A Pilot Study of a Neural Mobilization Intervention Applied to Older Adults With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain

Aveiro University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Older Adults; Chronic Pain; Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain; Chronic Musculoskeletal Disease

Treatments: Other: Physical Exercise Program; Other: Neural Mobilization

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06138314

RCT1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility of integrating neural mobilization techniques into a multimodal physical exercise program for older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• What is the average time to assess secondary outcomes for each participant?
• What proportion of participants adhered and/or withdrew from the study at the end of the intervention protocol?
• Are there adverse events/effects associated with the intervention protocol?
• What is the level of approval/satisfaction of the participants in relation to the assessment and intervention protocols?
• What is the impact of the intervention protocol on participants´ pain, function, physical performance, somatosensory function, and nerve excursion (secondary outcomes)?

Participants will be assessed at 3 different moments: initial assessment (T0), at the end of the intervention protocol (8 weeks) (T1) and 3 months after the end of the intervention protocol (T2). The intervention protocol will consist of a multimodal exercise program (with or without integration of neural mobilization techniques) to be carried out over a period of 8 weeks at a frequency of twice a week.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 60+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years or older, with primary or secondary chronic musculoskeletal pain in any body site and able to walk independently

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals with post-surgical pain as a result of surgery performed in the last 6 months;
• Patients with a self-reported diagnoses of infection diseases, dementia, tumor/cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, uncontrolled diabetes, or at high risk of developing cardiovascular events;
• Those with physical limitations that make it impossible for them to carry out the intervention protocols independently (e.g., wheelchair user);
• Patients who are receiving another physical therapy intervention to treat their pain.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Control group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The control group will perform a physical exercise program twice a week for a period of 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Physical Exercise Program

Experimental group

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group will perform the same physical exercise program performed by participants in the control group, in addition to neural mobilization techniques twice a week for a period of 8 weeks.

Treatment:

Other: Neural Mobilization

Other: Physical Exercise Program