The Impact of Muscle Energy Technique and Aromatherapy

Ayça Aytar

Status: Completed

Conditions: Neck Pain

Treatments: Procedure: Muscle Energy Technique; Procedure: Aromatherapy massage

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06931314

KA24/57

Details and patient eligibility

About

Individuals with nonspecific neck pain who work at a desk will be included in the study. Individuals will be examined in 3 groups: Muscle energy technique (MET), aromatherapy and control group. All participants will be given home program-style exercises consisting of neck isometric, posture and stretching exercises by a physiotherapist. In addition to exercise, individuals in the MET and aromatherapy groups will be given exercises for 4 weeks, while the control group will be given only exercise. Evaluation questionnaires will be applied to participants at the end of the 0th and 4th weeks. At the end of the study, outcome measures between the groups and before and after data within the groups will be compared.

Full description

Nonspecific neck pain (NSBP) can occur without any history of injury or specific pathology related to the musculoskeletal system, or as a result of a postural or mechanical cause. Studies conducted on office workers have shown that working at a desk for long periods of time causes significant pain in the neck region, although not primarily. There are many therapeutic modalities in the treatment of neck pain. However, manual therapy approaches have been increasingly popular in many countries in recent years. Muscle energy technique (MET) is a treatment approach that uses soft tissue or joint manipulation or mobilization to improve the musculoskeletal system and reduce pain, including stretching maneuvers after active muscle contraction and relaxation. The technique, defined as a type of massage application, is used by utilizing physiological properties such as viscoelastic properties of myofascial tissues. MET is among the physiotherapy methods that affect joint range of motion, spinal pain, tissue fluid drainage and proprioception. In the literature, in the study comparing the effects of MET and Thai massage treatment on neck pain, it was stated that their effects on pain were similar, but their effectiveness with different massages and aromatherapy was not investigated. Aromatherapy is another complementary treatment method used in the treatment of musculoskeletal system diseases. It is stated that the components of the essential oils used during aromatherapy massage reach the circulatory system through the lymph and blood vessels in the epidermis and affect the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, endorphin, noradrenaline and serotonin, thus reducing pain.Individuals with nonspecific neck pain who work at a desk will be included in the study. Individuals will be examined in 3 groups: Muscle energy technique (MET), aromatherapy and control group. All participants will be given home program-style exercises consisting of neck isometric, posture and stretching exercises by a physiotherapist. In addition to exercise, individuals in the MET and aromatherapy groups will be given exercises for 4 weeks, while the control group will be given only exercise. Evaluation questionnaires will be applied to participants at the end of the 0th and 4th weeks. At the end of the study, outcome measures between the groups and before and after data within the groups will be compared.

Enrollment: 45 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18 to 55 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Age between 35-55 years
• Female
• Office worker
• NP that has persisted for at least six months.

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals under the age of 18,
• Those with a history of neck-related surgery,
• Individuals with known serious pathologies (e.g., malignancy, inflammatory disorders, infection),
• Those with a history of trauma or fracture in the cervical spine,
• Individuals showing symptoms of cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy,
• Individuals known to have allergies to the oils to be used,
• Damaged skin,
• Individuals with a history of allergy to lavender and almond,
• Those with a history of respiratory system diseases,
• Individuals for whom massage and manipulation are contraindicated.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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45 participants in 3 patient groups

Muscle energy technique (MET) Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The MET group will be given an average of 20 minutes of exercise, 2 days a week for 4 weeks. The muscle energy technique (post isometric relaxation technique) for the upper trapezius and levator scapula muscles will be applied for 3 to 5 repetitions, using 20% of the maximum isometric contraction for 7 to 10 seconds, holding the stretch beyond the resistance barrier for 30 to 60 seconds. Since these muscles are overactive due to muscle imbalances, they will be determined as target muscles. The total treatment period is 4 weeks and 8 sessions.

Treatment:

Procedure: Muscle Energy Technique

Aromatherapy Group

Active Comparator group

Description:

The aromatherapy group will also receive an application 2 days a week for 4 weeks. A 20-minute lavender oil message will be applied to the neck area (with Euploraj and Petrisaj techniques). All aromatherapy interventions will be performed at 23°C. Essential oils will be purchased from a certified organic and tested company and will be used diluted. The application will be applied to the participants in the face-down position, with the arms in the inverted T position for 15 minutes. The application will be applied twice a week for 4 weeks.

Treatment:

Procedure: Aromatherapy massage

Control Group

No Intervention group

Description:

The patients in the control group will be given exercises in the form of a home program consisting of neck isometric, posture and stretching exercises by the physiotherapist. The exercises will start with stretching exercises and continue with neck isometric exercises in a way that does not cause pain. The participants will be asked to do the exercises twice a day, every day of the week for 4 weeks, with 10 repetitions of each movement, and a brochure will be given about the exercises. Evaluation surveys will be applied at the end of the 0th and 4th weeks.