Effectiveness of Bowen Technique vs Muscle Energy Technique in Neck Pain.

NCT ID: NCT06459518

Last Updated: 2025-07-04

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 36 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-12-15
• Study Completion Date: 2025-06-01

Brief Summary

Mechanical neck pain, also known as non-specific neck pain, is a prevalent ailment that results from problems with spine and surrounding tissue function. Trauma, degenerative changes, strained muscles, and bad posture are among the causes. The range of symptoms includes headaches, stiffness, and mild to severe pain. The goal of treatment is to strengthen the muscles and improve posture. The diagnosis is clinical. The Bowen Technique is a type of gentle bodywork therapy that promotes relaxation and overall rebalancing by using specific movements to activate the autonomic nerve system. It is sought for the improvement of general well-being, pain alleviation, and stress reduction. Patients undergoing manual treatment will be asked to actively contract their muscles against regulated resistance using the Muscle Energy Technique (MET). It addresses problems including joint limitations and attempts to return muscles and joints to their normal functions.

Detailed Description

The research, will last for ten months at the Limit Institute of Health Sciences in Sahiwal, is a randomized controlled trial. With 10 participants in each group using a non-probability convenient sampling procedure, the sample size includes 10% attrition. Computer users between the ages of 18 and 35 who work five to seven hours a day meet the inclusion criteria, but recent musculoskeletal injuries and a history of head or spine trauma are the exclusion criteria. One instrument used to collect data is the Neck Disability Index (NDI). There are two established study groups: Group B will receive Muscle Energy Technique (MET) and traditional physiotherapy, while Group A will receive Bowen therapy and conventional physiotherapy. Blinding will be used, and the study will adhere to a recruitment, enrollment, and randomization procedure. SPSS version 23 will be used to analyze the data, and descriptive statistics, change over temporal analysis as well as tests of group comparison. The purpose of the study is to evaluate how the interventions affect people who use computers for extended periods in terms of their functional results and mechanical neck discomfort.

Conditions

Neck Pain; Musculoskeletal Manipulation

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Bowen Therapy along with Conventional Therapy

Group A will receive Bowen Therapy along with Conventional Therapy

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Bowen Therapy along with conventional therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

Bowen Technique Group Assignment: Participants will be assigned to undergo targeted Bowen Technique therapy sessions.

Session Details: The therapy sessions will include:

• Gentle, rolling-type maneuvers
• Specific placements of fingers and thumbs
• Focus on muscles, tendons, and ligaments associated with neck pain Therapeutic Pauses: There will be intentional pauses between sets of moves to allow the body time to respond to the therapeutic stimulation.

Conventional Therapy: Hot pack, TENS, Passive Stretching 2 times a week for 4 weeks

Muscle Energy Technique along with conventional Therapy

Group B will receive Muscle Energy Technique along with Conventional Therapy

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Muscle Energy Technique with Conventional Therapy

Intervention Type: OTHER

MET Session Structure: Participants will engage in Muscle Energy Technique (MET) sessions that focus on:

• Isometric muscle contractions, where muscles are contracted without changing length.
• Therapist-guided, controlled contractions against specific resistance.
• Relaxation Periods: Each contraction session will be followed by a period of relaxation to allow muscles to recover and respond to the therapy.

conventional therapy: Hot pack, TENS, Passive Stretching 2times a week for 4 weeks.

Interventions

Bowen Therapy along with conventional therapy

Bowen Technique Group Assignment: Participants will be assigned to undergo targeted Bowen Technique therapy sessions.

Session Details: The therapy sessions will include:

• Gentle, rolling-type maneuvers
• Specific placements of fingers and thumbs
• Focus on muscles, tendons, and ligaments associated with neck pain Therapeutic Pauses: There will be intentional pauses between sets of moves to allow the body time to respond to the therapeutic stimulation.

Conventional Therapy: Hot pack, TENS, Passive Stretching 2 times a week for 4 weeks

Intervention Type: OTHER

Muscle Energy Technique with Conventional Therapy

MET Session Structure: Participants will engage in Muscle Energy Technique (MET) sessions that focus on:

• Isometric muscle contractions, where muscles are contracted without changing length.
• Therapist-guided, controlled contractions against specific resistance.
• Relaxation Periods: Each contraction session will be followed by a period of relaxation to allow muscles to recover and respond to the therapy.

conventional therapy: Hot pack, TENS, Passive Stretching 2times a week for 4 weeks.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Computer users who work 5-7 hours daily.
• Age between 18 to 35 will be included.
• Both genders

Exclusion Criteria

• Any recent musculoskeletal injury of upper limb or spine.
• History of any trauma of spine or head

• Minimum Eligible Age: 15 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 35 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Riphah International University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Hafiza Wajeeha Saeed, DPT

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Riphah International University

Locations

Maryam Polyclinic Sahiwal

Sahiwal, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Countries

Pakistan

References

Masaracchio M, Kirker K, States R, Hanney WJ, Liu X, Kolber M. Thoracic spine manipulation for the management of mechanical neck pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2019 Feb 13;14(2):e0211877. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0211877. eCollection 2019.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 30759118 (View on PubMed)

Verhagen AP. Physiotherapy management of neck pain. J Physiother. 2021 Jan;67(1):5-11. doi: 10.1016/j.jphys.2020.12.005. Epub 2020 Dec 24. No abstract available.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 33358545 (View on PubMed)

Joshi S, Balthillaya G, Neelapala YVR. Thoracic Posture and Mobility in Mechanical Neck Pain Population: A Review of the Literature. Asian Spine J. 2019 Jun 3;13(5):849-860. doi: 10.31616/asj.2018.0302. Print 2019 Oct.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 31154701 (View on PubMed)

Al-Khazali HM, Kroll LS, Ashina H, Melo-Carrillo A, Burstein R, Amin FM, Ashina S. Neck pain and headache: Pathophysiology, treatments and future directions. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2023 Aug;66:102804. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2023.102804. Epub 2023 Jun 16.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 37394323 (View on PubMed)

Peng B, Yang L, Li Y, Liu T, Liu Y. Cervical Proprioception Impairment in Neck Pain-Pathophysiology, Clinical Evaluation, and Management: A Narrative Review. Pain Ther. 2021 Jun;10(1):143-164. doi: 10.1007/s40122-020-00230-z. Epub 2021 Jan 12.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 33464539 (View on PubMed)

Bonilla-Barba L, Florencio LL, Rodriguez-Jimenez J, Falla D, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C, Ortega-Santiago R. Women with mechanical neck pain exhibit increased activation of their superficial neck extensors when performing the cranio-cervical flexion test. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2020 Oct;49:102222. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2020.102222. Epub 2020 Jul 11.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 32861371 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

REC/RCR&AHS/23/01106

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id