FULL DETAILS (Read-only)  -> Click Here to Create PDF for Current Dataset of Trial
CTRI Number  CTRI/2025/03/081656 [Registered on: 05/03/2025] Trial Registered Prospectively
Last Modified On: 01/03/2025
Post Graduate Thesis  Yes 
Type of Trial  Interventional 
Type of Study   Physiotherapy (Not Including YOGA) 
Study Design  Non-randomized, Multiple Arm Trial 
Public Title of Study   A study to assess the effectiveness of fascial release technique versus conventional therapy on pain and muscle pattern at neck and shoulder joint in subjects with upper trapezius pain– a comparative study. 
Scientific Title of Study   A study to assess the effectiveness of myofascial release technique versus conventional therapy on pain and muscle recruitment pattern at scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joint in subjects with upper trapezius pain – a comparative study.  
Trial Acronym  NIL 
Secondary IDs if Any  
Secondary ID  Identifier 
NIL  NIL 
 
Details of Principal Investigator or overall Trial Coordinator (multi-center study)  
Name  DR Heena Shaikh 
Designation  PG Student 
Affiliation  RV College of physiotherapy 
Address  RV College of physiotherapy Department of musculoskeletal physiotherapy room no 03

Bangalore
KARNATAKA
560011
India 
Phone  7021298228  
Fax    
Email  hs84240@gmail.com  
 
Details of Contact Person
Scientific Query  
Name  DR Archana P 
Designation  Associate Professor 
Affiliation  RV College of physiotherapy 
Address  RV College of physiotherapy Department of musculoskeletal physiotherapy room no 03

Bangalore
KARNATAKA
560011
India 
Phone  8095347575  
Fax    
Email  archanap.rvcp@rvei.edu.in  
 
Details of Contact Person
Public Query  
Name  DR Archana P 
Designation  Associate Professor 
Affiliation  RV COLLEGE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY 
Address  RV College of physiotherapy department of musculoskeletal physiotherapy room no 03

Bangalore
KARNATAKA
560011
India 
Phone  8095347575  
Fax    
Email  archanap.rvcp@rvei.edu.in  
 
Source of Monetary or Material Support  
RV COLLEGE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY Musculoskeletal department Room no 03 11th main rd 4th T Block Jayanagar Bengaluru 560011 
 
Primary Sponsor  
Name  NIL 
Address  NIL 
Type of Sponsor  Other [NIL] 
 
Details of Secondary Sponsor  
Name  Address 
NIL  NIL 
 
Countries of Recruitment     India  
Sites of Study  
No of Sites = 1  
Name of Principal Investigator  Name of Site  Site Address  Phone/Fax/Email 
DR ARCHANA P  RV College of physiotherapy  RV College of physiotherapy department of musculoskeletal physiotherapy room no 03
Bangalore
KARNATAKA 		 8095347575

archanap.rvcp@rvei.edu.in 
 
Details of Ethics Committee  
No of Ethics Committees= 1  
Name of Committee  Approval Status 
RV INSTITUTION ETHICAL COMMITEE  Approved 
 
Regulatory Clearance Status from DCGI  
Status 
Not Applicable 
 
Health Condition / Problems Studied  
Health Type  Condition 
Patients  (1) ICD-10 Condition: M708||Other soft tissue disorders related to use, overuse and pressure,  
 
Intervention / Comparator Agent  
Type  Name  Details 
Comparator Agent  Conventional physiotherapy treatment.  Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) will be given to subjects adjuvant to exercise rehabilitation. TENS with frequency of 80Hz to 100Hz will be given with electrodes placed over the trapezius muscle in a linear pattern for 10 minutes in each session. TENS intensity will be according to Subjects tolerance. Exercise rehabilitation will include isometric exercises and strengthening exercises along with stretching dosage: 10 repetitions for 3 sets. This procedure will be repeated 4 days a week for 4 weeks. The conventional exercise rehabilitation program is explained in the below tables. 
Intervention  MYOFASCIAL RELEASE  Myofascial release technique will be applied over all the muscles mentioned in each session. Each session will last 25-30 minutes. Myofascial release technique will be applied by thumb after thumb, ulnar border of the hand and forearm glide methods. Myofascial release technique will be followed by cryotherapy to reduce the chances of soreness. This procedure will be repeated 4 days a week for 4 weeks. 
 
