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Comparison of Thoracic Mobility Exercise Versus Manual Release Technique in Minimizing Upper Back Pain

Effectiveness of Thoracic Mobility Exercise Versus Manual Release Technique in Minimizing Mechanical Upper Back Pain Among Undergraduates in Sri Lanka

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06340542
Enrollment
57
Registered
2024-04-01
Start date
2023-11-01
Completion date
2024-01-31
Last updated
2024-04-02

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

Conditions

Upper Back Pain

Keywords

Upper Back Pain, Undergraduates, Muscle strength, Thoracic Spine Pain

Brief summary

Methodology: study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of thoracic mobility exercise and manual release technique in terms of pain intensity, thoracic mobility, muscle strength and improving disability. Study Design: Study was conducted in Service unit of Department of Physiotherapy at university of peradeniya. Undergraduates who are currently having upper back pain for more than seven days was selected as sample. It is a randomized Controlled trail, Double blinded study. Participants allowed randomly to both groups which are experimental group which will receive thoracic mobility exercises and control group which will receive myofascial release and joint mobilization treatment. Total sample size was 60.

Detailed description

Study Population: Undergraduates who are currently having upper back pain for more than seven days was selected as sample. Participants who was have sub-acute and chronic pain which means who will have pain more than a week or seven days will be selected as sample and who have subjected to any recent surgeries, recent fractures, accidents or injuries in upper back will be excluded from the study. Study Setting: Study was conducted in Service unit of department of Physiotherapy, University of Peradeniya. Study Design: This study is a Randomized Control Trial, Double- Blinded study. Participants and accessors was blinded. Participants was allocated allocated randomly in to two groups which are experimental group which receive thoracic mobility exercises and control group which will receive myofascial release and joint mobilization treatment. Sample size was Calculated by using G\*power 3.1.9.4 software by assigning power 80% effective size 0.5, type I error = 0.05 and type II error = 0.2. Therefore calculated sample size was 42. Drop down rate of participants is assigned as 25 %. Therefore final sample size which obtained was 60 (Kang, 2021). Simple Random Sampling was used as sampling technique as well as 30 Participants was randomly allocated to each group. Participant was allocated to the groups by using lottery method. Measurement tool contains two sections such as pre-test and post-test questionnaire. In Pre-test questionnaire, there are six sections which includes personal details of the participants, pain related questions, Measurement of range of motion at base line, muscle strength at base line and pain-self-efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ) at base line. In Post-test questionnaire, there are 4 sections which include, pain related questions mainly pain intensity after two weeks, muscle strength after two weeks, Range of motion after two weeks and pain-self-efficacy Questionnaire (PSEQ). Personal details of the participants will be collected separately for the concealed allocation and participants will be identified by code number Ethical approval will be obtained from the Institutional Review Board of Bangladesh Health Professional Institute. Written informed consent will be obtained from all the subjects who are willing to participate in the study. Participation in this research is entirely voluntary basis and the participants have the right to withdraw from the study at any time. Baseline outcome measures are demographic characteristics of participants such as age, gender, BMI, family size, bread winner of the family, monthly income and financial support for study; Pain duration; Pain intensity at present moment, sitting, forward bending, standing, walking, sleeping, transferring and pain when performing day to day activities; Range of Motion of thoraco-lumbar flexion and extension; Muscle strength of thoracic spine extensors and overall scale of Pain-Self- efficacy Questionnaire. After two weeks same outcome measures will be obtained other than demographic characteristics and pain duration Study Duration:This study will be conducted from July 2022 to July 2024, for two years with three months data collection

Interventions

Exercises which focus on improve the mobility of the spine especially thoracic region was administered to the patients in different position including quadruped and standing position.

OTHERManual Release technique

Interventions include release the muscle tension, trigger point release and reducing stiffness of spine was administered

Sponsors

University of Dhaka
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

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

Masking description

Participants' allocation was concealed by using lottery method whether there are in exercise group or manual therapy group. Accessors was blinded which means they were not aware about the treatment or therapy which was obtained by the participants

Intervention model description

This study is a Randomized Control Trial, Double- Blinded study. Participants and accessors was blinded. Participants were allocated randomly in to two groups which are experimental group which will receive thoracic mobility exercises and control group which will receive myofascial release and joint mobilization treatment by using lottery method.

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
20 Years to 26 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Undergraduates who are currently having upper back pain for more than seven days will be selected as sample. * Participants who will have sub-acute and chronic pain which means who will have pain more than a week or seven days will be selected as sample

Exclusion criteria

* Participant who have subjected to any recent surgeries, recent fractures, accidents or injuries in upper back will be excluded from the study.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Pain Intensityat base line and after two weeksVisual Analogue Scale is used to measure the pain intensity in base line and after intervention in two groups in the following instances, present pain intensity and during sitting, forward bending, standing, walking, sleeping, transferring and performing day to day activities. Its 10 point grading scale, Here maximum value of the scale 10 indicates an unbearable pain and minimum value denotes no pain at all.
Range of Motionat baseline and after two weeksRange of Motion of thoraco-Lumbar Flexion and Extension (Tape Measurement). Normal range of Thoraco lumbar flexion in tape measurement 2.7 cm is normal and for extension 2.5cm is normal
Muscle strengthat base line and after two weekMuscle strength of spinal extensors examined by using Manual Muscle Test- Oxford Grading Scale. It is a 6 point grading scale which includes, 0 is considered as no contraction, 1 is palpable contraction, 2 movement with gravity eliminated, 3 is movement against gravity only, 4 movement against gravity with some resistance and 5 is movement against with full resistance
Disability level - self perceptionat baseline and after two weekPain-Self-Efficacy-Questionnaire is used to analyse how participants feel confident despite the pain. Total score is 60. If the total score indicates more than 45 patient has a stronger self efficacy believe to the pain and if its less than 30 weak or less self efficacy believe to the pain

Countries

Sri Lanka

Outcome results

None listed

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