Muscle Energy Technique Versus Myofascial Release in Chronic Non Specific Neck Pain
Muscle Energy Technique Versus Myofascial Release in Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain
Chronic non-specific neck pain is a common musculoskeletal condition that can significantly affect daily activities, sleep quality, and overall quality of life. It is often associated with muscle tightness, poor posture, and reduced neck mobility without any specific underlying structural pathology such as fracture or nerve compression.
This study aims to compare two commonly used physiotherapy treatment techniques: Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) in individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain.
A total of 52 participants aged 18-45 years with neck pain lasting more than three months will be included in this randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups:
Group A: Conventional physiotherapy plus Muscle Energy Technique Group B: Conventional physiotherapy plus Myofascial Release Therapy
Both groups will receive treatment twice weekly for four weeks
. Conventional physiotherapy will include moist heat application and stretching exercises for neck muscles. In addition, one group will receive Muscle Energy
Technique targeting the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles, while the other group will receive Myofascial Release Therapy targeting the same muscle groups.
Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, at the second week, and at the fourth week. The study will evaluate:
Pain intensity (Numeric Pain Rating Scale) Neck range of motion (Inclinometer) Sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) Neck-related disability (Neck Disability Index)
The results of this study may help determine which technique is more effective in reducing pain, improving movement, enhancing sleep quality, and reducing disability in individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain. This may support clinicians in selecting the most appropriate treatment approach.
Studieoversigt
Status
Betingelser
Intervention / Behandling
Detaljeret beskrivelse
Neck pain is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders globally and is a leading cause of disability. Chronic non-specific neck pain (NSNP) is characterized by mechanical neck pain lasting more than three months without identifiable structural pathology such as fracture, infection, radiculopathy, or malignancy. It is commonly associated with postural dysfunction, muscle tightness, and impaired cervical mobility.
Various physiotherapy interventions are used in the management of NSNP. Among them, Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) are widely practiced manual therapy techniques. However, limited direct comparative evidence exists regarding their relative effectiveness in individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain, particularly concerning outcomes such as sleep quality and functional disability.
This study is designed as a single-blinded randomized controlled trial conducted at the University of Lahore Teaching Hospital, Lahore. The study duration will be six months following research board approval.
A total of 52 participants (26 per group), aged 18-45 years, diagnosed with chronic non-specific neck pain of at least three months duration, will be recruited using non-probability convenience sampling. Sample size calculation was performed using pain (NPRS) as the primary outcome measure, with 95% confidence interval and 80% power.
Participants will be randomly allocated using sealed opaque envelope simple randomization into:
Group A (Conventional Physiotherapy + Muscle Energy Technique)
Participants will receive:
Moist heat pack application (10 minutes) Static stretching of upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles
Followed by:
Muscle Energy Technique targeting upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles using post-isometric relaxation principles (20% isometric contraction held for 7-10 seconds, repeated in sets).
Total session duration: 40 minutes Frequency: 2 sessions per week for 4 weeks.
Group B (Conventional Physiotherapy + Myofascial Release Therapy)
Participants will receive:
Moist heat pack application Static stretching exercises
Followed by:
Myofascial Release Therapy applied to upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles using sustained manual pressure (90-120 seconds) and controlled stretching techniques.
Total session duration: 35 minutes Frequency: 2 sessions per week for 4 weeks.
Outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, second week, and fourth week:
Pain intensity: Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) Cervical range of motion: Inclinometer Sleep quality: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) Disability: Neck Disability Index (NDI)
The assessor will be blinded to group allocation.
Data will be analyzed using SPSS version 27.0. Normality testing will be performed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. Between-group comparisons will be conducted using Independent Sample t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Within-group comparisons will be analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA or Friedman test, depending on data distribution.
This study aims to determine whether Muscle Energy Technique or Myofascial Release Therapy provides superior outcomes in reducing pain, improving cervical mobility, enhancing sleep quality, and decreasing disability in individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain.
The findings may help optimize evidence-based physiotherapy management strategies for this population.
Undersøgelsestype
Tilmelding (Faktiske)
Fase
- Ikke anvendelig
Kontakter og lokationer
Studiesteder
-
-
Punjab Province
-
Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan
- University of Lahore teaching hospital, Lahore
-
-
Deltagelseskriterier
Berettigelseskriterier
Aldre berettiget til at studere
- Voksen
Tager imod sunde frivillige
Beskrivelse
Inclusion Criteria:
- Both gender
- Participant with neck pain from the past 3 months.
- Participant with neck pain ≥7 on Visual analogue scale.
- Participant with unilateral tightness of upper trapezius, scalene and levator scapulae on manual palpation.
- Diagnosis consistent with Non-Specific Neck Pain (NSNP): mechanical pain aggravated by posture or movement, no neurological signs, no red flags, and pain localized to the neck with referral not extending below the shoulder.
- Positive Craniocervical Flexion Test (CCFT) indicating deep cervical flexor dysfunction.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Participant who received any therapeutic intervention for neck pain.
- Participate with any inflammatory, neurological or malignant condition like rheumatoid arthritis, cervical radiculopathy or tumor of the neck respectively.
- Participant with associated neck pain with facial pain or headache as a result of any fracture or major trauma to the cervical spine.
- Participant with the history of surgery of cervical spine in the last 12 months.
- Participant with disc prolapse or stenosis.
- Participant with any deformity such as torticollis, sprengel's deformity or scoliosis.
Studieplan
Hvordan er undersøgelsen tilrettelagt?
Design detaljer
- Primært formål: Behandling
- Tildeling: Randomiseret
- Interventionel model: Parallel tildeling
- Maskning: Tredobbelt
Våben og indgreb
Deltagergruppe / Arm |
Intervention / Behandling |
|---|---|
|
Eksperimentel: Conventional Physiotherapy + Muscle Energy Technique
Participants in this group will receive conventional physiotherapy consisting of moist heat pack application for 10 minutes followed by static stretching exercises for the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles.
In addition, Muscle Energy Technique (MET) will be applied targeting the same muscles using post-isometric relaxation principles with 20% isometric contraction held for 7-10 seconds followed by stretch.
Treatment sessions will be conducted twice weekly for four weeks.
|
Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is a manual therapy procedure based on post-isometric relaxation principles.
In this study, MET will be applied to the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles.
Participants will perform a gentle isometric contraction (approximately 20% effort) against therapist resistance for 7-10 seconds, followed by relaxation and passive stretch.
The technique will be performed in 3 sets with 5 repetitions per muscle.
Each session will last approximately 20 minutes and will be administered twice weekly for four weeks, in addition to conventional physiotherapy.
|
|
Eksperimentel: Conventional Physiotherapy + Myofascial Release
Participants in this group will receive conventional physiotherapy including moist heat pack application and static stretching exercises for the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles.
In addition, Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) will be administered using sustained manual pressure techniques (90-120 seconds) to reduce myofascial restrictions.
Treatment sessions will be conducted twice weekly for four weeks.
|
Myofascial Release Therapy (MFR) is a hands-on manual therapy technique aimed at reducing fascial restrictions and muscle tightness.
In this study, sustained manual pressure (90-120 seconds) will be applied to the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles to achieve tissue release.
Slow, controlled stretching will be performed without forceful movements.
Each session will last approximately 15 minutes and will be administered twice weekly for four weeks, in addition to conventional physiotherapy.
|
Hvad måler undersøgelsen?
Primære resultatmål
Resultatmål |
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse |
Tidsramme |
|---|---|---|
|
Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Tidsramme: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
|
Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), an 11-point self-reported scale ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain).
|
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
|
Sekundære resultatmål
Resultatmål |
Foranstaltningsbeskrivelse |
Tidsramme |
|---|---|---|
|
Cervical Range of Motion
Tidsramme: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
|
Cervical range of motion will be measured using an inclinometer to assess movement in degrees.
|
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
|
|
Neck Disability Index
Tidsramme: Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
|
Disability will be assessed using the Neck Disability Index (NDI), a 10-item questionnaire measuring functional limitations due to neck pain.
Scores range from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater disability.
|
Baseline, Week 2, and Week 4
|
Samarbejdspartnere og efterforskere
Sponsor
Datoer for undersøgelser
Studer store datoer
Studiestart (Faktiske)
Primær færdiggørelse (Faktiske)
Studieafslutning (Faktiske)
Datoer for studieregistrering
Først indsendt
Først indsendt, der opfyldte QC-kriterier
Først opslået (Faktiske)
Opdateringer af undersøgelsesjournaler
Sidste opdatering sendt (Faktiske)
Sidste opdatering indsendt, der opfyldte kvalitetskontrolkriterier
Sidst verificeret
Mere information
Begreber relateret til denne undersøgelse
Yderligere relevante MeSH-vilkår
Andre undersøgelses-id-numre
- UOL/IREB/26/19/01/0037
Plan for individuelle deltagerdata (IPD)
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