Inclusion Criteria  
Age From  18.00 Year(s)
Age To  40.00 Year(s)
Gender  Both 
Details  Subjects who are willing to participate and sign the written informed consent
Age between 18 to 40 years
Subjects with a BMI less than that of 30.0 kg m2 obese category
Myofascial trigger points present on examination of the upper trapezius 
 
ExclusionCriteria 
Details  Subjects having history of fracture at the cervical Spine
Subjects having any pathology at the cervical spine
Any neurological and metabolic deficits
shoulder pathologies
Mentally compromised subjects who may not comprehend the command of the physiotherapist 
 
Method of Generating Random Sequence    
Method of Concealment    
Blinding/Masking    
Primary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
Surface EMG
Pressure Algometer 		 pre and post intervention 
 
Secondary Outcome  
Outcome  TimePoints 
NIL  NIL 
 
Target Sample Size   Total Sample Size="50"
Sample Size from India="50" 
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (Total)= "Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials"
Final Enrollment numbers achieved (India)="Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials" 
Phase of Trial   N/A 
Date of First Enrollment (India)   12/03/2025 
Date of Study Completion (India) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Date of First Enrollment (Global)  Date Missing 
Date of Study Completion (Global) Applicable only for Completed/Terminated trials 
Estimated Duration of Trial   Years="0"
Months="6"
Days="0" 
Recruitment Status of Trial (Global)   Not Applicable 
Recruitment Status of Trial (India)  Not Yet Recruiting 
Publication Details   N/A 
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement

Will individual participant data (IPD) be shared publicly (including data dictionaries)?  

Response - NO
Brief Summary  
Upper trapezius (UT) pain is a stress pain and most common type of musculoskeletal pain in clinical practice. As the upper trapezius is a postural muscle it is exceedingly susceptible to overuse. 
Neck pain is most frequent in middle-aged women and fluctuates with a mean prevalence of 13%. It often affects the upper trapezius muscle. Mechanical pain in the neck affects 30-50% of the global population during their lifespan.
Neck and Shoulder Musculoskeletal disorders develop due to repetitive monotonous job profile, restricted static postures, desk/study/writing habits, or a combination of all these factors.   
Clinical symptoms include tenderness, stiffness at the neck-shoulder complex and occipital heaviness/headache. UT pain hampers the cervical range of motion to a great extent. 

  UT pain and MTrPs not only alter the movement at the Scapulothoracic joint but also at the Glenohumeral joint.  The UT is responsible for the upward rotation of the Scapula along with other muscles that include – Lower Trapezius (LT)  and Serratus Anterior (SA). 

At the Glenohumeral Joint, when abduction is carried out above 30 degrees , UT, LT, and SA must act as a group to produce upward rotation of scapula around the Scapulothoracic joint’s center of motion. This aids in shoulder abduction at the Glenohumeral joint and enhances functional stability.   

Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) are commonly associated with UT pain. MTrPs are hyperirritable focuses situated inside a rigid band (Taut Band) of skeletal muscle that causes pain, tenderness and often some anatomical changes. 

Myofascial release (MFR) technique is opted for treating trapezius trigger points. It acts by loosening up the contracted muscle and works on the blood circulation and it also has an effect on the lymphatic drainage. 

MFR also works by producing changes in the viscoelastic properties of connective tissue and muscle alignment restoration. 

    MFR is considered to as a treatment option to reduce MTrPs and can be applied over the UT by techniques such as thumb after thumb or by the ulnar border of the hand. 

Electromyography (EMG) can be a valuable instrument for the physiotherapist to get data about the timing or magnitude of muscle action while examining muscle action and pattern. Depending on the receiving electrodes EMG are of 2 types : a- Needle Electromyography (NEMG) and b- Surface Electromyography (SEMG). 

SEMG technique works with bulk electrical conductivity principle and therefore it eliminates the effect of the distance of the electrode placement from the source of signal. This gives an upside to use surface electrodes on the skin and avoid the discomfort of the procedure being invasive.
SEMG detects and documents the electrical potential created by either neural or electrical stimulation and give the results regarding muscular contraction, muscular tone and muscle fatigue, activation and coordination patterns. 

 
Close