ClinicalTrials.gg
RecruitingNCT07645014Updated Jun 12, 2026

Comparative Effects of Neurodynamic Stretch and Myofascial Pain Release in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome.

An interventional study of Neurodynamic stretches and myofascial pain release technique Interventions: in Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, sponsored by Riphah International University. Recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 35 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-06-12.

Sponsored by Riphah International University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Primary completion was expected by Jul 2026, 4 months ago, but the record still lists the study as recruiting.
  • Registered 8 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Oct 2025, registered Jun 2026).
  • Started Oct 2025; still recruiting 1 year 1 month later.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
38
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 35 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

The study will be a non-blinded randomized controlled trial, consisting of two groups. Non-probability Convenience sampling will be used to recruit participants who will meet the inclusion criteria. Group allocation will be performed using the sealed envelope method to ensure randomization of participants into experimental and control groups. The sample size will be 38 (19 in each group). Group A will receive neurodynamic stretches while Group B will receive myofascial pain release technique.

Read the detailed description

The most prevalent endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age is polycystic ovarian disorder (PCOS), with notable clinical characteristics related to reproduction, metabolism, dermatology, and psychology. Among the most prominent gynecological disorders in women is dysmenorrhea, which has a major detrimental effect on one's quality of life. This randomized clinical study aims to evaluate and compare the effects of neurodynamic stretching combined with diaphragmatic breathing versus myofascial pain release therapy in reducing the intensity and duration of dysmenorrhea in girls with PCOS, to assess the impact of both interventions on improving the quality of sleep among girls with PCOS and to compare the effects of neurodynamic stretching with diaphragmatic breathing and myofascial pain release therapy on enhancing functional mobility in females with PCOS.

The study will be a non-blinded randomized controlled trial, consisting of two groups. Non-probability Convenience sampling will be used to recruit participants who will meet the inclusion criteria. Group allocation will be performed using the sealed envelope method to ensure randomization of participants into experimental and control groups. The sample size will be 38 (19 in each group). Group A will receive neurodynamic stretches which includes abdominal stretches, calf stretches, hamstring stretches. Group B will receive myofascial pain release technique. The study will be conducted over a period of 10 months at Shaikh Zayed Hospital Lahore. Ethical approval will be obtained. Individuals fulfilling the inclusion criteria will be selected, followed by written informed consent after explaining the study purpose. Participants will then be randomly allocated to one of the two groups. Comparative Training would be performed thrice a week on alternate days for a total duration of 6 weeks. Total sessions will be 18. All outcome measurements will be performed pre and after the 6 weeks' intervention period.

02

Conditions studied

  • Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome

Keywords

  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Myofascial pain release Neurodynamic stretch
  • Polycystic ovarian syndrome
  • Quality of sleep
  • Stress
03

In context

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

956 studies on the registry are indexed under Polycystic Ovary Syndrome; 176 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 38 is below the median of 70 across 697 interventional studies indexed under Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Browse Polycystic Ovary Syndrome studies →

Lead sponsor

Riphah International University is the lead sponsor of 2,193 studies on the registry; 650 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 35 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

    • Age 18-35 years

      • Diagnosed cases of PCOS
      • Irregular periods until 3 months.
      • Presence of dysmenorrhea (Check WaLIDD Questionnaire)
      • Age of Menarche (13 years)

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

    • History of endocrine disorders

      • Endometriosis
      • Tumour
      • Any major surgeries
      • Marital Status (un married)
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(1)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
38 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Neurodynamic stretches

    Group A will receive neurodynamic stretches which includes abdominal stretches, calf stretches, hamstring stretches.

    Other: Neurodynamic stretches

  • Experimental
    myofascial pain release technique

    Group B will receive myofascial pain release technique.

    Other: myofascial pain release technique Interventions:

Interventions

  • OtherNeurodynamic stretches

    Participants will receive neurodynamic mobilization techniques focused on improving the mobility of the lumbosacral plexus and peripheral nerves. Week 1-2: * Introduction to neural sliders only. * Techniques: Supine straight leg raise (SLR) with ankle dorsiflexion, femoral nerve glide, and seated slump position. Frequency: 3 sets of 10 repetitions per nerve. Emphasis: Gentle, pain-free movements with diaphragmatic breathing Week 3-4: Progression to sliders + tensioners. • Techniques: Dynamic slump with tensioning, prone femoral tensioner. Repetitions: 2 sets of 5-7 controlled repetitions. Emphasis: Slight neural load increase while ensuring patient comfort. Week 5-6: * Continuation of advanced techniques with full-range tensioners. * Integration of posture correction and relaxation techniques. Emphasis: Endurance and mobility with symptom monitoring. Frequency: 3 sessions per week Duration: 20-30 minutes per session Total duration: 6 weeks

  • Othermyofascial pain release technique Interventions:

    Participants will receive myofascial release therapy aimed at relieving fascial tightness, trigger points, and muscle stiffness in the abdominal, pelvic, and lumbar regions. Week 1-2: * Light pressure applied to abdominal fascia and lower back region. * Techniques: Cross-hand fascial release, skin rolling, and gentle pressure on trigger points. Each hold: 90-120 seconds per site. Week 3-4: * Increased pressure depth depending on patient tolerance. * Targeting deeper pelvic structures and sacroiliac area. * Use of foam roller introduced for myofascial self-release. Week 5-6: * Maintenance of deeper myofascial techniques with added pelvic stretching. * Integration of postural awareness and relaxation breathing. * Focus on combining manual release with functional mobility. Frequency: 3 sessions per week Duration: 20-30 minutes per session Total duration: 6 weeks

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Mc Gill Questionnaire

    The short-form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ) is a shorter version of the original MPQ, and was developed later in 1987.The pain rating index has 2 subscales: * Sensory subscale with 11 words, and * Affective subscale with 4 words from the original MPQ. These words or items are rated on an intensity scale as 0 = none, 1 = mild, 2 = moderate and 3 = severe. Version includes 7 additional symptoms related to neuropathic pain, for a total of 22 items with 0-10 numerical response options. The reliability of the tool was measured using Cronbach's alpha value, and it was found to be 0.91

    Time frame: 6 weeks

  2. WaLIDD Score

    The WaLIDD score, or Working ability, Location, Intensity, Days of pain, Dysmenorrhea score, is a tool used to assess and diagnose dysmenorrhea (menstrual cramps) and predict the likelihood of needing medical leave. It's a self-report scale where individuals rate their experience of dysmenorrhea based on four key aspects: pain location, pain range, duration of pain, and disability. The total score, ranging from 0 to 12, categorizes the severity of dysmenorrhea: 0 indicates no dysmenorrhea, 1-4 is mild, 5-7 is moderate, and 8-12 is severe. The reliability of the tool was measured using Cronbach's alpha value, and it was found to be 0.88.

    Time frame: 6 weeks

  3. PSQI Scale

    The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) is a widely used self-report questionnaire that assesses sleep quality over a one-month time interval. Each component score of the PSQI ranges from 0 to 3, with 3 indicating the greatest dysfunction or disturbance. The seven component scores are then summed to obtain a global PSQI score, which ranges from 0 to 21. Higher scores indicate poorer sleep quality, with a score greater than 5 suggesting significant sleep difficulties. The reliability of the tool was measured using Cronbach's alpha value, and it was found to be 0.83.

    Time frame: 6 weeks

07

Study locations

1 of 1 sites recruiting
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Nunez de Arenas-Arroyo S, Martinez-Vizcaino V, Torres-Costoso A, Reina-Gutierrez S, Bizzozero-Peroni B, Cavero-Redondo I. Immediate and short-term effects of neurodynamic techniques on hamstring flexibility: A systematic review with meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2025 Feb 6;20(2):e0318671. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318671. eCollection 2025. PubMed 39913497 ↗
  • Lv Y, Yin Y. A Review of the Application of Myofascial Release Therapy in the Treatment of Diseases. J Multidiscip Healthc. 2024 Sep 26;17:4507-4517. doi: 10.2147/JMDH.S481706. eCollection 2024. PubMed 39351042 ↗
  • Haider R, Geetha K. Das,(2024), Menstrual Problems: Menorrhagia and Primary Dysmenorrhagia. Biomedical Research and Clinical Trials.;3(1).
  • Wang C, Liu L, Bai X. Knowledge Mapping of Primary Dysmenorrhea: Hotspots, Knowledge Structure, and Theme Trends. J Pain Res. 2023 Oct 27;16:3613-3624. doi: 10.2147/JPR.S435236. eCollection 2023. PubMed 37915863 ↗
  • Teede HJ, Neven ACH, Pena A. Evolution of evidence-based diagnostic criteria in adolescents with polycystic ovary syndrome. Hum Reprod. 2024 May 2;39(5):876-877. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deae050. No abstract available. PubMed 38514447 ↗

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 12, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07645014
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Jun 12, 2026
Start date
Oct 1, 2025
Primary completion
Jul 1, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Jul 1, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 12, 2026

Study contacts

Imran Amjad, PhD
Contact
imran.amjad@riphah.edu.pk
03324390125
Hafiza Iqra Rubab, MSWHPT
principal investigator · Riphah International University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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