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Completed

NCT Number: NCT05078489

Acute Effects of Action Observation on Neck Pain

This study aims to assess the immediate effects of action observation therapy on the cervical muscles' strength, pain intensity, tactile acuity and pain pressure threshold in individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain.

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Key information

Conditions

Neck Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 month–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

School of Health Sciences, University of Aveiro

Aveiro, Portugal

About this study

This study is a randomized controlled trial with two arms: action observation group vs control group. The action observation group will be asked to watch videos of neck exercises with full attention and concentration and not perform any motion or execute any movement during the observation time. The control group will be asked to watch videos of a landscape.

Participants will be assessed at baseline and at post-intervention for muscle strength, pain intensity, pressure pain threshold and tactile acuity.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Have nonspecific chronic neck pain, defined as a recurrent or persistent pain that lasts more than 3 months, with no trauma or etiology/diagnosis associated.

Exclusion criteria

  • Visual and hearing dysfunction not corrected by eyeglasses/contact lenses or a hearing aid;
  • Infectious diseases;
  • Cervical myelopathy;
  • Cervical surgery;
  • Cervical fracture or/and subluxation;
  • Vestibular pathology;
  • Neurological disorder/deficits;
  • Rheumatic autoimmune diseases;
  • History of cancer;
  • Severe cervical trauma.

Treatment and study plan

Action-observation therapy

Other

Action observation therapy involves the observation and perception of human movement performed by others. The observation of actions performed by others activates in the perceiver the same neural structures responsible for the actual execution of those same actions.

Placebo

Other

Participants will watch a natural landscape without any human.

Primary outcomes

  1. Pressure pain thresholds

    Time frame: Baseline

    Pressure pain thresholds are the minimum amount of pressure applied with an algometer that is perceived as being painful; is measured in Kgf

  2. Pressure pain thresholds

    Time frame: Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that).

    Pressure pain thresholds are the minimum amount of pressure applied with an algometer that is perceived as being painful; is measured in Kgf

Secondary outcomes

  1. Pain intensity

    Time frame: Baseline

    Measured with a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale

  2. Pain intensity

    Time frame: Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that).

    Measured with a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale

  3. Tactile acuity

    Time frame: Baseline

    Assessed as the ability of the participant to distinguish two points using a caliper and the measurement units is millimetres.

  4. Tactile acuity

    Time frame: Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that).

    Assessed as the ability of the participant to distinguish two points using a caliper and the measurement units is millimetres.

  5. Neck flexors strength

    Time frame: Baseline

    A dynamometer will be used against the forehead of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons.

  6. Neck flexors strength

    Time frame: Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that).

    A dynamometer will be used against the forehead of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons.

  7. Neck extensors strength

    Time frame: Baseline

    A dynamometer will be used against the posterior part of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons.

  8. Neck extensors strength

    Time frame: Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that).

    A dynamometer will be used against the posterior part of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons.

  9. Neck lateral flexors strength

    Time frame: Baseline

    A dynamometer will be used against the lateral aspect of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons.

  10. Neck lateral flexors strength

    Time frame: Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that).

    A dynamometer will be used against the lateral aspect of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons.

Other outcomes

  1. Catastrophizing

    Time frame: Baseline

    Measured with the Catastrophizing Scale (range 0-52 and higher values are indicative of higher pain catastrophizing)

  2. Disability

    Time frame: Baseline

    Measured using the Neck Disability Index (Range: 0 - 50 and higher values indicate higher disability)

  3. Fear of movement

    Time frame: Baseline

    Measured with the TAMPA Scale of Kinesiophobia (range: 13-52 and higher values are indicative of higher levels of fear of movement)

  4. Fear-avoidance beliefs

    Time frame: Baseline

    Measured with the Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (range: 0-66 with higher scores indicating higher fear-avoidance beliefs)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Aveiro University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Acute Effects of Action Observation on Pain Intensity, Muscle Strength, Tactile Acuity and Pressure Pain Threshold.

Important dates

Study start
2021
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2023
First posted
Oct 14, 2021
Registry last updated
Feb 21, 2023

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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