Clinical trial NCT03980106: Comparing the Reciprocal Inhibition Method and Post-isometric Inhibition Method of Muscle Energy Technique on the Spinal Reflex Excitability in Healthy Subjects
Official title: Comparing the Reciprocal Inhibition Method and Post-isometric Inhibition Method of Muscle Energy Technique on the Spinal Reflex Excitability in Healthy Subjects
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Relaxation; Joint
Limitation, Mobility
Relaxation; Lumbosacral
Keywords: Spinal Reflex Excitability
Muscle Relaxation
H reflex
Lead sponsor: University of North Georgia
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-06-10
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 30
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: CROSSOVER
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: This a cross-over study to compare the effect of two different muscle energy techniques (MET) including post-isometric inhibition and reciprocal inhibition on the spinal reflex excitability. The study contains two experimental groups, while one group will receive post-isometric inhibition MET in the first stage and reciprocal inhibition MET in the second stage, the other group will receive reciprocal inhibition MET in the first stage and post-isometric inhibition MET in the second stage.

Detailed description: Reciprocal inhibition MET works based on the two mechanisms a) voluntary activation of agonist muscle that is simultaneously accompanied by the inhibition of the antagonist muscles or b) the activation of muscle spindle which causes a reflexive contraction in the agonist muscle (known as the stretch reflex) and relaxation of the antagonist muscles. By using this method, the activation of agonist muscles may inhibit or deactivate the antagonist muscles which may permit the therapist to introduce further ROM to the affected joint.

The other method of MET is post-isometric relaxation which works based on the two mechanisms including; 1) activation of Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO) that located between the muscle belly and its tendon and 2) presetting muscle spindles by muscle contraction witch project information to the spinal cord via afferent type II fibers and through a complex central control systems, the spindle is preset to adjust the tone of the muscle. It seems that moderate isometric contraction of muscle may preset the muscle spindle and cause a post-isometric relaxation within the agonist muscles which now can be stretched further, and this may permit the therapist to introduce further ROM to the affected joint and help to improve joint mobilization.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* without current low back pain

Exclusion Criteria:

* Suffering from pain in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine,
* Presenting signs of radiculopathy or peripheral neuropathy such as specific patterns of numbness and muscle weakness,
* Any history or signs of joint instability, healing fractures, malignancy, open wounds, sutures, severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in H Reflex Amplitude
timeFrame: First measurement (Base-line), second measurement after 30 minutes (Pre-test), third measurement after 20 minutes (first post-test), forth measurement after 20 minutes (second post-test)
measure: Change in M wave Amplitude
timeFrame: First measurement (Base-line), second measurement after 30 minutes (Pre-test), third measurement after 20 minutes (first post-test), forth measurement after 20 minutes (second post-test)
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Dahlonega
country: United States
facility: University of North Georgia
state: Georgia
Study officials:
affiliation: Professor of Physical Therapy
name: Mohammad R Nourbakhsh
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: