Postural DisordersMYOPOST-FACENCT07610200
Effects of Myofascial Release Therapy on Body Posture and Facial Symmetry
A study testing Myofascial Release Therapy in people with Postural Disorders and Facial Asymmetry, run by Ece ACAR.
Trial summary
This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of myofascial release therapy on body posture and facial symmetry in healthy individuals. Postural disorders and fascial tension may lead to biomechanical alterations not only in the musculoskeletal system but also in facial soft tissues and symmetry. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Postural Disorders, Facial Asymmetry, Myofascial Dysfunction
- What is being tested?
- Myofascial Release Therapy
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 15 Jun 2026to 1 Dec 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy individuals aged between 18 and 45 years
- Ability to understand and follow study instructions
- Independent performance of daily living activities
- No regular physiotherapy or manual therapy treatment within the previous 3 months
- Willingness to participate voluntarily and sign the informed consent form
- Ability to attend assessment and intervention sessions regularly
Who cannot join
- History of neurological or orthopedic disorders affecting posture or facial symmetry
- Current musculoskeletal injury or ongoing rehabilitation treatment
- Previous facial, spinal, or major musculoskeletal surgery or trauma
- Pregnancy
- Use of medications affecting muscle tone or neuromuscular function
- Psychiatric or cognitive disorders limiting study participation
- Inability to comply with study procedures
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Effects of Myofascial Release Therapy on Body Posture and Facial Symmetry in Healthy Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of myofascial release therapy on body posture and facial symmetry in healthy individuals. Postural disorders and fascial tension may lead to biomechanical alterations not only in the musculoskeletal system but also in facial soft tissues and symmetry. Myofascial release techniques are widely used in physiotherapy to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue tension, and support postural alignment. However, the potential effects of these interventions on facial symmetry have not been sufficiently investigated.
A total of 60 healthy participants will be included in the study and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group will not receive any physical intervention during the same period. Body posture and facial symmetry assessments will be performed at baseline and after the intervention period.
Read more
Postural assessment will be conducted using the PostureScreen Mobile application through standardized anterior, posterior, and lateral photographs. Facial symmetry will be evaluated using anthropometric facial landmarks identified on standardized facial photographs. Directional asymmetry scores, linear measurements, proportional analyses, and angular measurements will be calculated.
The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the relationship between fascial interventions, postural alignment, and facial symmetry, and may contribute to the development of new physiotherapy approaches targeting fascial and postural dysfunctions.
Read the detailed description
Body posture and fascial balance are closely associated with musculoskeletal health and biomechanical alignment. Impairments in postural alignment may contribute to abnormal loading patterns, muscular imbalance, fascial tension, and compensatory movement strategies throughout the body. Recent fascial theories suggest that fascial continuity may influence not only spinal and extremity alignment but also craniofacial structures and facial symmetry. Increased fascial tension, particularly in the cervical and thoracic regions, may alter soft tissue mechanics and contribute to asymmetrical facial appearance.
Myofascial release therapy is a manual therapy approach commonly used in physiotherapy to improve fascial mobility, decrease tissue restriction, reduce pain, and optimize postural alignment. Although previous studies have investigated the effects of myofascial interventions on musculoskeletal pain and posture, limited evidence exists regarding their influence on facial symmetry and facial anthropometric characteristics.
The present study is designed as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of myofascial release therapy on body posture and facial symmetry in healthy individuals. A total of 60 participants will be recruited and randomly allocated into intervention and control groups using a stratified randomization method based on dominant side characteristics. The intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, whereas the control group will undergo only observation and assessment procedures during the same period.
The myofascial intervention protocol will include standardized manual therapy techniques targeting cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial regions. The techniques will consist of single arm pull, lateral neck shoulder release, thoracic transverse plane technique, and anterior cervical fascial release applications performed by a trained physiotherapist.
Body posture assessment will be performed using the validated PostureScreen Mobile application. Standardized anterior, posterior, and lateral photographs will be analyzed to evaluate postural alignment parameters including forward head posture, shoulder asymmetry, spinal alignment, pelvic tilt, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and lower extremity alignment characteristics.
Facial symmetry assessment will be conducted using standardized digital facial photographs obtained under controlled environmental conditions. Anthropometric facial landmarks including exocanthion, endocanthion, alare, cheilion, zygion, and gonion points will be identified. Linear, proportional, and angular measurements will be calculated to determine facial asymmetry levels. Directional asymmetry scores will also be calculated to quantitatively evaluate right-left facial asymmetry.
Primary outcome measures will include changes in facial directional asymmetry scores and postural alignment parameters after the intervention period. Secondary analyses will investigate the relationship between postural characteristics, dominant side, physical activity habits, and facial symmetry variables.
The findings of this study may contribute to understanding the biomechanical relationship between fascial interventions, posture, and craniofacial symmetry. Additionally, the results may provide preliminary evidence for the use of fascial-based physiotherapy approaches in postural rehabilitation and facial asymmetry management.
- Conditions
- Postural Disorders, Facial Asymmetry, Myofascial Dysfunction
- Being tested
- Myofascial Release Therapy
- Keywords
- Myofascial Release Therapy, Posture, Facial Symmetry, Fascial System, Manual Therapy, Postural Alignment, Physiotherapy, Facial Asymmetry, Myofascial Dysfunction, Randomized Controlled Trial
- Medical subject headings
- Facial Asymmetry
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Myofascial Release TherapyProcedure or surgery
Also called Myofascial Therapy, Fascial Release Therapy, Manual Myofascial Release
Participants assigned to the intervention group will receive standardized myofascial release therapy performed by a trained physiotherapist twice weekly for 6 weeks. The intervention protocol will include single arm pull, lateral neck shoulder release, thoracic transverse plane technique, and anterior cervical fascial release techniques targeting cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial regions. Each session will be conducted under standardized clinical conditions to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue tension, and support postural alignment and facial symmetry.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Myofascial Release Therapy Group | Experimental | Participants in this group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks. The intervention protocol will include cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial manual therapy techniques performed by a trained physiotherapist. Receives: Procedure: Myofascial Release Therapy |
| Control Group | No intervention | Participants in the control group will not receive any manual therapy or physical intervention during the study period and will only undergo assessment procedures. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Facial Directional Asymmetry Score
Facial symmetry will be evaluated using standardized digital facial photographs and anthropometric facial landmarks. Directional asymmetry scores will be calculated by comparing right and left facial measurements before and after the intervention period.
Measured: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 May 2026
- Study start15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Postural DisordersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group using a parallel-group design. The intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group will undergo observation and assessment only. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ece ACAR
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Ece ACAR, Karabuk University
- Investigators
- Ece Acar, Principal investigator, Karabuk University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07610200
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- MYOPOSTFACE-RCT-2026
- Acronym
- MYOPOST-FACE
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 20 May 2026
- Last updated
- 27 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: Individual participant data sharing has not yet been determined. Data sharing decisions will be evaluated after study completion in accordance with institutional policies, ethical considerations, and publication requirements.
Publications
Szucs KA, Brown EVD. Rater reliability and construct validity of a mobile application for posture analysis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2018 Jan;30(1):31-36. doi: 10.1589/jpts.30.31. Epub 2018 Jan 27.
PubMed 29410561Wilke J, Krause F, Vogt L, Banzer W. What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Mar;97(3):454-61. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2015.07.023. Epub 2015 Aug 14.
PubMed 26281953Schleip R, Jager H, Klingler W. What is 'fascia'? A review of different nomenclatures. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2012 Oct;16(4):496-502. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2012.08.001. Epub 2012 Aug 22.
PubMed 23036881
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effects of Myofascial Release Therapy on Body Posture and Facial Symmetry in Healthy Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07610200
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MYOPOST-FACE / MYOPOSTFACE-RCT-2026
- Conditions
- Postural Disorders, Facial Asymmetry, Myofascial Dysfunction
- Keywords
- Myofascial Release Therapy, Posture, Facial Symmetry, Fascial System, Manual Therapy, Postural Alignment, Physiotherapy, Facial Asymmetry
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Ece ACARUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Feb 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Dec 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled study aims to investigate the effects of myofascial release therapy on body posture and facial symmetry in healthy individuals. Postural disorders and fascial tension may lead to biomechanical alterations not only in the musculoskeletal system but also in facial soft tissues and symmetry. Myofascial release techniques are widely used in physiotherapy to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue tension, and support postural alignment. However, the potential effects of these interventions on facial symmetry have not been sufficiently investigated.
A total of 60 healthy participants will be included in the study and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. Participants in the intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group will not receive any physical intervention during the same period. Body posture and facial symmetry assessments will be performed at baseline and after the intervention period.
Postural assessment will be conducted using the PostureScreen Mobile application through standardized anterior, posterior, and lateral photographs. Facial symmetry will be evaluated using anthropometric facial landmarks identified on standardized facial photographs. Directional asymmetry scores, linear measurements, proportional analyses, and angular measurements will be calculated.
The study is expected to provide evidence regarding the relationship between fascial interventions, postural alignment, and facial symmetry, and may contribute to the development of new physiotherapy approaches targeting fascial and postural dysfunctions.
Detailed description
Body posture and fascial balance are closely associated with musculoskeletal health and biomechanical alignment. Impairments in postural alignment may contribute to abnormal loading patterns, muscular imbalance, fascial tension, and compensatory movement strategies throughout the body. Recent fascial theories suggest that fascial continuity may influence not only spinal and extremity alignment but also craniofacial structures and facial symmetry. Increased fascial tension, particularly in the cervical and thoracic regions, may alter soft tissue mechanics and contribute to asymmetrical facial appearance.
Myofascial release therapy is a manual therapy approach commonly used in physiotherapy to improve fascial mobility, decrease tissue restriction, reduce pain, and optimize postural alignment. Although previous studies have investigated the effects of myofascial interventions on musculoskeletal pain and posture, limited evidence exists regarding their influence on facial symmetry and facial anthropometric characteristics.
The present study is designed as a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of myofascial release therapy on body posture and facial symmetry in healthy individuals. A total of 60 participants will be recruited and randomly allocated into intervention and control groups using a stratified randomization method based on dominant side characteristics. The intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, whereas the control group will undergo only observation and assessment procedures during the same period.
The myofascial intervention protocol will include standardized manual therapy techniques targeting cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial regions. The techniques will consist of single arm pull, lateral neck shoulder release, thoracic transverse plane technique, and anterior cervical fascial release applications performed by a trained physiotherapist.
Body posture assessment will be performed using the validated PostureScreen Mobile application. Standardized anterior, posterior, and lateral photographs will be analyzed to evaluate postural alignment parameters including forward head posture, shoulder asymmetry, spinal alignment, pelvic tilt, thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and lower extremity alignment characteristics.
Facial symmetry assessment will be conducted using standardized digital facial photographs obtained under controlled environmental conditions. Anthropometric facial landmarks including exocanthion, endocanthion, alare, cheilion, zygion, and gonion points will be identified. Linear, proportional, and angular measurements will be calculated to determine facial asymmetry levels. Directional asymmetry scores will also be calculated to quantitatively evaluate right-left facial asymmetry.
Primary outcome measures will include changes in facial directional asymmetry scores and postural alignment parameters after the intervention period. Secondary analyses will investigate the relationship between postural characteristics, dominant side, physical activity habits, and facial symmetry variables.
The findings of this study may contribute to understanding the biomechanical relationship between fascial interventions, posture, and craniofacial symmetry. Additionally, the results may provide preliminary evidence for the use of fascial-based physiotherapy approaches in postural rehabilitation and facial asymmetry management.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group or the control group using a parallel-group design. The intervention group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks, while the control group will undergo observation and assessment only. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Myofascial Release Therapy Group | Experimental | Procedure: Myofascial Release TherapyParticipants in this group will receive myofascial release therapy twice weekly for 6 weeks. The intervention protocol will include cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial manual therapy techniques performed by a trained physiotherapist. |
| Control Group | No intervention | –Participants in the control group will not receive any manual therapy or physical intervention during the study period and will only undergo assessment procedures. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Healthy individuals aged between 18 and 45 years
- Ability to understand and follow study instructions
- Independent performance of daily living activities
- No regular physiotherapy or manual therapy treatment within the previous 3 months
- Willingness to participate voluntarily and sign the informed consent form
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- History of neurological or orthopedic disorders affecting posture or facial symmetry
- Current musculoskeletal injury or ongoing rehabilitation treatment
- Previous facial, spinal, or major musculoskeletal surgery or trauma
- Pregnancy
- Use of medications affecting muscle tone or neuromuscular function
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Myofascial Release TherapyAlso: Myofascial Therapy, Fascial Release Therapy, Manual Myofascial ReleaseParticipants assigned to the intervention group will receive standardized myofascial release therapy performed by a trained physiotherapist twice weekly for 6 weeks. The intervention protocol will include single arm pull, lateral neck shoulder release, thoracic transverse plane technique, and anterior cervical fascial release techniques targeting cervical, thoracic, shoulder, and fascial regions. Each session will be conducted under standardized clinical conditions to improve fascial mobility, reduce tissue tension, and support postural alignment and facial symmetry. | Procedure or surgery | Myofascial Release Therapy Group |
Primary outcome
Change in Facial Directional Asymmetry Score
Time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention
Facial symmetry will be evaluated using standardized digital facial photographs and anthropometric facial landmarks. Directional asymmetry scores will be calculated by comparing right and left facial measurements before and after the intervention period.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 May 2026.
- Background: PubMed 29410561Szucs KA, Brown EVD. Rater reliability and construct validity of a mobile application for posture analysis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2018 Jan;30(1):31-36. doi: 10.1589/jpts.30.31. Epub 2018 Jan 27.
- Background: PubMed 26281953Wilke J, Krause F, Vogt L, Banzer W. What Is Evidence-Based About Myofascial Chains: A Systematic Review. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Mar;97(3):454-61. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2015.07.023. Epub 2015 Aug 14.
- Background: PubMed 23036881Schleip R, Jager H, Klingler W. What is 'fascia'? A review of different nomenclatures. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2012 Oct;16(4):496-502. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2012.08.001. Epub 2012 Aug 22.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. Individual participant data sharing has not yet been determined. Data sharing decisions will be evaluated after study completion in accordance with institutional policies, ethical considerations, and publication requirements.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Ece Acar principal investigator
Karabuk University
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Myofascial Release Therapy in people with Postural Disorders and Facial Asymmetry, run by Ece ACAR.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 7 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Ece Acar, Assistant Professor, Physiothe (+905457925035, eceacar@karabuk.edu.tr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Facial Directional Asymmetry Score (time frame: Baseline and after 6 weeks of intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07610200, which also lists 3 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 May 2026.