Trial reportFoot (Edinburgh, Scotland)2019
The effect of manual therapy on gastrocnemius muscle stiffness in healthy individuals.
Trial report in Foot (Edinburgh, Scotland), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaluating the Reliability of MyotonPro in Assessing Muscle Properties: A Systematic Review of Diagnostic Test Accuracy.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2024Pooled it
- Effect of osteopathic techniques on human resting muscle tone in healthy subjects using myotonometry: a factorial randomized trial.Scientific reports · 2022Trial
- The Recovery Benefit on Skin Blood Flow Using Vibrating Foam Rollers for Postexercise Muscle Fatigue in Runners.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Trial
- Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Muscle Recovery: Insights into Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness.Clinics and practice · 2025Article
- Objective Methods of Muscle Tone Diagnosis and Their Application-A Critical Review.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- The Utility of Myotonometry in Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation and Human Performance Programming.Journal of athletic training · 2023Review
- Differences in Medial and Lateral Gastrocnemius Stiffness after Exercise-Induced Muscle Fatigue.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022Article
- Effects of Different Long-Term Exercise Modalities on Tissue Stiffness.Sports medicine - open · 2022Review
- Normative Parameters of Gastrocnemius Muscle Stiffness and Associations with Patient Characteristics and Function.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2021Article
- Normative data and correlation between dynamic knee valgus and neuromuscular response among healthy active males: a cross-sectional study.Scientific reports · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
STUDY
designRandomized clinical trial.
backgroundMuscle stiffness is a potential complication after injury and has been shown to be a risk factor for injury in healthy individuals.
objectivesThe primary purpose of this study was to assess the short-term effects of manual therapy (MT) on muscle stiffness of the gastrocnemius in both a relaxed and contracted state. The secondary purpose was to assess the reliability of a novel clinical tool (MyotonPRO) to measure muscle stiffness in the gastrocnemius in both a passive and contracted state.
methodsEighty-four consecutive healthy individuals were randomized to receive Manual Therapy (MT group) directed at the right-side ankle and foot or no treatment (CONTROL group). Muscle stiffness of the gastrocnemius was assessed bilaterally in all participants at baseline and then immediately after intervention in a relaxed and contracted state. Group (MT vs. CONTROL) by side (ipsilateral vs. contralateral) by time (pre vs. post) effects were compared through a 3-way interaction utilizing mixed model ANOVA. Reliability of the MyotonPRO was assessed with two-way mixed model intraclass correlation coefficients.
resultsThere was a significant 3-way interaction for muscle stiffness of the gastrocnemius in a relaxed state (p<0.01), but not contracted state (p=0.54). All conditions had increased resting muscle stiffness from pre to post measures except for the ipsilateral limb of the MT group. There was not a significant interaction for muscle stiffness in a contracted state. Reliability estimates (ICC) for muscle stiffness measures ranged between 0.898 and 0.986.
conclusionThe change in muscle stiffness of the gastrocnemius in a relaxed state depended upon whether individuals received MT. Muscle stiffness measures were highly reliable based on single measurements. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapy, level 2.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.