Cervicothoracic Junction Mobilization Versus Muscle Energy Technique in Chronic Neck Pain

Cervicothoracic Junction Mobilization Versus Autogenic Muscle Energy Technique in Patients With Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain

This study will be conducted to identify the difference between the effect of of cervicothoracic junction mobilization and autogenic Muscle Energy Technique. on neck pain, cervical range of motion, cervical proprioception and neck disability in mechanical neck pain patients with cervicothoracic junction hypomobility.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: cervicothoracic junction mobilization in form of Maitland mobilization; Other: conventional physical therapy; Other: autogenic muscle Energy Technique

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

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Egypt
  • Giza, Egypt
    • Faculty of physical therapy, Cairo University

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 45 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion criteria:

• Patients with a primary complaint of chronic neck pain (assessed by VAS )for more than 3 months
• Subjects with pain provocation and reduced mobility at the CT junction segment (assessed by passive accessory intervertebral movements (PAIVMs) and reduced mobility at cervical spine (assessed by CROM device.
• patients with age range from 18 to 45 years old.
• patients with body mass index less than 30 kg/m2.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• previous spine surgery
• pregnancy.
• Diabetic patients
• Hypertensive patients
• Patients were excluded if neck pain was associated with cervical radiculopathy
• whiplash injuries or severe headaches
• cervical spine fracture
• vertebro-basilar insufficiency.
• red flags suggesting of cancer, infection, vascular insufficiency
• Rheumatologic condition as mild systemic lupus erythematosus, poly-articular osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and advanced cervical spine degenerative diseases.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group A:cervicothoracic junction mobilization; Group A: patients will receive cervicothoracic junction mobilization and conventional physical therapy program for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods	Other: cervicothoracic junction mobilization in form of Maitland mobilization; Group A: will receive cervicothoracic junction mobilization mobilization in form of Maitland mobilization to the C7-T1 level, according to their primary movement restriction (for flexion-extension restriction- central PA glide, for rotation restrictions (unilateral PA glide) for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods.; Other: conventional physical therapy; conventional physical therapy only in form of: (superficial heat using hot pack for 10 minutes , Isometric Neck Exercises and Dynamic Neck Exercises)) for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods
Experimental: Group B:autogenic muscle Energy Technique; Group B: will receive autogenic muscle Energy Technique and conventional physical therapy program for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods.	Other: conventional physical therapy; conventional physical therapy only in form of: (superficial heat using hot pack for 10 minutes , Isometric Neck Exercises and Dynamic Neck Exercises)) for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods; Other: autogenic muscle Energy Technique; the technique will applied to neck muscles that are prone to get short including anterior, middle and posterior Scaleni, Sternocleidomastoid, Levator Scapulae and upper fibers of the Trapezius muscle. The AI MET group will given 3-5 repetitions of post isometric relaxation (PIR) (30-50% isometric contraction of the muscle to be stretched for 7-10 seconds, followed by rest period of 5 seconds and then a stretch of 10-60 seconds hold
Active Comparator: Group C:conventional physical therapy; Group C: will receive conventional physical therapy only in form of: (superficial heat using hot pack for 10 minutes , Isometric Neck Exercises and Dynamic Neck Exercises)) for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods.	Other: conventional physical therapy; conventional physical therapy only in form of: (superficial heat using hot pack for 10 minutes , Isometric Neck Exercises and Dynamic Neck Exercises)) for 3 sessions/week over 4 weeks periods

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
change in neck pain	change in neck pain will be measured by Visual analog scale for the 3 groups pre- and post treatment	Evaluation Will be performed prior to the first treatment session; as a baseline measure, and at last treatment session(after 4 weeks) as a post-treatment measure

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
cervical ROM and cervical prorprioception	cervical ROM and cervical prorprioception will be measured by cervical ROM device pre treatment and post treatment	Evaluation Will be performed prior to the first treatment session; as a baseline measure, and at last treatment session(after 4 weeks) as a post-treatment measure

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Cairo University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): November 1, 2022
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 30, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): July 30, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 24, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 24, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): September 28, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 28, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 25, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: chronic mechanical neck pain; cervicothoracic junction mobilization; autogenic muscle energy technique; cervicothoracic junction hypomobility
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Neck Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: P.T.REC/012/003839

Drug and device information, study documents

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