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Muscle Energy Technique Versus Myofascial Release in Chronic Non Specific Neck Pain

14. Juli 2026 aktualisiert von: University of Lahore

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.

Studienübersicht

Status

Abgeschlossen

Bedingungen

Intervention / Behandlung

Detaillierte Beschreibung

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.

Studientyp

Interventionell

Einschreibung (Tatsächlich)

44

Phase

  • Unzutreffend

Kontakte und Standorte

Dieser Abschnitt enthält die Kontaktdaten derjenigen, die die Studie durchführen, und Informationen darüber, wo diese Studie durchgeführt wird.

Studienorte

    • Punjab Province
      • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan
        • University of Lahore teaching hospital, Lahore

Teilnahmekriterien

Forscher suchen nach Personen, die einer bestimmten Beschreibung entsprechen, die als Auswahlkriterien bezeichnet werden. Einige Beispiele für diese Kriterien sind der allgemeine Gesundheitszustand einer Person oder frühere Behandlungen.

Zulassungskriterien

Studienberechtigtes Alter

  • Erwachsene

Akzeptiert gesunde Freiwillige

Ja

Beschreibung

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.

Studienplan

Dieser Abschnitt enthält Einzelheiten zum Studienplan, einschließlich des Studiendesigns und der Messung der Studieninhalte.

Wie ist die Studie aufgebaut?

Designdetails

  • Hauptzweck: Behandlung
  • Zuteilung: Zufällig
  • Interventionsmodell: Parallele Zuordnung
  • Maskierung: Verdreifachen

Waffen und Interventionen

Teilnehmergruppe / Arm
Intervention / Behandlung
Experimental: 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.
Experimental: 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.

Was misst die Studie?

Primäre Ergebnismessungen

Ergebnis Maßnahme
Maßnahmenbeschreibung
Zeitfenster
Numeric Pain Rating Scale
Zeitfenster: 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

Sekundäre Ergebnismessungen

Ergebnis Maßnahme
Maßnahmenbeschreibung
Zeitfenster
Cervical Range of Motion
Zeitfenster: 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
Zeitfenster: 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

Mitarbeiter und Ermittler

Hier finden Sie Personen und Organisationen, die an dieser Studie beteiligt sind.

Sponsor

Studienaufzeichnungsdaten

Diese Daten verfolgen den Fortschritt der Übermittlung von Studienaufzeichnungen und zusammenfassenden Ergebnissen an ClinicalTrials.gov. Studienaufzeichnungen und gemeldete Ergebnisse werden von der National Library of Medicine (NLM) überprüft, um sicherzustellen, dass sie bestimmten Qualitätskontrollstandards entsprechen, bevor sie auf der öffentlichen Website veröffentlicht werden.

Haupttermine studieren

Studienbeginn (Tatsächlich)

1. August 2025

Primärer Abschluss (Tatsächlich)

31. Dezember 2025

Studienabschluss (Tatsächlich)

15. Februar 2026

Studienanmeldedaten

Zuerst eingereicht

14. Juli 2026

Zuerst eingereicht, das die QC-Kriterien erfüllt hat

14. Juli 2026

Zuerst gepostet (Tatsächlich)

17. Juli 2026

Studienaufzeichnungsaktualisierungen

Letztes Update gepostet (Tatsächlich)

17. Juli 2026

Letztes eingereichtes Update, das die QC-Kriterien erfüllt

14. Juli 2026

Zuletzt verifiziert

1. Februar 2026

Mehr Informationen

Begriffe im Zusammenhang mit dieser Studie

Andere Studien-ID-Nummern

  • UOL/IREB/26/19/01/0037

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UNENTSCHIEDEN

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Studiert ein von der US-amerikanischen FDA reguliertes Arzneimittelprodukt

Nein

Studiert ein von der US-amerikanischen FDA reguliertes Geräteprodukt

Nein

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