Myofascial Release of Physiological Chains and Muscle Stretching in Patients With Fibromyalgia

NCT ID: NCT03408496

Last Updated: 2019-03-21

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 38 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2018-01-23
• Study Completion Date: 2019-03-19

Brief Summary

Muscle stretching is a therapeutic technique commonly used by physiotherapists, but for the treatment of fibromyalgia it still has weak evidence to support its real effect. On the other hand, myofascial mobilization in the location of tender points, as it is the solution for the population, demonstrating effects on the improvement of the symptoms, but not yet achieving the minimal clinically important change. In this context, myofascial release guided by physiological chains, so far not studied, is presented as an alternative to improve pain and quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia because it acts in a global way and, probably, more effective.

This study evaluates the effect of myofascial release of the trunk physiological chains and muscle stretching on pain, quality of life and functional capacity of patients with fibromyalgia when compared to the control group.

Conditions

Fibromyalgia

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Myofascial release

Eight consecutive weekly sessions lasting 40-45 minutes of myofascial release of the trunk physiological chains. The connective tissue of the flexion chain and the posterior static chain will be released. The myofascial release will be obtained through the mechanical effect produced by the friction of the therapist's hand with a surface of the patient's body, which is performed through "traces" executed with the fingers (thumb supported or middle finger on the indicator to achieve effect local) following as addressed chains. The release will be repeated until the feeling of local relaxation of the tissue.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Myofascial release

Intervention Type: OTHER

Manual therapy

Muscle Stretching

The muscle stretching protocol described by Bressan (2008) will be followed, which consists of 8 consecutive weekly sessions, lasting 40-45 minutes. In dorsal decubitus or sitting, the triceps surae, hamstring, gluteal, paravertebral, latissimocondyloideus, pectoral, trapezius and respiratory muscles will be stretched. The exercises will be performed in a series of five repetitions for 30 seconds.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Muscle stretching

Intervention Type: OTHER

Muscle stretching

Control

It will perform only the treatment prescribed by the responsable doctor, wich can be the use of drug and/or psychological treatment, and will be followed clinically by a rheumatologist during four medical appointments to monitor medication and follow in the analgesic's diary, according the standard procedure of attending the hospital where the patients will be recruited.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Control

Intervention Type: OTHER

Medical appointment

Interventions

Myofascial release

Manual therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Muscle stretching

Muscle stretching

Intervention Type: OTHER

Control

Medical appointment

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Confirmation of the diagnosis by rheumatologists according to the diagnostic criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology of 1990 and 2010.
• Moderate to severe pain according to the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (≥ 4).
• Prescribed treatment (drug and/or psychological) stable in the last month before the selection for those who perform.
• Patients who live in the metropolitan area of Recife - Pernambuco, Brazil.

Exclusion Criteria

• Nonpharmacologic therapies, except for psychological treatment if prescribed by the doctor at the same time of the study.
• Skin diseases.
• Patients classified as "very active" by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire.
• Women who use intrauterine devices (IUD).
• Pregnant women.
• Patients with other associated rheumatic disease or with modified posture due to congenital anatomic alteration.
• Severe decompensated comorbidities (cancer, thyroid disease and diabetes).
• Infection, fever, hypotension, respiratory alterations limiting treatment.
• Cardiovascular event in the previous year.
• Presence of cardiac, renal or hepatic insufficiency.
• Arterial or peripheral venous insufficiency.
• Presence of a hypertrophic scar on the trunk.
• Obesity grade 3.
• Illiteracy.
• Severe psychiatric illness.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 59 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Nina Bretas Bittar Schulze

Principal Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Universidade Federal de Pernambuco

Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Countries

Brazil

Other Identifiers

NSchulze

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id