Determine the Effect of the Fourth Ventricle Compression Technique on Physiological Variables

Escola Superior de Tecnologia da Saúde do Porto

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Healthy Young Adults

Treatments: Other: Fourth ventricle compression technique (CV-4); Other: Sham

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT04391777

OST1- 002

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to analyze the influence of the fourth ventricle compression technique in heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, conductivity and thermal variability of the skin in healthy young adults.

Full description

The fourth ventricle compression technique (CV-4) is one of the most important techniques in the treatment of cranial osteopathy.

During the present study, the effects of CV-4 technique will be analyzed in the following variables: heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, conductivity and thermal variation of the skin.

According to the literature, CV-4 technique will cause changes in all of the studied variables, except the respiratory rate, through the activation of the brain stem, namely the parasympathetic nerve centers.

Regarding the respiratory rate, it is justified by the fourth ventricle and the respiratory centers proximity.

Concerning heart rate and respiratory rate, during the CV-4 technique the literature describes a decrease in the values of this variables. However, other studies refer that the technique does not produce relevant effects in the heart and respiratory rates variation, probably because there was no stipulated time to finish the technique, ending subjectively compared to previous ones.

When it comes to blood pressure, a decrease in systolic blood pressure values is noticed by some authors.

In which concerns the variation in body temperature, according to the literature, there were no significant results obtained when performing CV-4.

During the performed literature analysis,there were not found any studies concerning the influences of the CV-4 technique in the thermal conductivity variable.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 33 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy participants aged between 18 and 33 years.

Exclusion criteria

• Cognitive deficits that can possibly compromise the understanding of the study instructions;
• Any type of medication taken that may have influences at the variables under study in the previous 7 days;
• Cranio-cervical injuries, surgery to the skull and /or spine in the last 12 months;
• Chronic cardiorespiratory, renal, systemic, neurological, musculoskeletal, oncological and psychiatric pathologies;
• Headaches, migraines, dizziness and / or nausea while performing the techniques;
• Caffeine and / or alcohol intake in the 6 hours prior to the data collection;
• Tobacco consumption in the 30 minutes prior to the data collection;
• Practice of intense physical exercise in the 90 minutes prior to the data collection;
• Pregnant women or menstruating;
• Participants who were submitted to manual therapy treatments during the past month;
• Osteopathy students of 3rd year or higher degree, in order to prevent the participant from recognizing which group they belong to.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

60 participants in 2 patient groups

CV-4 group

Experimental group

Description:

The initial selection will be made through a questionnaire, in order to fulfill the exclusion and inclusion criteria. On the data collection day a more detailed survey is performed and informed consent is signed. The patient waits for 5 minutes in the supine position, after which the baseline evaluation is performed. The CV-4 technique is performed following immediate evaluation. 15 minutes after the technique, a new evaluation of the variables is accomplished.

Treatment:

Other: Fourth ventricle compression technique (CV-4)

Control group

Sham Comparator group

Description:

The initial selection will be made through a questionnaire, in order to fulfill the exclusion and inclusion criteria. On the data collection day a more detailed survey is performed and informed consent is signed. The patient waits for 5 minutes in the supine position, after which the baseline evaluation is performed. The sham technique is performed following immediate evaluation. 15 minutes after the technique, a new evaluation of the variables is accomplished.

Treatment:

Other: Sham