Hypoalgesic Effects Neural Mobilization Techniques

NCT ID: NCT02011477

Last Updated: 2013-12-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: EARLY_PHASE1
• Total Enrollment: 45 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2013-03-31
• Study Completion Date: 2013-11-30

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate mechanical hypoalgesic effect of neural mobilization in asymptomatic subjects. We also compared neural gliding versus neural stretching to see which produced greater hypoalgesic effects in asymptomatic subjects.

Detailed Description

Asymptomatic subjects will be randomly allocated into three groups: the neural glide group; the neural stretch group; and the placebo group. Each subject will receive one treatment session. Outcome measures included bilateral pressure pain threshold measured at the trigeminal, cervical, and tibialis anterior points, which will assess pre-treatment and immediately post-treatment by a blinded assessor. Three-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to evaluate changes in pressure pain threshold, with group (experimental or control) as the between-subjects variable and time (pre-, post-treatment) or side (dominant, nondominant) as the within-subjects variable.

Conditions

Hyperalgesia

Keywords

Neural mobilization; Physical therapy; Asymptomatic subjects

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Neural glide

This technique involves two movements, initial and final. It consists of going from one to the other constantly. The therapist took the subject's head by putting his hands on the suboccipital and front region. In the initial movement, the therapist perform craniocervical flexion in the subject, while he helped with his right elbow to rectify the dorsal spine of the subject; at the same time, the subject perform dorsiflexion of the right ankle. In the final movement, the subject must increase thoracic kyphosis at the same time as perform plantarflexion in the right ankle; also, the therapist performed craniocervical extension in the subject. The session lasted 7 minutes.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Neural stretching

Intervention Type: OTHER

In the start position, the subject was supine on a couch, with knees bent with the right leg above the left, and supported with the popliteal zone. Both hands were crossed over the chest. The therapist was on the subject´s side, with his knee below the subject's head, bringing stability. One hand was placed on the occipital, and the other hand was placed over the crossed hands of the subject

Placebo

The model of the ultrasound (ENRAF-NONIUS, P.O. Box 12080, 3004 GB Rotterdam, The Netherlands). The subject was placed in a prone position, with arms along the body and the head in the hole of the examining couch. The therapist applied a non-therapeutic dose of ultrasound for 7 minutes with no break all over the cervical area and trapezius, in circles.

Group Type: PLACEBO_COMPARATOR

Neural Glide

Intervention Type: OTHER

This technique involves two movements, throughout several joints to glide the nerves. The subject sit on a couch with the right lower limb extended and the left lower limb flexed. The therapist will take the subject's head by putting his hands on the suboccipital and front region. In the initial movement, performe craniocervical flexion in the subject, while he helped with his right elbow to rectify the dorsal spine of the subject; at the same time, the subject performed dorsiflexion of the right ankle. In the final movement, the subject must increase thoracic kyphosis at the same time as performing plantarflexion in the right ankle; also, the therapist performed craniocervical extension in the subject

Neural stretching

Intervention Type: OTHER

In the start position, the subject was supine on a couch, with knees bent with the right leg above the left, and supported with the popliteal zone. Both hands were crossed over the chest. The therapist was on the subject´s side, with his knee below the subject's head, bringing stability. One hand was placed on the occipital, and the other hand was placed over the crossed hands of the subject

Neural Stretching

In the start position, the subject was supine on a couch, with knees bent with the right leg above the left, and supported with the popliteal zone. Both hands were crossed over the chest. One hand was placed on the occipital, and the other hand was placed over the crossed hands of the subject . In the final position, the therapist made the subject execute a craniocervical flexion while he pushed the subject's hands against the chest, in order to increase thoracic kyphosis. At the same time, the subject had to raise the elevated leg without separating the popliteal zone in the other knee, while maintaining dorsiflexion of the ankle and a maximum knee extension. The session lasted 7 minutes.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Neural Glide

Intervention Type: OTHER

This technique involves two movements, throughout several joints to glide the nerves. The subject sit on a couch with the right lower limb extended and the left lower limb flexed. The therapist will take the subject's head by putting his hands on the suboccipital and front region. In the initial movement, performe craniocervical flexion in the subject, while he helped with his right elbow to rectify the dorsal spine of the subject; at the same time, the subject performed dorsiflexion of the right ankle. In the final movement, the subject must increase thoracic kyphosis at the same time as performing plantarflexion in the right ankle; also, the therapist performed craniocervical extension in the subject

Interventions

Neural Glide

This technique involves two movements, throughout several joints to glide the nerves. The subject sit on a couch with the right lower limb extended and the left lower limb flexed. The therapist will take the subject's head by putting his hands on the suboccipital and front region. In the initial movement, performe craniocervical flexion in the subject, while he helped with his right elbow to rectify the dorsal spine of the subject; at the same time, the subject performed dorsiflexion of the right ankle. In the final movement, the subject must increase thoracic kyphosis at the same time as performing plantarflexion in the right ankle; also, the therapist performed craniocervical extension in the subject

Intervention Type: OTHER

Neural stretching

In the start position, the subject was supine on a couch, with knees bent with the right leg above the left, and supported with the popliteal zone. Both hands were crossed over the chest. The therapist was on the subject´s side, with his knee below the subject's head, bringing stability. One hand was placed on the occipital, and the other hand was placed over the crossed hands of the subject

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Asymptomatic subjects who met the inclusion criterion of being between 18 and 30 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

• rheumatologic diseases or any type of cancer, cervical surgery in the past, whiplash trauma and undergoing any type of treatment like physical therapy, manual therapy, osteopathy, chiropraxis, acupuncture during the last three months. All patients recruited for the study complained of pain localized in the neck and/or head region. Initial screening was accomplished by telephone and eligible persons attended a evaluation appointment.
• development of systemic or degenerative diseases
• subjects with symptoms of depression according Beck's questionnaire
• pain in any area between the lower back and head in the last 9 months
• traumatic event in the past 12 months
• history of neck or face pain in the last 6 months

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 30 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Universidad Autonoma de Madrid

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Josue Fernandez Carnero

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Josue Fernandez Carnero

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Hector Beltran, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Centro de estudios La Salle. Universidad Autonoma de Madrid

Locations

Centro superior de Estudios Universitarios La Salle

Madrid, Aravaca, Spain

Countries

Spain

Other Identifiers

CSEULS-PI-001/2013

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id