Testing Pain expectation conditioning with Gait assesment for pain
Official title: Muscle Synergies in Pain and Pain Anticipation
Test-retest Fidelity of a Tool for Calculation of Muscle Synergies
- 1 group
- One site, in Sherbrooke
- Recruiting
Interventions
- Other intervention
Pain expectation conditioning
Participants receive a neutral cream with no real harmful effects with verbal and behavioral suggestions that it may cause localized pain. Researchers wear gloves during application and emphasize the potential discomfort, stating effects may intensify with movement.
- Other intervention
Gait assesment
Gait will be assessed both before and after cream application. Each assessment will consist of walking on a treadmill at varying speeds while physiological data (EMG) is recorded. Identical questionnaires (VAS, TAMPA, and PCS) will be administered immediately following the first gait assessment.
Canadian Sites (1)
1 of 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Centre de Recherche sur le Vieillissement
Sherbrooke
Eligibility Criteria
See who this study is looking for18 criteria
The trial’s own eligibility text, word for word from the registry. Only the trial site can say who takes part.
Inclusion
- +Aged 18-35 years old
- +Healthy participant with no self-reported diagnosed neurological, musculoskeletal, or cardiovascular disorders
- +Body Mass Index (BMI) \< 30
- +Ability to walk unaided for at least 10 minutes without major physical limitations
Exclusion
- −Known allergy to any component of the study cream
- −Allergy to EMG electrode adhesives
- −Presence of pain at the time of testing
- −Self-reported diagnosed condition affecting mobility
- −Inability to stand unassisted for more than 1 minute
- −Inability to walk/run at the required speed and distance
- −Weight exceeding 150 kg (due to treadmill limitations)
- −Recent intake (prior intervention) of:
- −Analgesics (within 6 hours)
- −Caffeine (within 2 hours)
- −Skin lesions at the cream application siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more →
- −Failure to understand instructions
- −Daytime pain reported by participant on day of experimentation
- −Cigarettes (within 6 hours)
In plain language
Assembled directly from this trial’s registry record. Every sentence traces to a field below — nothing here is generated or interpreted.
What this study is
This study is investigating how something functions in the body, rather than testing a treatment directly.
This study is not organised into the usual phase numbers — that is common for device, behavioural, and diagnostic research.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.primaryPurpose
- designModule.phases
Who receives what
Everyone in this study is in one group, which receives one or more of: Pain expectation conditioning and Gait assesment.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].label
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
How the study is run
There is only one group in this study, so there is no assignment to different treatments.
This study is open-labelOpen-labelEveryone knows which treatment is being given — nothing is hidden.Read more →: everyone knows which treatment is being given, including you and the study team.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
Is there a placebo?
This study does not list a placeboPlaceboA dummy treatment with no active medicine, used for comparison.Read more → group.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].interventionNames
Who the study is looking for
The study lists an age range of 18 years to 35 years.
The study is open to people of any sex.
The study accepts healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more → as well as people with the condition.
These are the criteria the study lists. Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part.
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.maximumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How big and how long
The study aims to enrol about 12 people.
The study is currently expected to finish around October 2027.
The main measurement is taken over: Before intervention, after intervention (10 minutes after cream application).
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
What the study measures
Distribution of muscle synergies derived by non-negative matrix factorization — measured over Before intervention, after intervention (10 minutes after cream application).
Changes in Muscle Synergy Composition derived by non-negative matrix factorization — measured over Before intervention, after intervention (10 minutes after cream application).
From the trial registry
Built from these fields:
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].measure
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
Source: NCT07251387 on ClinicalTrials.gov. The full registry text is further down this page — this summary never replaces it.
Not medical advice. What do these terms mean?
What is being tested — in plain terms
About Pain expectation conditioningOther
Participants receive a neutral cream with no real harmful effects with verbal and behavioral suggestions that it may cause localized pain. Researchers wear gloves during application and emphasize the potential discomfort, stating effects may intensify with movement.
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a other is here: An intervention the registry did not place in another category.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
About Gait assesmentOther
Gait will be assessed both before and after cream application. Each assessment will consist of walking on a treadmill at varying speeds while physiological data (EMG) is recorded. Identical questionnaires (VAS, TAMPA, and PCS) will be administered immediately following the first gait assessment.
From the trial registry — its own words, unedited.
What a other is here: An intervention the registry did not place in another category.
Read the full explanation → · in clinical review
Common questions
Answered from this trial’s registry record. Where the record doesn’t say, these answers say so rather than filling the gap.
Am I eligible for this trial?
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can decide whether someone can take part. Concord cannot make that determination, and neither can any tool that has not examined you.
What the study lists: an age range of 18 years to 35 years.
The full inclusionInclusion criteriaThe things you must have or be for a study to consider you.Read more → and exclusion criteriaExclusion criteriaThe things that would prevent someone from taking part.Read more → are published on this page, exactly as the study team wrote them.
The useful next step is to bring this trial to your doctor. Answering a few questions first gives them something concrete to review.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.maximumAge
- eligibilityModule.eligibilityCriteria
Is there a placebo?
This study does not list a placeboPlaceboA dummy treatment with no active medicine, used for comparison.Read more → group.
From the trial registry
- armsInterventionsModule.armGroups[].type
Would I know which treatment I am getting?
This study is open-labelOpen-labelEveryone knows which treatment is being given — nothing is hidden.Read more →: everyone knows which treatment is being given, including you and the study team.
There is only one group in this study, so there is no assignment to different treatments.
From the trial registry
- designModule.designInfo.maskingInfo.masking
- designModule.designInfo.allocation
Who can join?
The study lists an age range of 18 years to 35 years.
It is open to people of any sex.
It accepts healthy volunteersHealthy volunteerSomeone without the condition being studied who takes part anyway.Read more → as well as people with the condition.
Only the trial siteTrial siteA hospital or clinic where a study is actually run.Read more → can confirm whether a particular person can take part.
From the trial registry
- eligibilityModule.minimumAge
- eligibilityModule.maximumAge
- eligibilityModule.sex
- eligibilityModule.healthyVolunteers
How long would this take?
The study's main measurement is taken over: Before intervention, after intervention (10 minutes after cream application).
The study as a whole is currently expected to finish around 2027-10-01.
How long any one person takes part can differ from the study length. The study team can tell you what the schedule looks like in practice.
From the trial registry
- outcomesModule.primaryOutcomes[].timeFrame
- statusModule.completionDateStruct.date
How many people are taking part?
The study aims to enrol about 12 people.
From the trial registry
- designModule.enrollmentInfo.count
Where is this happening?
This study lists one location: Sherbrooke, Canada.
Sites can open and close during a study, so confirm with the team before travelling.
From the trial registry
- trial_locations
About This Trial
This study investigates how the anticipation of pain affects muscle synergies. One group will be recruited who will first experience actual pain from capsaicin cream and are then presented with a harmless cream deceptively labeled as capsaicin. The changes in muscle synergies will be measured during walking tasks.
Think this trial might be right for you?
Complete a quick intake form and we will match you with this and other relevant trials based on your medical profile.
See if this trial could fit youThis page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical trial eligibility can only be determined by the trial site after proper screening. Trial information is sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov and may not reflect the most current status. Always consult your healthcare provider before making decisions about clinical trial participation.