Does Manual Therapy Provide Immediate Improvement in Lumbar Range of Motion?

Immediate Effects of Myofascial Release on Lumbar Range of Motion. A Randomized Control Trial.

The goal of this clinical study is to determine if manual therapy can improve lumbar mobility in healthy individuals.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Is there an immediate local spinal effect?
• Is there an associated distal effect?

Researchers will compare an experimental group and a control group to examine the effects.

Upon consent, participants will be assessed for lumbar spine mobility using inclinometers, hamstring flexibility using the active knee extension test and the modified sit-and-reach test, and ease of lifting a small, weighted object. After baseline measures are recorded, the participants will receive an intervention that will be either therapeutic (myofascial release) or sham (non-therapeutic hand placement). The choice of intervention received will be previously determined through the use of randomization software. The intervention provided will be applied to the low back and last for a total of 10 minutes. Immediately following the intervention, participants will again be assessed for lumbar spine mobility, hamstring flexibility, and ease of lifting a small, weighted object as noted above.

Inclusion Criteria:

• New York Institute of Technology students
• At least 18 years old
• Good overall health

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pacemaker
• Any previous history of lumbar or connective tissue pathology
• Down syndrome
• Prolonged steroid use
• Oswestry Low Back Disability score of >10 (ODI)
• Inability to provide informed consent