Comparing the Reciprocal Inhibition Method and Post-isometric Inhibition Method of Muscle Energy Technique on the Spinal Reflex Excitability in Healthy Subjects

University of North Georgia

Status: Unknown

Conditions: Relaxation; Joint; Relaxation; Lumbosacral; Limitation, Mobility

Treatments: Other: Post-Isometric Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique; Other: Reciprocal Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03980106

IRB 2019-026

Details and patient eligibility

About

This a cross-over study to compare the effect of two different muscle energy techniques (MET) including post-isometric inhibition and reciprocal inhibition on the spinal reflex excitability. The study contains two experimental groups, while one group will receive post-isometric inhibition MET in the first stage and reciprocal inhibition MET in the second stage, the other group will receive reciprocal inhibition MET in the first stage and post-isometric inhibition MET in the second stage.

Full description

Reciprocal inhibition MET works based on the two mechanisms a) voluntary activation of agonist muscle that is simultaneously accompanied by the inhibition of the antagonist muscles or b) the activation of muscle spindle which causes a reflexive contraction in the agonist muscle (known as the stretch reflex) and relaxation of the antagonist muscles. By using this method, the activation of agonist muscles may inhibit or deactivate the antagonist muscles which may permit the therapist to introduce further ROM to the affected joint.

The other method of MET is post-isometric relaxation which works based on the two mechanisms including; 1) activation of Golgi Tendon Organs (GTO) that located between the muscle belly and its tendon and 2) presetting muscle spindles by muscle contraction witch project information to the spinal cord via afferent type II fibers and through a complex central control systems, the spindle is preset to adjust the tone of the muscle. It seems that moderate isometric contraction of muscle may preset the muscle spindle and cause a post-isometric relaxation within the agonist muscles which now can be stretched further, and this may permit the therapist to introduce further ROM to the affected joint and help to improve joint mobilization.

Enrollment: 30 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 30 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• without current low back pain

Exclusion criteria

• Suffering from pain in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine,
• Presenting signs of radiculopathy or peripheral neuropathy such as specific patterns of numbness and muscle weakness,
• Any history or signs of joint instability, healing fractures, malignancy, open wounds, sutures, severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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30 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental RI-PI

Experimental group

Description:

They receive the Reciprocal Inhibition (RI) technique in the first stage and then the Post-isometric Inhibition (PI) technique in the second stage.

Treatment:

Other: Post-Isometric Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique

Other: Reciprocal Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique

Experimental PI-RI

Experimental group

Description:

They receive the Post-isometric Inhibition (PI) technique in the first stage and then the Reciprocal Inhibition (RI) technique in the second stage.

Treatment:

Other: Post-Isometric Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique

Other: Reciprocal Inhibition Muscle Energy Technique