Effectiveness of physiotherapeutic resources in the treatment of myofascial trigger points in patients with neck pain: blinded randomized clinical trial

• Grant number: 13/09753-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2013
• Effective date (End): February 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy
• Principal researcher: Rinaldo Roberto de Jesus Guirro
• Grantee: Almir Vieira Dibai Filho
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal dysfunction. Studies point that individuals with chronic pain have metabolic, vascular and electromyographic changes in trapezius muscle. Moreover, a common clinical sign in this muscle in subjects with neck pain is the presence of myofascial trigger points. These are related to the sensory, motor and autonomic changes, being defined as palpable nodules located in the taut band of skeletal muscle. In this context, the focus on treatment modalities stands out in the literature, however, other resources commonly used in clinical practice still lack scientific evidence. Therefore, the aim of this project is to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy resources in the treatment of myofascial trigger points in the trapezius muscle of patients with neck pain. For such, volunteers with neck pain for more than 90 days, of both genders, aged between 18 and 59 years and bilateral myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius will be randomized into the following groups: group 1 (kinesiotherapy, n = 20), group 2 (kinesiotherapy + static ultrasound, n = 20), group 3 (kinesiotherapy + diadynamic currents, n = 20) and group 4 (untreated control, n = 20). Volunteers will undergo ten sessions of treatment, being realized the following evaluations: surface electromyography, infrared thermography, numerical scale of pain assessment, algometry, Neck Disability Index and skin impedance. For data analysis, normality test will used to verify the data distribution and consistent statistical test for the appropriate comparisons within and between groups, and thus considered two factors in the comparisons, time and group. Will adopt a significance level of 5%.

Scientific publications

(9)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GIRASOL, CARLOS EDUARDO; DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA KELLY; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO. Correlation Between Skin Temperature Over Myofascial Trigger Points in the Upper Trapezius Muscle and Range of Motion, Electromyographic Activity, and Pain in Chronic Neck Pain Patients. JOURNAL OF MANIPULATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL THERAPEUTICS, v. 41, n. 4, p. 350-357, MAY 2018. Web of Science Citations: 3.

DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO; KOGA FERREIRA, VANIA TIE; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA KELLY; DE ALMEIDA, ANA MARIA; DE OLIVEIRA GUIRRO, ELAINE CALDEIRA. Analysis of chronic myofascial pain in the upper trapezius muscle of breast cancer survivors and women with neck pain. JOURNAL OF BODYWORK AND MOVEMENT THERAPIES, v. 22, n. 2, p. 237-241, APR 2018. Web of Science Citations: 1.

BARROS, MARILIA ARTESE; DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA KELLY; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO. Reliability of skin impedance in subjects with chronic neck pain. JOURNAL OF BACK AND MUSCULOSKELETAL REHABILITATION, v. 31, n. 2, p. 331-336, 2018. Web of Science Citations: 0.

DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; BARROS, MARILIA ARTESE; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA KELLY; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO. Electrical impedance of the torso is associated with the pressure pain threshold on myofascial trigger points in patients with chronic neck pain: A cross-sectional study. JOURNAL OF BACK AND MUSCULOSKELETAL REHABILITATION, v. 31, n. 2, p. 275-284, 2018. Web of Science Citations: 1.

DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA KELLY; GIRASOL, CARLOS EDUARDO; CANCIO DIAS, FABIANA RODRIGUES; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO. Additional Effect of Static Ultrasound and Diadynamic Currents on Myofascial Trigger Points in a Manual Therapy Program for Patients With Chronic Neck Pain A Randomized Clinical Trial. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION, v. 96, n. 4, p. 243-252, APR 2017. Web of Science Citations: 5.

DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO; REZENDE, MONIQUE SILVA; RANGON, FLAVIA BELAVENUTO; FERREIRA, VANIA TIE KOGA; DE OLIVEIRA GUIRRO, ELAINE CALDEIRA. Analysis of peak plantar pressure and center of pressure oscillation in individuals with chronic neck pain: A cross-sectional study. JOURNAL OF BACK AND MUSCULOSKELETAL REHABILITATION, v. 30, n. 6, p. 1259-1264, 2017. Web of Science Citations: 1.

MAGALHAES, MARINA FIGUEIREDO; DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE OLIVEIRA GUIRRO, ELAINE CALDEIRA; GIRASOL, CARLOS EDUARDO; DE OLIVEIRA, ALESSANDRA KELLY; CANCIO DIAS, FABIANA RODRIGUES; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO. Evolution of Skin Temperature after the Application of Compressive Forces on Tendon, Muscle and Myofascial Trigger Point. PLoS One, v. 10, n. 6 JUN 12 2015. Web of Science Citations: 12.

DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR V.; GUIRRO, ELAINE C. O.; FERREIRA, VANIA T. K.; BRANDINO, HUGO E.; VAZ, MAITA M. O. L. L.; GUIRRO, RINALDO R. J. Reliability of different methodologies of infrared image analysis of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL THERAPY, v. 19, n. 2, p. 122-128, MAR-APR 2015. Web of Science Citations: 22.

DIBAI-FILHO, ALMIR VIEIRA; DE JESUS GUIRRO, RINALDO ROBERTO. EVALUATION OF MYOFASCIAL TRIGGER POINTS USING INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY: A CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE. JOURNAL OF MANIPULATIVE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL THERAPEUTICS, v. 38, n. 1, p. 86-92, JAN 2015. Web of Science Citations: 9.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

FILHO, Almir Vieira Dibai. Effectiveness of physical therapy on the treatment of myofascial trigger points in individuals with cervicalgia: a single-blind randomized clinical trial. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto Ribeirão Preto.