Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization Versus Post - Isometric Relaxation Technique in Trapezius Myalgia. (IASTM)

Effects of Instrument -Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization Versus Post - Isometric Relaxation Technique on Pain,Range of Motion, and Function in Patients With Trapezius Myalgia.

effects of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and Post-Isometric Relaxation (PIR) in reducing pain, improving range of motion, and enhancing function among individuals with trapezius myalgia.

it was a randomized clinical trial with outcome measuring tools as NPRS for pain Goniometer for ROM NDI for function

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Trapezius Myalgia
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: IASTM; Other: Post isometric relaxation

Detailed Description

A randomized clinical trial was carried out over ten months at Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital in Lahore. The study included 48 participants aged between 25 and 35 years, selected through non-probability convenience sampling; 44 completed the full treatment. Participants were randomly divided into two groups of 22 each using a lottery method. Group A underwent IASTM combined with passive and self-stretching exercises, while Group B received the PIR technique. Both interventions were administered three times weekly for six weeks. Outcomes were assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain, a universal goniometer to measure cervical lateral flexion and rotation range of motion, and the Neck Disability Index (NDI) to evaluate functional limitations. Evaluations were performed before treatment and again at the end of the six-week intervention. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS-25, involving the Shapiro-Wilk test to assess normality, independent t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests for intergroup comparisons, and paired t-tests along with Wilcoxon Signed Rank tests for intragroup analysis.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 48
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Pakistan
  • Punjab Province
    • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 54000
      • Arif memorial teaching hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individuals aged 25 to 35 experiencing trapezius myalgia,
• both men and women who report neck pain and stiffness,
• Limited range of motion in lateral neck bending and rotational movement.
• Presence of identifiable tender areas or trigger points within the trapezius muscle, Evidence of muscle tightness observed during mobility assessments, such as when performing lateral head tilt.
• A firm band of muscle tissue containing a hypersensitive point, often with a palpable nodule and potential for radiating discomfort.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Traumatic injury to the neck causing torticollis,
• Tumor affecting the upperportion of the trapezius muscle,
• Cervical nerverootirritation or damage, Break in one or more cervical vertebrae,
• Impairment of nervous system function,
• Swelling and hypersensitivity reactions in the skin,
• Abnormal spinal curvature and birth-related structural defects.

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: GROUP 1 (Intrument assisted soft tissue mobilization); IASTM (Members of this group received instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization in addition to a standard intervention aimed at reducing pain and enhancing range of motion and functional ability.)	Other: IASTM; IASTM intervention was administered three times weekly for six weeks.
Active Comparator: GROUP 2(Post isometric relaxation); Post isometric relaxation(The members of this group underwent post-isometric relaxation combined with the same standard protocol, with the same goals of alleviating pain and improving mobility and function.)	Other: Post isometric relaxation; PIR intervention was administered three times weekly for six weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Numeric Pain Rating Scale	The pain intensity was assessed using Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) an 11-point (0-10) tool used to measure a patient's pain intensity, where 0 means "no pain" and 10 means "the worst pain imaginable	Baseline and after 6 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Range of Motion	ROM was measured using goniometer	Baseline and after 6 weeks
Neck Disability Index	The functions of neck was assessed using Neck Disability Index (NDI); The NDI is a 10-item patient-reported questionnaire designed to assess how neck pain affects daily activities such as personal care, lifting, reading, concentration, work, driving, sleeping, and recreation. Each item is scored from 0 (no difficulty) to 5 (maximum difficulty), giving a total raw score ranging from 0 to 50. The raw score is often converted to a percentage to standardize interpretation: NDI Percentage = (Total Score ÷ 50) × 100	baseline and after 6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Riphah International University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Saba Rafiq, PhD*, Riphah International University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): May 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): June 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 17, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 17, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 22, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 22, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 17, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization; post-isometric relaxation; Trapezius myalgia
• Other Study ID Numbers: REC/RCR&AHS/25/0144

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