Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Pain and Quality of Life in Thyroid Cancer (PMRT-ThyCa)

June 1, 2026 updated by: Dr. Marium Zafar, University of Faisalabad

Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique on Pain and Quality of Life in Thyroid Cancer Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Thyroid cancer patients often experience pain and reduced quality of life during chemotherapy. This randomized controlled trial will evaluate whether Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) exercises, added to routine range-of-motion exercises, reduce pain and improve quality of life compared to range-of-motion exercises alone. Thirty-two thyroid cancer patients randomly assigned to either the PMR group or the control group. Pain measured by using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and quality of life using the FACT-G questionnaire before and after a 4-5 day intervention. The study compared changes between groups.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This is a single-center, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial to be conducted at PINUM Cancer Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan. A total of 32 patients with histologically confirmed thyroid cancer (Stage I-III) undergoing chemotherapy (1-3 sessions) will be enrolled. Inclusion criteria: age 30-50 years, moderate pain (NPRS 3-7), baseline FACT-G score ≥80%, history of lobectomy or thyroidectomy. Exclusion criteria: comorbidities (cardiomyopathy, respiratory disorders, severe mental illness), recent fractures or surgeries, inability to follow instructions, current practice of relaxation therapies. Participants will be randomly allocated 1:1 using an online random number generator into two groups. Experimental group (n=16): Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique (PMRT) once daily for 4-5 consecutive days, each session 20-40 minutes, targeting head/neck, shoulders, arms/hands, lower back/hips, calves/thighs, and feet/toes. Each movement involves deep inhalation, tensing for 10-20 seconds, then exhalation with relaxation. Control group (n=16): gentle range-of-motion and stretching exercises of same frequency and duration. Outcomes: pain (NPRS, 0-10) and quality of life (FACT-G, 4 subscales) measured at baseline and post-intervention. Normality of data assessed by using Shapiro-Wilk test. Between-group comparisons is performed by using Mann-Whitney U test, and within-group pre-post comparisons using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. No adverse events are anticipated. After study completion, results will be submitted separately in the Results Module.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

32

Phase

  • 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

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Faisalābad, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 3800
        • The University of Faisalabad

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

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Histologically confirmed thyroid cancer (Stage I-III)
  • Age 30-50 years
  • Moderate pain (NPRS score 3-7)
  • Baseline FACT-G score ≥80%
  • Undergoing chemotherapy (1-3 sessions completed)
  • History of lobectomy or thyroidectomy
  • Provided written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Comorbidities (cardiomyopathy, respiratory disorders, severe mental illness)
  • Recent fractures or surgeries
  • Unable to comprehend or follow instructions
  • Currently practicing PMR or any other relaxation therapy

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: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: PMR + ROM
Participants received once-daily Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique (PMRT) plus range-of-motion (ROM) exercises for 4-5 consecutive days, 20-40 minutes per session.
Behavioral: Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique
Participants were guided through sequential tensing and relaxing of six muscle groups: head/neck, shoulders/upper back, arms/hands, lower back/hips, calves/thighs, and feet/toes. For each group, they inhaled deeply and tensed muscles for 10-20 seconds, then exhaled slowly while relaxing completely. Each session lasted 20-40 minutes, once daily for 4-5 consecutive days. Sessions were conducted by a trained physiotherapist in a quiet hospital room.
Other: Range of Motion and Stretching Exercises
Participants performed gentle range-of-motion (ROM) and stretching exercises for the same muscle groups (head/neck, shoulders, arms, lower back, legs, feet), without the tensing-relaxation component of PMR. Each session lasted 20-40 minutes, once daily for 4-5 consecutive days, supervised by the same physiotherapist.
Active Comparator: ROM
Participants received only gentle range-of-motion (ROM) and stretching exercises, once daily for 4-5 consecutive days, 20-40 minutes per session.
Other: Range of Motion and Stretching Exercises
Participants performed gentle range-of-motion (ROM) and stretching exercises for the same muscle groups (head/neck, shoulders, arms, lower back, legs, feet), without the tensing-relaxation component of PMR. Each session lasted 20-40 minutes, once daily for 4-5 consecutive days, supervised by the same physiotherapist.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Pain Intensity
Time Frame: Baseline (day 1) and post-intervention (day 4-5)
Pain intensity measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain). Higher scores indicate worse pain.
Baseline (day 1) and post-intervention (day 4-5)
Change in Quality of Life
Time Frame: Baseline (day 1) and post-intervention (day 4-5)
Quality of life measured using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy - General (FACT-G), a 27-item questionnaire covering physical, social/family, emotional, and functional well-being. Higher scores indicate better quality of life.
Baseline (day 1) and post-intervention (day 4-5)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Faisalabad

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)

January 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Actual)

April 1, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

May 15, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 23, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 1, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

June 3, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

June 3, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 1, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • TUF/EIRB/ 206 /26

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.

Clinical Trials on Thyroid Cancer

Clinical Trials on Progressive Muscle Relaxation Technique

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Australia

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe