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Deep Neck Flexor Exercises Versus Myofascial Release of Suboccipital Muscles in Chronic Tension-type Headache

Primary Purpose

Chronic Tension-Type Headache

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phase
Not Applicable
Locations
Study Type
Interventional
Intervention
Suboccipital Myofascial Release(MFR) with sham Deep Neck Flexor(DNF)exercise
Deep Neck Flexor(DNF)exercise with sham Suboccipital Myofascial Release(MFR)
Sponsored by
Iran University of Medical Sciences
About
Eligibility
Locations
Arms
Outcomes
Full info

About this trial

This is an interventional treatment trial for Chronic Tension-Type Headache focused on measuring Chronic tension-type headache, Chronic primary headache, Forward head posture, Deep neck flexor exercise, Pressure biofeedback, Myofascial release, Pressure pain threshold, Quality of life, Disability

Eligibility Criteria

18 Years - 55 Years (Adult)All SexesDoes not accept healthy volunteers

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Age between 18 and 55 years;
  2. based on ICHD-3, Headache that occurs 15 days per month and lasts on average for >3 months (180 days per year), lasting hours to days, or unremitting, and has at least two of the following four characteristics recognized as CTTH: bilateral location, pressing or tightening (non-pulsating) quality, mild or moderate intensity, not aggravated by routine physical activity such as walking or climbing stairs and both of the following: no more than one of photophobia, phonophobia or mild nausea, neither moderate or severe nausea nor vomiting;
  3. Dosage and type of prophylactic medication have not changed in the months before the beginning of the trial;
  4. The participant does not intend to change the dosage and type of prophylactic medication during the study;
  5. CVA less than 49 degrees,
  6. Participants have the ability to understand and read Persian to complete the questionnaire.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Participants with infrequent ETTH, or other primary or secondary types of headache;
  2. Pain aggravated by movement of the head;
  3. Severe pain or significant decrease in ROM of the cervical spine;
  4. Previous trauma to the cervical spine;
  5. History of injection, surgery, severe disc protrusion, or neck or shoulder fracture that affects treatment;
  6. Metabolic or Neurological disorders such as Bow hunter's syndrome or epilepsy;
  7. Taking more than 200 pieces of morphine or other strong analgesics per month;
  8. Physiotherapy treatment for headache within 6 months before starting treatment;
  9. Joint stiffness, atherosclerosis, or advanced osteoarthritis;
  10. Manual contraindication includes: (a)The participant has substance or alcohol abuse; (b)For whatever reason, the participant does not want to be touched by the therapist; (c)Symptoms are severe and irritating; (d)Underlying diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or metabolic disorders (such as osteoporosis or soft tissue laxity of the treatment area);
  11. Pregnancy;
  12. Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores more than 85;
  13. Absence of two consecutive sessions and more than treatment sessions.

Sites / Locations

    Arms of the Study

    Arm 1

    Arm 2

    Arm Type

    Experimental

    Experimental

    Arm Label

    Suboccipital Myofascial Release

    Deep Neck Flexor Exercise

    Arm Description

    The therapist places the supinated forearm on the bed and positions the tips of the middle three fingers inferior to the occiput bone and the head is supported by the thenar eminences

    After placing the airbag of PBU under the occiput bone in the supine position and inflating it to a base pressure of 11 mmHg, the participant will increase the pressure to 12 mmHg by nodding action.

    Outcomes

    Primary Outcome Measures

    Intensity of headache using by Numeric Pain Rating Scale(NPRS)
    In the initial evaluation of the participants, the pain intensity will be determined based on the NPRS on a scale of 0-100. For this purpose, the participant is asked to mark their average pain intensity in the last month on a 100 cm line without scaling from zero to 100. The number zero indicates the absence of pain and the number 100 indicates the most pain the person has experienced in their life. The marked point is then measured with a ruler. Participants are asked to record their average intensity of pain during the past month on the Headache Questionnaire. Evaluation of the headache intensity will be done after treatment and in a 6 weeks follow-up by the headache diary; For this purpose, during the four weeks of treatment and up to 6 weeks after the treatment, the participant is asked to record the amount of headache intensity on a daily basis in this diary.
    intensity of Forward Head Posture(FHP) using by Craniovertebral Angle(CVA)
    The amount of is measured using the photogrammetric method of body profile for measuring the FHP. This method has high reliability (ICC = 0.83). This angle will be assessed in sitting posture from profile view, in this picture the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra and tragus of the ear is marked with landmarks. Photography is done with a camera (smartphone iPhone 13 pro, Apple Inc) with a magnification of 1 and is placed at a certain distance from the person on a fixed base. Finally, the images are transferred to a computer and the angle between the line connecting the ear tragus to the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra and the horizon line is measured using Kinovea software (ICC=.99).

    Secondary Outcome Measures

    Duration of headache using by headache questionnaire and diary
    The duration of pain will be determined based on the average number of hours a person experiences a headache in a month. Participants are asked to record their average duration of pain during the past month on the Headache Questionnaire. Evaluation of the headache duration will be done after treatment and in a 6-week follow-up by the headache diary; For this purpose, during the four weeks of treatment and up to 6 weeks after the treatment, the participant is asked to record the amount of headache duration on a daily basis in this diary.
    Frequency of headache using by headache questionnaire and diary
    The frequency of headaches is based on the number of days in the month that the person experiences the headache. Participants are asked to record their average frequency of pain during the past month on the Headache Questionnaire. Evaluation of the headache frequency will be done after treatment and in a 6 week follow-up by the headache diary; For this purpose, during the four weeks of the treatment and up to 6 weeks after treatment, the participant is asked to record the amount of headache frequency on a daily basis in this diary.
    Disability using by Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory (HDI) questionnaire
    The Persian version of the Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory (HDI) questionnaire will be used to assess the amount of disability. The questionnaire has 25 questions that include functional and emotional subsets, and each "yes" answer is a 4-point answer, each "sometimes" answer is a 2-point answer, and each "no" answer is a zero-point answer. This questionnaire consists of 12 questions in the functional field with a maximum score of 48 and 13 questions in the emotional field with a maximum score of 52, which adds up to 100 points. The higher the score, the greater the disability due to the headache. If, as a result of the therapeutic approach, a score equal to or greater than 29 points is seen in this questionnaire, it indicates significant changes. The internal consistency of the Persian version of this questionnaire with Cronbach's alpha is 0.91 for the whole questionnaire, 0.82 for the functional area and 0.86 for the emotional area (ICC = 0.97).
    Quality of life using by Headache Impact Test -6 (HIT-6) questionnaire
    The Persian version of the Headache Impact Test -6 (HIT-6) questionnaire will be used. This short questionnaire includes 6 questions that are a reminder of the last 4 weeks. Scores are between 36 and 78, and higher scores indicate a higher intensity of headache and a greater impact of headache on a person's quality of life. This questionnaire is used to measure the effect of headache and its treatment on a person's functional status and quality of life, and its psychological characteristics have been extensively studied. The questions in this questionnaire cover problems including pain, ability to perform daily life activities, social functioning, energy/fatigue, cognitive function, and psychological problems. The reliability coefficient of this questionnaire in different researches through retesting, peer forms, and internal stability are 0.8, 0.9, and 0.89, respectively.
    Pressure Pain Threshold(PPT) using by algometer
    An algometer (JTECH Medical, made in the USA) is used to assess the pain pressure threshold of suboccipital muscles. In this method, the participant is lying on a Manual Physical Therapy Table (MPT) with a cavity for placing the face lying down and an algometer with a 1 cm^2 cross-sectional area vertically and at a speed of about 1 kg / cm^2 at the bottom of the occiput bone and outside of the upper trapezius muscle are placed on both sides. Pressure is applied until the feeling of pressure turns into a feeling of pain and the participant is asked to announce the moment of onset of pain. The measurement is repeated 3 times with an interval of 30 seconds, then the average is calculated. It should be noted that this device has high reliability (ICC = 0.78 - 0.93)

    Full Information

    First Posted
    April 21, 2022
    Last Updated
    February 15, 2023
    Sponsor
    Iran University of Medical Sciences
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    1. Study Identification

    Unique Protocol Identification Number
    NCT05383365
    Brief Title
    Deep Neck Flexor Exercises Versus Myofascial Release of Suboccipital Muscles in Chronic Tension-type Headache
    Official Title
    The Effectiveness of Deep Neck Flexor Exercises in Comparison With Myofascial Release of Suboccipital Muscle on Pain and Forward Head Posture in People With Chronic Tension-type Headache and Forward Head Posture
    Study Type
    Interventional

    2. Study Status

    Record Verification Date
    February 2023
    Overall Recruitment Status
    Not yet recruiting
    Study Start Date
    June 1, 2023 (Anticipated)
    Primary Completion Date
    December 1, 2023 (Anticipated)
    Study Completion Date
    December 1, 2023 (Anticipated)

    3. Sponsor/Collaborators

    Responsible Party, by Official Title
    Sponsor
    Name of the Sponsor
    Iran University of Medical Sciences

    4. Oversight

    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product
    No
    Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product
    No

    5. Study Description

    Brief Summary
    According to the study of the burden of diseases in 2018, tension-type headache(TTH) is the most common type of primary headache and ranks third in terms of prevalence among 328 diseases and injuries in 195 countries from 1990 to 2016. Suffering from this disorder (especially chronic type) reduces the quality of life of patients. The main objective of this study is to compare the effects of myofascial release of suboccipital muscles as a bottom-up intervention and Deep Neck Flexor(DNF) exercises with Pressure Biofeedback Unit(PBU) as a top-down intervention on headache parameters, the intensity of Forward Head Posture(FHP), disability, quality of life, and suboccipital Pressure Pain Threshold(PPT) in patients with chronic tension-type headache with forward head posture.
    Detailed Description
    Previous studies demonstrated that suboccipital active Trigger Points(TrPs) and forward head posture were associated with Chronic Tension-Type Headache(CTTH) and they can aggravate parameters of headache in these patients. The greater suboccipital muscle contraction, as would be exexpected in greater FHP, the more the nociceptive input into the trigeminal nucleus caudalis, and the lower the headache or pain threshold, consistent with increased central sensitization; Therefore it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions on FHP and suboccipital active TrPs in patients with CTTH. The main objective of this study is to compare the effects of myofascial release of suboccipital muscles as a bottom-up intervention and deep neck flexor exercises with a pressure biofeedback unit as a top-down intervention. Primary outcomes will be the intensity of headache and FHP. headache duration and frequency, disability, quality of life, and pain pressure threshold will be considered as secondary outcomes. In this study, a double-dummy randomized clinical trial, 44 participants will be divided into two groups of DNF exercises with pressure biofeedback combined with sham MFR (first group) and sub-occipital MFR combined with sham DNF exercises(second group). The intervention will take place over a 4-week period, with three 1-hour sessions a week, totaling 12 treatment sessions. this study has a 6-week follow-up. This study is a double-blind study in which the participants, the person evaluating the outcome, and the statistician of the data will be blinded to the allocation of patients to the two treatment groups.

    6. Conditions and Keywords

    Primary Disease or Condition Being Studied in the Trial, or the Focus of the Study
    Chronic Tension-Type Headache
    Keywords
    Chronic tension-type headache, Chronic primary headache, Forward head posture, Deep neck flexor exercise, Pressure biofeedback, Myofascial release, Pressure pain threshold, Quality of life, Disability

    7. Study Design

    Primary Purpose
    Treatment
    Study Phase
    Not Applicable
    Interventional Study Model
    Parallel Assignment
    Masking
    ParticipantOutcomes Assessor
    Allocation
    Randomized
    Enrollment
    44 (Anticipated)

    8. Arms, Groups, and Interventions

    Arm Title
    Suboccipital Myofascial Release
    Arm Type
    Experimental
    Arm Description
    The therapist places the supinated forearm on the bed and positions the tips of the middle three fingers inferior to the occiput bone and the head is supported by the thenar eminences
    Arm Title
    Deep Neck Flexor Exercise
    Arm Type
    Experimental
    Arm Description
    After placing the airbag of PBU under the occiput bone in the supine position and inflating it to a base pressure of 11 mmHg, the participant will increase the pressure to 12 mmHg by nodding action.
    Intervention Type
    Other
    Intervention Name(s)
    Suboccipital Myofascial Release(MFR) with sham Deep Neck Flexor(DNF)exercise
    Intervention Description
    The treatment includes Suboccipital MFR in the supine position.The therapist places the supinated forearm on the bed and positions the tips of the middle three fingers inferior to the occiput bone and the head is supported by the thenar eminences.The therapist will develop a line of tension through the suboccipital tissues by supinating the forearms and pulling apart two hands from each other;Then, for the second level in the first position of hands,pressure is applied to the anterior and superior direction.The pressure is held and increased until the therapist feels the decrease of muscle tone.These techniques last 10 minutes. Another intervention in this group is the sham DNF exercise with a Pressure Biofeedback Unit(PBU).Considering that minimum detective change with PBU is 15 mmHg; After placing the airbag of PBU under the occiput bone in the supine position and inflating it to a base pressure of 11 mmHg,the participant will increase the pressure to 12 mmHg by nodding action.
    Intervention Type
    Other
    Intervention Name(s)
    Deep Neck Flexor(DNF)exercise with sham Suboccipital Myofascial Release(MFR)
    Intervention Description
    The treatments include the DNF exercise with a PBU. The treatment is performed in the supine position and the airbag is placed under the occiput bone and is inflated to a base pressure of 20 mmHg. The participant will increase and hold the pressure to a special point by nodding action. The exercise is repeated for 3 sets, in each set 2 mm Hg is added to the pressure. The pressure will be increased from 22 to 32 mm Hg during 4-week of treatment, and each goal is held for 10 seconds and repeated 10 times. There will be 5 sec of rest between each repetition and 2 min of rest between each set. Another intervention in this group is sham MFR. The therapist's hands will be placed only inferior to the occipital bone and a superficial touch is applied without any upward or lateral pressure. sham treatment in this group, like the opposite group, lasts 10 minutes.
    Primary Outcome Measure Information:
    Title
    Intensity of headache using by Numeric Pain Rating Scale(NPRS)
    Description
    In the initial evaluation of the participants, the pain intensity will be determined based on the NPRS on a scale of 0-100. For this purpose, the participant is asked to mark their average pain intensity in the last month on a 100 cm line without scaling from zero to 100. The number zero indicates the absence of pain and the number 100 indicates the most pain the person has experienced in their life. The marked point is then measured with a ruler. Participants are asked to record their average intensity of pain during the past month on the Headache Questionnaire. Evaluation of the headache intensity will be done after treatment and in a 6 weeks follow-up by the headache diary; For this purpose, during the four weeks of treatment and up to 6 weeks after the treatment, the participant is asked to record the amount of headache intensity on a daily basis in this diary.
    Time Frame
    Change in the intensity of headache after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up
    Title
    intensity of Forward Head Posture(FHP) using by Craniovertebral Angle(CVA)
    Description
    The amount of is measured using the photogrammetric method of body profile for measuring the FHP. This method has high reliability (ICC = 0.83). This angle will be assessed in sitting posture from profile view, in this picture the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra and tragus of the ear is marked with landmarks. Photography is done with a camera (smartphone iPhone 13 pro, Apple Inc) with a magnification of 1 and is placed at a certain distance from the person on a fixed base. Finally, the images are transferred to a computer and the angle between the line connecting the ear tragus to the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra and the horizon line is measured using Kinovea software (ICC=.99).
    Time Frame
    Change in the intensity of Forward Head Posture after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up
    Secondary Outcome Measure Information:
    Title
    Duration of headache using by headache questionnaire and diary
    Description
    The duration of pain will be determined based on the average number of hours a person experiences a headache in a month. Participants are asked to record their average duration of pain during the past month on the Headache Questionnaire. Evaluation of the headache duration will be done after treatment and in a 6-week follow-up by the headache diary; For this purpose, during the four weeks of treatment and up to 6 weeks after the treatment, the participant is asked to record the amount of headache duration on a daily basis in this diary.
    Time Frame
    Change in the duration of headache after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up
    Title
    Frequency of headache using by headache questionnaire and diary
    Description
    The frequency of headaches is based on the number of days in the month that the person experiences the headache. Participants are asked to record their average frequency of pain during the past month on the Headache Questionnaire. Evaluation of the headache frequency will be done after treatment and in a 6 week follow-up by the headache diary; For this purpose, during the four weeks of the treatment and up to 6 weeks after treatment, the participant is asked to record the amount of headache frequency on a daily basis in this diary.
    Time Frame
    Change in the frequency of headache after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up
    Title
    Disability using by Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory (HDI) questionnaire
    Description
    The Persian version of the Henry Ford Hospital Headache Disability Inventory (HDI) questionnaire will be used to assess the amount of disability. The questionnaire has 25 questions that include functional and emotional subsets, and each "yes" answer is a 4-point answer, each "sometimes" answer is a 2-point answer, and each "no" answer is a zero-point answer. This questionnaire consists of 12 questions in the functional field with a maximum score of 48 and 13 questions in the emotional field with a maximum score of 52, which adds up to 100 points. The higher the score, the greater the disability due to the headache. If, as a result of the therapeutic approach, a score equal to or greater than 29 points is seen in this questionnaire, it indicates significant changes. The internal consistency of the Persian version of this questionnaire with Cronbach's alpha is 0.91 for the whole questionnaire, 0.82 for the functional area and 0.86 for the emotional area (ICC = 0.97).
    Time Frame
    Change in the disability after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up
    Title
    Quality of life using by Headache Impact Test -6 (HIT-6) questionnaire
    Description
    The Persian version of the Headache Impact Test -6 (HIT-6) questionnaire will be used. This short questionnaire includes 6 questions that are a reminder of the last 4 weeks. Scores are between 36 and 78, and higher scores indicate a higher intensity of headache and a greater impact of headache on a person's quality of life. This questionnaire is used to measure the effect of headache and its treatment on a person's functional status and quality of life, and its psychological characteristics have been extensively studied. The questions in this questionnaire cover problems including pain, ability to perform daily life activities, social functioning, energy/fatigue, cognitive function, and psychological problems. The reliability coefficient of this questionnaire in different researches through retesting, peer forms, and internal stability are 0.8, 0.9, and 0.89, respectively.
    Time Frame
    Change in the quality of life after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up
    Title
    Pressure Pain Threshold(PPT) using by algometer
    Description
    An algometer (JTECH Medical, made in the USA) is used to assess the pain pressure threshold of suboccipital muscles. In this method, the participant is lying on a Manual Physical Therapy Table (MPT) with a cavity for placing the face lying down and an algometer with a 1 cm^2 cross-sectional area vertically and at a speed of about 1 kg / cm^2 at the bottom of the occiput bone and outside of the upper trapezius muscle are placed on both sides. Pressure is applied until the feeling of pressure turns into a feeling of pain and the participant is asked to announce the moment of onset of pain. The measurement is repeated 3 times with an interval of 30 seconds, then the average is calculated. It should be noted that this device has high reliability (ICC = 0.78 - 0.93)
    Time Frame
    Change in the pain pressure threshold after the end of 12 treatment sessions compared to baseline and change from Baseline at 6-week follow up

