoms aggravated by the movement and/or positioning of the neck;
• who present infection or febrile state at the time of performing the test;
• with anxiety and/or extreme emotional tension;
• who are undergoing pharmacological treatment (analgesics, muscle relaxants, anxiolytics, antidepressants)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

4

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Jones Group (Strain Counterstrain); Jones Group consist in 90 seconds in a ralease positioning of no pain in muscle acortation	Other: Jones Group (Strain Counterstrain); No pain positioning technique with diaphragmatic breathing
Placebo Comparator: Placebo Group; Placebo Group only have to mantain no pain positioning for 3 minutes	Other: Placebo Group; No pain positioning of participants
Active Comparator: Lewit Group; Lewit Group consist in a maximum of four minutes of muscular contraction acompaind by stretching techniques	Other: Lewit Group; Isometric muscular exercise acompained with stretching technique
Active Comparator: Chaitow Group; Chaitow Group consist in a maximum of four minutes of muscular contraction acompaind by stretching techniques and deep diaphragmatic respiration	Other: Chaitow Group; Isometric muscular exercise acompained with stretching technique and diaphragmatic breathing

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neck Disability Index	Self-completed neck questionnaire wich consists in 10 sections. Each one of them (cervical pain intensity, personal care, lifting weights, reading, headache, ability to concentrate, ability to work, driving, sleep and leisure activities) offers 6 possible answers that represent 6 progressive levels of functional capacity, and is scored from 0 to 5. The total score is expressed in percentage terms with respect to the maximum possible	10 minutes
Pain intensity	Measured with Numeric Rating Scale wich consist in measure pain intensity with a score of 0-10	10 minutes
Pression algometer	Measures pressure pain thresholds	10 minutes

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cervical Test	Measured with Baiobit Software. The range of movement will be measured in grades as per: flexion/extension; right/left rotation; and right/left inclination	10 minutes
Proprioceptive Test	Measured with Baiobit Software o'clock test in a high/medium/low levels wich consist in a velocity and accuracy evaluation of combined cervical movements in the o'clock game test.	10 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 14, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 14, 2022
• Study Completion (Actual): May 19, 2022

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 20, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 22, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): March 3, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 20, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 19, 2022
• Last Verified: May 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Rehabilitation; Treatment; Physiotherapy; Active Trigger Point
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Muscular Diseases; Neck Pain; Myofascial Pain Syndromes
• Other Study ID Numbers: CE112103

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No