The Effects of Myofascial Release Technique

NCT ID: NCT06070493

Last Updated: 2025-06-15

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 29 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2022-09-19
• Study Completion Date: 2023-06-01

Brief Summary

This study was planned to investigate the long-term effects of myofascial release technique on proprioception, pain severity, shoulder range of motion, functional level, flexibility, and muscle strength in patients with rotator cuff injury. The study included 29 individuals with partial rotator cuff injury who were randomly divided into two groups. The control group received a classical physiotherapy program including transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, hot pack and exercise, while the treatment group received the same classic physiotherapy program along with the myofascial release technique. All treatments were planned for 4 weeks and a total of 10 sessions. Proprioception, pain severity, shoulder range of motion, functional level, flexibility and muscle strength were assessed before and after the treatment.

Detailed Description

Rotator cuff injury is the most common cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction in adults. It may cause muscle weakness, changes in glenohumeral kinematics, and instability in the shoulder internal and external rotator muscle groups and abductors. Patients may present a variety of symptoms, ranging from painless to severe shoulder pain and from normal function to severe dysfunction. It causes a decrease in the level of function in individuals, limitation in daily living activities, decreased quality of life and sleep problems. Various psychological factors, such as emotional or mental collapse and fear-avoidance behaviors, have been found to be associated with severe pain and disability in these patients. In response to emotional or physical injuries and traumas, fascia shortens, thickens, and stiffens. This situation causes pain and dysfunction. Conservative treatment is primarily preferred in the treatment of rotator cuff injury. In cases where there is no response to conservative treatment, surgery is used. Conservative treatment includes patient education, electrophysical agents, and exercise program. The exercise program includes scapular stabilization exercises, rotator cuff and shoulder area muscle strengthening exercises, range of motion exercises and stretching exercises. Additionally, the use of manual therapy techniques increases the effect of the treatment. Myofascial release technique, one of the manual therapy techniques, is a widely used therapy that involves low load and long-term mechanical forces to manipulate the myofascial complex, aiming to restore optimal length, reduce pain and improve function. With the myofascial release technique, proprioception is also increased. Considering the possible changes in the fascia, it is thought that the myofascial release technique may be useful in the conservative treatment program of individuals with rotator cuff injury. When the literature is examined, there is no study examining the effect of myofascial release technique on individuals with rotator cuff injury. The aim of this study is to investigate the long-term effects of myofascial release technique on proprioception, pain severity, shoulder range of motion, functional level, flexibility, and muscle strength in patients with rotator cuff injury.

Conditions

Rotator Cuff Injuries

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Control group

classical physiotherapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

classic physiotherapy program

Intervention Type: OTHER

For individuals of control group, a hot pack was applied to the shoulder area for 15 minutes, while the individuals were in the sitting position. The conventional mode of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was used. Frequency was adjusted in the range of 50-100 Hz, and the amplitude intensity was adjusted between 10-30 milliampere with the intensity of mild tingling without causing any excessive discomfort or contractions. Electrodes were placed at the anterior, posterior, superior, and inferior of the shoulder region. In the exercise program of the patients, joint range of motion exercises, stretching, scapular stabilization, rotator cuff, and shoulder muscle strengthening exercises were given.

Treatment group

classical physiotherapy and myofascial release

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

classic physiotherapy program

Intervention Type: OTHER

For individuals of control group, a hot pack was applied to the shoulder area for 15 minutes, while the individuals were in the sitting position. The conventional mode of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was used. Frequency was adjusted in the range of 50-100 Hz, and the amplitude intensity was adjusted between 10-30 milliampere with the intensity of mild tingling without causing any excessive discomfort or contractions. Electrodes were placed at the anterior, posterior, superior, and inferior of the shoulder region. In the exercise program of the patients, joint range of motion exercises, stretching, scapular stabilization, rotator cuff, and shoulder muscle strengthening exercises were given.

Myofascial release

Intervention Type: OTHER

myofascial release technique was applied to the patients in the treatment group besides the control group program. The technique was applied to the lateral neck and shoulder, pectoral region, scapulothoracic area, and arm regions for 5 minutes for optimum benefit.

Interventions

classic physiotherapy program

For individuals of control group, a hot pack was applied to the shoulder area for 15 minutes, while the individuals were in the sitting position. The conventional mode of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was used. Frequency was adjusted in the range of 50-100 Hz, and the amplitude intensity was adjusted between 10-30 milliampere with the intensity of mild tingling without causing any excessive discomfort or contractions. Electrodes were placed at the anterior, posterior, superior, and inferior of the shoulder region. In the exercise program of the patients, joint range of motion exercises, stretching, scapular stabilization, rotator cuff, and shoulder muscle strengthening exercises were given.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Myofascial release

myofascial release technique was applied to the patients in the treatment group besides the control group program. The technique was applied to the lateral neck and shoulder, pectoral region, scapulothoracic area, and arm regions for 5 minutes for optimum benefit.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• The diagnosis of partial rotator cuff rupture
• Being between 18-65 years of age

Exclusion Criteria

• Shoulder joint surgery
• Local steroid injection to the shoulder within the last 3 months
• Physiotherapy and rehabilitation within the last 3 months
• Cervical discopathy
• Severe shoulder osteoarthritis
• Upper extremity fracture or tumor
• Frozen shoulder
• Shoulder instability
• Thoracic outlet syndrome
• Neurological and mental problems

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Gazi University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Tuğçe Çoban

Research Assistant

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Zeynep Hazar, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Gazi University

Locations

Gazi University

Ankara, Çankaya, Turkey (Türkiye)

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

References

Nho SJ, Yadav H, Shindle MK, Macgillivray JD. Rotator cuff degeneration: etiology and pathogenesis. Am J Sports Med. 2008 May;36(5):987-93. doi: 10.1177/0363546508317344. Epub 2008 Apr 15.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 18413681 (View on PubMed)

Celik MS, Sonmezer E, Acar M. Effectiveness of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and myofascial release techniques in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome. Somatosens Mot Res. 2022 Jun-Dec;39(2-4):97-105. doi: 10.1080/08990220.2021.2018293. Epub 2022 Jan 7.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 34991428 (View on PubMed)

Gunes M, Yana M. Acute effects of thoracolumbar fascia release techniques on range of motion, proprioception, and muscular endurance in healthy young adults. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2023 Jul;35:145-150. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.063. Epub 2023 Apr 20.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 37330761 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

E-77082166-302.08.01-407339

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id