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Hypoalgesic Effects Neural Mobilization Techniques

Comparison of Hypoalgesic Effects of Neural Stretching Versus Neural Gliding: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Status
Completed
Phases
Early Phase 1
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02011477
Acronym
NM
Enrollment
45
Registered
2013-12-13
Start date
2013-03-31
Completion date
2013-11-30
Last updated
2013-12-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Hyperalgesia

Keywords

Neural mobilization, Physical therapy, Asymptomatic subjects

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.

Interventions

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

OTHERNeural 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

Sponsors

Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
CollaboratorOTHER
Josue Fernandez Carnero
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

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

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pressure pain threshold assessment5 minutesThe pressure pain threshold (PPT) is defined as the amount of pressure at which the sense of pressure first changes to pain. A digital algometer (FDX 25, Wagner Instruments, CT, USA) consisting of a rubber head (1 cm2) attached to a pressure gauge was used to measure PPTs. Force was measured in kilograms (kg); therefore, thresholds were expressed in kg/cm2. The protocol will use a sequence of three measurements, with an interval of 30 seconds between them. PPT will assess over bilateral masseter points 1 and 2, the temporalis muscles, the suboccipital muscle, the upper trapezius muscle (midway between C7 and the acromion), and the tibialis anterior muscle (upper third of the muscle belly) by an assessor blinded to the subject's condition.

Countries

Spain

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026