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NCT Number: NCT06987162

Percussive Therapy vs Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization on Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain.

This study compares percussive therapy and instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) for chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP). Percussive therapy uses handheld devices for rapid pressure pulses to promote muscle relaxation and pain relief. IASTM employs specialized tools to massage tissues, break down scar tissue, and enhance flexibility and blood flow. The research aims to assess their effects on pain reduction, muscle flexibility, and functional improvement in CNSLBP patients.

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Key information

Conditions

Low Back Pain Back Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

About this study

This study will be a randomized Clinical trial in which 52 sample size will be taken. This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effects of Percussive Therapy (PT) and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) on pain, muscle flexibility, and function in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain at Riphah International University, Pakistan. Using a Non probability convenient sampling method, participants aged 18-50 years with chronic non-specific low back pain will be selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. In both groups the warm-up sessions included arm circular movements with eight repetitions forward and eight repetitions backward, while standing on the feet the subjects were asked to stand on wide-based feet and move the right and left arm forward in a swing way in a circular motion, and that backward They will be equally divided into two groups using a random number generator table. Group A will receive Percussive Therapy, while Group B will receive Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization. These exercises will continue for 4 weeks, 4 days per week. Outcome measures, including the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) for pain intensity, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for functional impairment, Sit and Reach Test for back flexibility, will be assessed at baseline and after four weeks of intervention.

Ethical approval will be obtained from the Ethical Committee of Riphah International University, and informed consent will be secured from all participants. The primary outcomes will focus on pain intensity and functional disability, while secondary outcomes will include muscle flexibility and spinal mobility. Data analysis will be performed using SPSS version 25.

The findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the comparative efficacy of these manual therapy techniques, informing clinical practice and improving patient outcomes in the management of chronic non-specific low back pain.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age Range of 18 To 50 Years.
  • Presence of Chronic Low Back Pain for more than 3 months
  • Pain level according to Visual Analogue Scale greater or equal to 3

Exclusion criteria

  • Trauma History: Patients with A History of Trauma Were Excluded
  • Diabetic Patients
  • Recent History of Trauma
  • Any Neurological or Musculoskeletal Disorder of the Upper Limb/Lower Limb Osteoporosis
  • Lumbar Compression Fracture
  • Spondylolisthesis; Spondylosis; Spinal Deformities; History of Spinal Surgeries

Treatment and study plan

Percussive therapy

Other

PT will be performed by the same researcher using a hand-held massage gun, tapping at a frequency of 30 Hz (rotational speed 1800 rpm/min) with a flat massage head. Each percussive massage session will last for 15 minutes. This frequency of 30 Hz is chosen based on its effectiveness for myofascial release and previous studies have indicated that a 15-minute duration of back massage is beneficial

Instrument-assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization

Other

The Graston group performed as IASTM during 4 weeks. After warmup session, Friction free oil or gel was used to facilitate the device to move over the skin. Gua Sha tools were used. The instrument was kept at 45°, moved over the skin from cranial to caudal for 40-120 Sec on the back, while patients were lying in the prone position.The mobilization with sweeping strokes followed by fanning strokes were applied over the Erector spinae, quadratus lumborum, scrolling the device on the muscle belly from the posterior fascia and sacrum.

Primary outcomes

  1. Sit and Reach test

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    To perform this test, all subjects sat with their heels firmly against the testing box. Subjects kept their knees extended and placed their right hand over the left, with the long fingers even, and reached forward as far as they could by sliding their hands along the measuring board indicated in centimeters how far beyond the toes each individual reached. The score(in centimeters) is the greatest distance contacted by the fingertips past the toes. 3 trials were performed, and the average was used for data analysis.

Secondary outcomes

  1. NPRS

    Time frame: 4 WEEKS

    NPRS:

    The NPRS is frequently employed to measure pain intensity, in which patients are asked to select a number (from 0 to 10) to represent their pain severity.

Other outcomes

  1. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI):

    Time frame: 4 weeks

    The ODI is a ten-item questionnaire that assesses the disabling effects of LBP on activities of daily living (ADL). It is a reliable and valid self-reported questionnaire that lasts 5 min for the patient to complete the measure and a few minutes for the examiner to calculate the scores.

    Each item is scored from 0 to 5, and the summation of the ten scores is stated as a percentage of the maximum score; therefore, it ranges from 0 (no disability) to 100 (maximum disability)

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Hamad Ali, MS Student

CONTACT

[email protected]

03001890197

Samrood Akram, Phd Scholar

CONTACT

[email protected]

03324806143

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Comparative Effects of Percussive Therapy and Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization On Pain, Muscle Flexibility and Function in Patients With Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain.

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
May 23, 2025
Registry last updated
Jul 4, 2025

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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