Clinical trial NCT06407206: Effects of Sub Occipital Muscle Inhibition Technique in Mechanical Low Back Pain
Official title: Effects of Sub Occipital Muscle Inhibition Technique in Mechanical Low Back Pain
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Mechanical Low Back Pain
Keywords: mechanical low back pain
sub occipital muscle inhibition
hamstring flexibility
Lead sponsor: Riphah International University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-05-09
Enrollment: 36
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 25
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The aim of study is to determine the effects of sub occipital muscle inhibition technique in mechanical low back pain, hamstring muscle flexibility, lumbar ranges and functional disability. This study will focus on either this technique have effects on reliving lumbar pain, improving flexibility of hamstring muscles and lumbar ranges or not.

Detailed description: Low back pain (LBP) is a common health condition, 70% of population of all ages is suffering from low back pain. Females have higher prevalence of low back pain than males. Individuals with low back pain experience muscle stiffness tension and pain in the back of body between the lower edge of 12th rib and the lower border of gluteal creases in the lumbo-sacral area (from L1-S1 vertebra) with a duration of more than three months. Low back pain can be mechanical in nature and is not associated with any other pathology .The primary etiological factors of mechanical low back pain is repetitive trauma and overuse.

Hamstring is a multi - joint muscle complex which consists of three muscles ( semitendinosus, semimembranosus and biceps femoris muscle) that covers the posterior thigh extending from ischial tuberosity to the medial and lateral aspects of the knee joint, performing flexion of knee and extension of hip joint. Hamstring muscle is prone to tightness, its flexibility have a vital role in maintaining the normal lumbar spine mechanics. Hamstring tightness is common among ages of 18-25 years with about 62% to 82% prevalence .Hamstring shortening during spinal flexion limits anterior pelvic tilting resulting in higher compressive loads on lumbar spine. It will place extreme pressure on lumbar extensors, involved in maintaining pelvic motion which will result in LBP .

Sub occipital muscle inhibition technique is a technique that results in relaxing the tense fascia and sub occipital muscles .It can be relaxed by applying pressure to sub occipital region while patient is lying in supine position. It is able to relax the fascia and results in increasing hamstring flexibility, which further results in reducing low back pain, increasing lumbar spine mobility and reducing functional limitations

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Chronic mechanical low back pain \> 12 weeks
* Patients with hamstring tightness having popliteal angle more than 30 degrees.
* Negative sacroiliac distraction test to exclude sacroiliac joint pain

Exclusion Criteria:

* Acute severe low back pain
* Patients with hamstring injury
* Active tumor or infection
* Fractures of cervical and lumbar spine
* History of previous lumbar, hip and knee surgery
* Migraine
* Fever
* Sacroiliac joint dysfunction
* Cauda equine syndrome
* Patients having cognitive or mental retardation

Primary outcomes:
measure: Active knee extension test:
timeFrame: two weeks
measure: Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS):
timeFrame: two weeks
measure: Inclinometer for range of motion
timeFrame: two weeks
measure: Oswestry disability index questionnaire (ODI):
timeFrame: two weeks
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Islamabad
country: Pakistan
facility: Dr. Ali Therapy clinic
state: Punjab
Study officials:
affiliation: Riphah International University
name: maria Khalid, MSOMPT
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: