Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial
Background: Aging is associated with musculoskeletal pain and postural adaptations which may affect functionality. This study aims to analyse the effect of a combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking on musculoskeletal back pain, functionality, and shoulder posture...
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2025-05-01
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| author | Gemma Victoria Espí-López Laura Fuentes-Aparicio Rocío Cogollos-de-la-Peña Lucas Monzani Elena Marques-Sule Dagmar Pavlu Anna Arnal-Gómez |
| author_facet | Gemma Victoria Espí-López Laura Fuentes-Aparicio Rocío Cogollos-de-la-Peña Lucas Monzani Elena Marques-Sule Dagmar Pavlu Anna Arnal-Gómez |
| author_sort | Gemma Victoria Espí-López |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Aging is associated with musculoskeletal pain and postural adaptations which may affect functionality. This study aims to analyse the effect of a combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking on musculoskeletal back pain, functionality, and shoulder posture in older adults, and to establish the short- and medium-term effects of this program. Methods: A multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial was conducted on older adults. The sample was divided into two groups: the self-assisted manual therapy plus walking at high-intensity group (MTWG) and the Control Group (CG), with the latter undergoing supervised high-intensity walking only. Pain (Pressure Pain Threshold and Visual Analogue Scale), functional capacity (5-times sit-to-stand test), and change in thorax position (acromion position) were assessed at T0 (baseline), T1 (after 4-week intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 4 weeks after the end of the intervention). Results: A total of 95 older adults (41 in the MTWG and 54 in CG) completed the study and were analyzed. After isolating the effect of correlations among our primary outcomes, our analysis revealed statistically significant between-subject (<i>p</i> < 0.01), within-subject (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and between-within subject differences (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in Pressure Pain Threshold scores in favour of the MTWG. We also detected within-subjects (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and between-within subject differences (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in scores for the Visual Analogue Scale, in favour of the MTWG. These patterns of results remained stable at T2. The 5-times sit-to-stand test (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and the acromion position (<i>p</i> < 0.05) improved at T1 for the MTWG but not at T2. Conclusions: A combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking, compared to high-intensity walking alone, improved musculoskeletal pain, functionality, and posture in older adults in the short term (over one month), with pain reduction maintained in the medium term (at the one-month follow-up). |
| format | Article |
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| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-f87b54317d9d4c2ab50f9af2b60e40fe2025-06-25T14:05:28ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-05-0115684410.3390/life15060844Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled TrialGemma Victoria Espí-López0Laura Fuentes-Aparicio1Rocío Cogollos-de-la-Peña2Lucas Monzani3Elena Marques-Sule4Dagmar Pavlu5Anna Arnal-Gómez6Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Gascó Oliag St., 5., 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Gascó Oliag St., 5., 46010 Valencia, SpainDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Gascó Oliag St., 5., 46010 Valencia, SpainIvey Business School, Western University, 1255 Western Rd., London, ON N6G 0N1, CanadaDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Gascó Oliag St., 5., 46010 Valencia, SpainFaculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University, 162 52 Prague, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Physiotherapy, University of Valencia, Gascó Oliag St., 5., 46010 Valencia, SpainBackground: Aging is associated with musculoskeletal pain and postural adaptations which may affect functionality. This study aims to analyse the effect of a combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking on musculoskeletal back pain, functionality, and shoulder posture in older adults, and to establish the short- and medium-term effects of this program. Methods: A multicentre, double-blind, randomized trial was conducted on older adults. The sample was divided into two groups: the self-assisted manual therapy plus walking at high-intensity group (MTWG) and the Control Group (CG), with the latter undergoing supervised high-intensity walking only. Pain (Pressure Pain Threshold and Visual Analogue Scale), functional capacity (5-times sit-to-stand test), and change in thorax position (acromion position) were assessed at T0 (baseline), T1 (after 4-week intervention) and T2 (follow-up, 4 weeks after the end of the intervention). Results: A total of 95 older adults (41 in the MTWG and 54 in CG) completed the study and were analyzed. After isolating the effect of correlations among our primary outcomes, our analysis revealed statistically significant between-subject (<i>p</i> < 0.01), within-subject (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and between-within subject differences (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in Pressure Pain Threshold scores in favour of the MTWG. We also detected within-subjects (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and between-within subject differences (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in scores for the Visual Analogue Scale, in favour of the MTWG. These patterns of results remained stable at T2. The 5-times sit-to-stand test (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and the acromion position (<i>p</i> < 0.05) improved at T1 for the MTWG but not at T2. Conclusions: A combined protocol of self-assisted manual therapy and high-intensity walking, compared to high-intensity walking alone, improved musculoskeletal pain, functionality, and posture in older adults in the short term (over one month), with pain reduction maintained in the medium term (at the one-month follow-up).https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/6/844agingpainfunctional capacityphysical therapyphysical activity |
| spellingShingle | Gemma Victoria Espí-López Laura Fuentes-Aparicio Rocío Cogollos-de-la-Peña Lucas Monzani Elena Marques-Sule Dagmar Pavlu Anna Arnal-Gómez Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial Life aging pain functional capacity physical therapy physical activity |
| title | Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | Effects of Self-Assisted Manual Therapy Combined with a High-Intensity Walking Program on Musculoskeletal Pain, Functionality, and Posture in Older Adults: A Multicentre Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | effects of self assisted manual therapy combined with a high intensity walking program on musculoskeletal pain functionality and posture in older adults a multicentre randomized controlled trial |
| topic | aging pain functional capacity physical therapy physical activity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/6/844 |
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