    10. Eligibility

    Sex
    All
    Minimum Age & Unit of Time
    18 Years
    Maximum Age & Unit of Time
    55 Years
    Accepts Healthy Volunteers
    No
    Eligibility Criteria
    Inclusion Criteria: Age between 18 and 55 years; based on ICHD-3, Headache that occurs 15 days per month and lasts on average for >3 months (180 days per year), lasting hours to days, or unremitting, and has at least two of the following four characteristics recognized as CTTH: bilateral location, pressing or tightening (non-pulsating) quality, mild or moderate intensity, not aggravated by routine physical activity such as walking or climbing stairs and both of the following: no more than one of photophobia, phonophobia or mild nausea, neither moderate or severe nausea nor vomiting; Dosage and type of prophylactic medication have not changed in the months before the beginning of the trial; The participant does not intend to change the dosage and type of prophylactic medication during the study; CVA less than 49 degrees, Participants have the ability to understand and read Persian to complete the questionnaire. Exclusion Criteria: Participants with infrequent ETTH, or other primary or secondary types of headache; Pain aggravated by movement of the head; Severe pain or significant decrease in ROM of the cervical spine; Previous trauma to the cervical spine; History of injection, surgery, severe disc protrusion, or neck or shoulder fracture that affects treatment; Metabolic or Neurological disorders such as Bow hunter's syndrome or epilepsy; Taking more than 200 pieces of morphine or other strong analgesics per month; Physiotherapy treatment for headache within 6 months before starting treatment; Joint stiffness, atherosclerosis, or advanced osteoarthritis; Manual contraindication includes: (a)The participant has substance or alcohol abuse; (b)For whatever reason, the participant does not want to be touched by the therapist; (c)Symptoms are severe and irritating; (d)Underlying diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis) or metabolic disorders (such as osteoporosis or soft tissue laxity of the treatment area); Pregnancy; Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores more than 85; Absence of two consecutive sessions and more than treatment sessions.
    Central Contact Person:
    First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
    Mobina Ahmadi, MSc student
    Phone
    00989039182326
    Email
    m.oahmadi@ymail.com
    First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name or Official Title & Degree
    Mohammadreza Pourahmadi, PhD
    Phone
    00989122245593
    Email
    Pourahmadi.m@iums.ac.ir
    Overall Study Officials:
    First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
    Mobina Ahmadi, MSc student
    Organizational Affiliation
    MSc student
    Official's Role
    Principal Investigator
    First Name & Middle Initial & Last Name & Degree
    Mohammadreza Pourahmadi
    Organizational Affiliation
    Professor Assisstant
    Official's Role
    Study Director

    12. IPD Sharing Statement

    Plan to Share IPD
    Yes
    IPD Sharing Plan Description
    The data sets of this study will be available on a reasonable request to the corresponding author
    IPD Sharing Time Frame
    starting 6 months after the publication
    IPD Sharing Access Criteria
    The data will be available for physical therapists working in academic institutions and also clinicians working in the field of musculoskeletal disorders and headaches. The raw data and results of this study can be used in future relevant systematic reviews. Thus, the raw data and results of this study will be available for researchers working in the field of tension-type headache. Applicants can contact Mobina Ahmadi by Email. Email Address:M.oahmadi@ymail.com Applicants should explain their project and how the data/documents of the study will be used in their project in detail. Then, the data/documents files will be sent by email to applicants on request. This process may take 10-12 working days.
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    Deep Neck Flexor Exercises Versus Myofascial Release of Suboccipital Muscles in Chronic Tension-type Headache

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