Clinical trial NCT05973682: Effects of Post Isometric Relaxation With Scapular Stabilization Exercises
Official title: Effects of Post Isometric Relaxation With Scapular Stabilization Exercises on Pain, Range of Motion and Disability With Levator Scapulae Syndrome
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Upper Cross Syndrome
Keywords: Neck muscles
Neck Pain
levator scapulae
Range of Motion
Lead sponsor: Riphah International University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-08-03
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 40
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The levator scapulae is an important postural muscle that tends to shorten or become tight because of overactivity and bad posture, leading to neck and shoulder pain. Levator scapulae syndrome is usually caused by the poor shoulders posture as rounded shoulders as sitting at a computer hunched. It is exacerbated by sustained neck postures, neck movements or levator scapulae muscle palpation. The aim of study will be to determine the effects of post isometric relaxation with scapular stabilization exercises on pain, disability and range of motion in patients with levator scapulae syndrome.

Detailed description: A Randomized Controlled Trial will be conducted at Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Sharqpur Shareef, Sheikhupura through consecutive sampling technique on 30 patients with levator scapulae syndrome which will be allocated using simple random sampling through sealed opaque enveloped into Group A and Group B. Group A will be treated with post isometric relaxation, scapular stabilization exercises along with baseline treatment. Group B will be treated with post isometric relaxation along with baseline treatment. Baseline treatment includes hot pack, TENS, upper trapezius stretch, levator scapular stretch and pectoralis major stretch. Both groups will come thrice per week for a total of 4 weeks. Outcome measures are NPRS, universal goniometer and NDI. Data will be analysed during SPSS software version 25. After assessing normality of data by Shapiro-Wilk test, it will be decided either parametric or non-parametric test will be used within a group or between two groups.

Keywords: Disability, Levator Scapulae, Range of Motion, Pain

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Both Males and females
* Age range of 18-40 years
* Neck and medial border scapular pain for at least 3months
* Examination - Increased muscle tone and tenderness at neck
* Reduced Side flexion and Rotation of neck
* Positive Levator Scapular length Test

Exclusion Criteria:

* Neuropathies
* Vertebral fractures
* Pregnancy
* Previous cognitive and functional disorders
* Traumatic neck injury
* Fibromyalgia
* cancer

Primary outcomes:
measure: Universal Goniometer (UG)
timeFrame: upto 4 weeks
measure: Numeric pain rate scale (NPRS)
timeFrame: upto 4 weeks
measure: Neck Disability index (NDI)
timeFrame: upto 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Sheikhupura
country: Pakistan
facility: Tehsil Headquarter Hospital Sharqpur Shareef
state: Punjab
Study officials:
affiliation: Riphah International University,Lahore
name: Samrood Akram, Mphil
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References:
citation: Mahmoud NF, Hassan KA, Abdelmajeed SF, Moustafa IM, Silva AG. The Relationship Between Forward Head Posture and Neck Pain: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Rev Musculoskelet Med. 2019 Dec;12(4):562-577. doi: 10.1007/s12178-019-09594-y.
citation: Masaracchio M, Kirker K, States R, Hanney WJ, Liu X, Kolber M. Thoracic spine manipulation for the management of mechanical neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2019 Feb 13;14(2):e0211877. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211877. eCollection 2019.
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citation: Henry JP, Munakomi S. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Levator Scapulae Muscles. 2023 Aug 28. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan-. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553120/
citation: Pecos-Martin D, Ponce-Castro MJ, Jimenez-Rejano JJ, Nunez-Nagy S, Calvo-Lobo C, Gallego-Izquierdo T. Immediate effects of variable durations of pressure release technique on latent myofascial trigger points of the levator scapulae: a double-blinded randomised clinical trial. Acupunct Med. 2019 Jun;37(3):141-150. doi: 10.1136/acupmed-2018-011738. Epub 2019 May 7.