Clinical trial NCT01709357: Short and Medium-term Effects of Manual Therapy on Latent Myofascial Pain
Official title: Short and Medium-term Effects of Manual Therapy on Latent Myofascial Pain : a Comparative Study
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Latent Myofascial Trigger Point of Upper Trapezius Muscle
Keywords: manual therapy
trigger point
range of motion
pain threshold
pain perception
Lead sponsor: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2012-10-18
Enrollment: 117
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of this study was to investigate the short and medium-term effects of three manual techniques on cervical range of motion and pressure pain sensitivity in subjects with mechanical stress, presenting latent trigger point of upper trapezius muscle.

Detailed description: Myofascial pain syndrome is a common non-articular musculoskeletal chronic pain which has not been yet fully understood. It is characterized by myofascial trigger point. This trigger point is clinically classified as active or latent. Some studies have demonstrated the potential relevance of latent trigger point. In fact, its presence may cause muscle activation pattern alterations, increase nociceptive sensitivity and cause sympathetic activity alterations. Nevertheless, the vast majority of individuals, even asymptomatic, have latent trigger point. High prevalence of myofascial trigger points subsists at cervical and scapular regions.

There is few data regarding myofascial trigger point physiopathology. Furthermore, a diversity of therapeutic interventions consisting of trigger point inactivation and interruption of the vicious cycle is suggested in literature. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these different interventions in trigger points and the duration of the effects are not yet fully clarified.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* volunteers with 18 or more years of age
* with a palpable latent trigger point in the fibbers of the upper trapezius muscle
* with an average time of computer work of at least 2h/day.

Exclusion Criteria:

* with a body mass index (BMI) equal or higher than 31 kg/cm2
* with bilateral latent triggers in the fibers of the upper trapezius muscle
* have done any pharmacological therapeutic during any of the 7 days before the study or anti-coagulant therapeutics
* have done any treatment at cervical region during the month before the study
* having cardio-respiratory, neurological, neuro-musculoskeletal, oncologic or systemic pathologies
* having cognitive deficits or psychologic/psychiatric disturbances
* be pregnant
* having a clinical history of cervical, high dorsal, shoulder or cranial surgery or trauma during the prior 12 months.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change from Baseline in Pressure pain threshold at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Pressure pain threshold at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Pressure pain threshold at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical flexion at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical extension at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical side flexion (homo-lateral of trigger point) at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical rotation (homo-lateral of trigger point) at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical side flexion (contra-lateral of trigger point) at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical rotation (contra-lateral of trigger point) at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Pressure pain perception at 10 minutes after the intervention
timeFrame: 10 minutes after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical flexion at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical extension at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical side flexion (homo-lateral of trigger point) at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical rotation (homo-lateral of trigger point) at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical side flexion (contra-lateral of trigger point) at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical rotation (contra-lateral of trigger point) at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Pressure pain perception at 24 hours after the intervention
timeFrame: 24 hours after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical flexion at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical extension at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical side flexion (homo-lateral of trigger point) at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical rotation (homo-lateral of trigger point) at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical side flexion (contra-lateral of trigger point) at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Cervical rotation (contra-lateral of trigger point) at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
measure: Change from Baseline in Pressure pain perception at one week after the intervention
timeFrame: one week after the intervention
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Vila Nova de Gaia
country: Portugal
facility: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto
state: Porto
Study officials:
affiliation: Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto
name: Natália MO Campelo
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Simons DG. New views of myofascial trigger points: etiology and diagnosis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Jan;89(1):157-9. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2007.11.016.
citation: Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Simons D, Cuadrado ML, Pareja J. The role of myofascial trigger points in musculoskeletal pain syndromes of the head and neck. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2007 Oct;11(5):365-72. doi: 10.1007/s11916-007-0219-z.
citation: Simons DG. Review of enigmatic MTrPs as a common cause of enigmatic musculoskeletal pain and dysfunction. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2004 Feb;14(1):95-107. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2003.09.018.
citation: Ge HY, Arendt-Nielsen L. Latent myofascial trigger points. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2011 Oct;15(5):386-92. doi: 10.1007/s11916-011-0210-6.