Comparing the Effects of Muscle Energy Technique Versus Myofascial Mobilization in Managing Sub-acute Low Back Pain

Effectiveness of Muscle Energy Technique Versus Myofascial Mobilization in Improving Functional Outcome in Sub-acute Non-specific Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) defines sub-acute low back pain as low back pain lasting between 4 and 12 weeks. There is insufficient evidence regarding the comparative effect of muscle energy technique and myofascial mobilization in the management of sub-acute non-specific low back pain with the tightness of quadratus lumborum and erector spinae muscles

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Low Back Pain; Lordosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Physiotherapy; Other: Muscle Energy technique; Other: Myofacial mobilization

Detailed Description

A randomized experimental controlled trial will be carried out to compare the effectiveness of muscle energy technique and myofascial mobilization in the management of sub-acute non-specific low back pain. A total of 60 male and female volunteers having subjects with sub-acute nonspecific low back pain will be recruited in this study. Subjects will be assessed at baseline for pain and disability using Visual Analogue Scale and Ronald Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ 0-24) respectively. After baseline assessment, all subjects will be allocated to two groups through computer-generated random sampling. Group 1 will perform Muscle energy technique combined with conventional exercise; Group 2 will receive Myofascial Mobilization combined with conventional exercise. This study will be conducted at the Physiotherapy Department of Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (SIPM&R). Data will be analyzed using SPSS 21 and ANCOVA technique will be used in this study.

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

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Sindh
    • Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, 74200
      • Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 30 years to 55 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Sub-acute low back pain with the range of 7 to 12 weeks of unresolved symptoms.
• Positive test of tight Erector spinae muscle and Tight Quadratus Lumboram muscle

Exclusion Criteria:

• Spinal malignancy
• Spinal fracture
• Spine foraminal stenosis
• Nerve root compression
• Radicular symptoms
• Sciatica
• Cord compression
• Paralysis
• Muscular dystrophy
• Myelopathy
• Seizure disorder
• Severe trauma
• Unexplained weight loss

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Muscle Energy Techniques; Following physiotherapy will be given to the participants in this group for 4 weeks, 3 times a week: 1. Muscle Energy Technique	Other: Physiotherapy; Conventional treatment consisted of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Progressive Back Strengthening Exercise; Other: Muscle Energy technique; Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a technique that was developed in 1948 by Fred Mitchell, Sr, D.O[1]. It is a form of manual therapy, widely used in Osteopathy, that uses a muscle's own energy in the form of gentle isometric contractions to relax the muscles via autogenic or reciprocal inhibition and lengthen the muscle.
Active Comparator: Myofascial Mobilization Techniques; Following physiotherapy will be given to the participants in this group for 4 weeks, 3 times a week: 1. Myofascial Mobilization	Other: Physiotherapy; Conventional treatment consisted of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Progressive Back Strengthening Exercise; Other: Myofacial mobilization; It is a type of gentle, constant massage that releases tightness and pain throughout your myofascial tissues

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Visual Analogue Scale	The visual analogue scale is used for measurement of pain intensity. It is a continuous scale. It comprises a horizontal or vertical 10 centimeters or 100 millimeters line. The participant is asked to indicate a point of pain intensity by placing a line perpendicular to the Visual analogue scale line. The scale is most commonly referred by "no pain" with score of 0 and "worst imaginable pain" with score of 100 on the scale. The higher scores shows higher pain intensity and lower scores shows lower pain intensity.	Change from baseline pain intensity at 4 weeks
Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire	It is a standard questionnaire with questions regarding pain and the disabling effect on daily activities. Its score ranges from 0 to 24 (no disability to maximum disability)	Change from baseline functional disability at 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Dow University of Health Sciences
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Faizan Abdullah, MSAPT, DPT, Sindh Institute of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 22, 2021
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 27, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): November 27, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 13, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 17, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): June 23, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 27, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 26, 2024
• Last Verified: March 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Spinal Diseases; Bone Diseases; Spinal Curvatures; Back Pain; Low Back Pain; Lordosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: FAbdullah

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