The Effect of Electrotherapy on Young Individuals With Neck Pain

March 6, 2026 updated by: Betül Söylemez, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University

The Effect of Different Electrotherapy Interventions on Pain and Hand Function in Young Individuals With Neck Pain: a Randomized Controlled Double-blind Trial

The aim of this clinical study was to investigate the effects of different electrotherapy interventions on pain and hand function in young individuals with neck pain.

The main question that the study aimed to answer is: are two different electrotherapy interventions superior to each other for pain and hand function? Participants will be assigned to either transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, high-voltage pulsed galvanic stimulation, or placebo. Participants will receive a total of 20 sessions of electrotherapy intervention, 20 minutes per day, 3 days a week. Participants will be evaluated before the intervention, after 1 session, and 1 week after the completion of the 20-session intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

36

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Center
      • Burdur, Center, Turkey (Türkiye), 15100
        • Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Being between 18-30 years old
  • Complaining of neck pain
  • Volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Having received any anti-inflammatory treatment in the last 3 months
  • Having received any physical therapy and rehabilitation treatment in the last 3 months
  • Doing regular exercise
  • Not attending work sessions

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Group of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS)
Participants assigned to this group will receive TENS for 20 minutes each session for a total of 20 sessions.
Other: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
The current parameters for the TENS to be applied in the study were determined as 100 Hz, 100 microsecond pulse duration, and asymmetric biphasic waveform. The current intensity will be increased until the person feels a tingling sensation and will be applied for a total of 20 minutes. Two superficial electrodes will be placed to cover the application area to create an effect in deep tissue.
Other Names:
  • TENS
Experimental: Group of High Voltage Pulsed Galvanic Stimulation (HVPGS)
Participants assigned to this group will receive HVPGS for 20 minutes each session for a total of 20 sessions.
Other: High Voltage Pulsed Galvanic Stimulation
YVKGS is a monophasic waveform current with double peaks, short pulse duration and a voltage higher than 100 Volts, the frequency of which can be adjusted optionally. In the study, the current parameters of YVKGS were determined as a frequency of 100 Hz, continuous pulse, double peak monophasic waveform. The current intensity will be applied for 20 minutes at the voltage at which the person feels a tingling sensation. Two superficial electrodes will be placed to cover the application area to create an effect in deep tissue.
Other Names:
  • HVPGS
Sham Comparator: Group of sham
Individuals assigned to this group will be started on TENS current for a total of 20 sessions, each session lasting 20 minutes, but the current will be reduced and turned off after 1 minute. It will be explained to the individuals that this current is applied at a subthreshold level.
Other: Sham TENS
The current will be applied to the sham TENS group with the same parameters as the TENS group, and will be reduced and turned off after a while. In TENS application, people normally report that they no longer feel tingling after a few minutes of starting the application. Therefore, it will be explained to the sham TENS group that this situation is normal, and that they no longer feel tingling because they have become accustomed to the applied current.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Visual Analog Scale
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
The Visual Analog Scale is a 10-centimeter (cm) scale, with 0 being defined as "no pain" and 10 as "unbearable pain." It is a valid and reliable method for assessing the severity of musculoskeletal pain and is frequently used in clinical studies. In a study conducted on patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain, a VAS value of less than 3.4 cm was classified as mild pain, a VAS value between 3.5 and 7.4 cm was classified as moderate pain, and a VAS value greater than 7.5 cm was classified as severe pain.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Treshold Faradic Test
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Pain threshold measurement is performed by applying a surge faradic current with a frequency of 50 Hz and a transition time of 0.1-1 msec. The point at which the current is first felt is defined as the pain threshold. In this test, the active electrode is placed at the motor point of the relevant muscle, while the passive electrode can be placed in a more distal or proximal region.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Patient-Specific Functional Scale
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Patients are asked to list the three activities that cause the most difficulty with their neck pain. Each activity is then scored from 0 (unable to perform the activity) to 10 (able to perform the activity at the same level as before the onset of symptoms).
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Core Outcome Meassure Index-Neck
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
It is a symptom-specific measurement tool that includes all the parameters that need to be evaluated in patients with low back pain (pain, function, quality of life, disability), and has the advantages of being short and easy to apply. It consists of six questions and each question is scored between 0 and 10. Higher scores indicate worse results.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Nine-Hole Peg Test
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
It is a standardized, valid and reliable test that measures upper extremity functions and motor speed, consisting of nine cylindrical wooden sticks and a board with nine round holes. Individuals are asked to quickly take 9 wooden sticks from the box they are in, place them in the holes randomly without observing the order, quickly take them out of the holes without waiting and place them back in the box. The total time that elapses while the individuals insert and remove the sticks from the holes is recorded with a stopwatch in seconds.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Gross Grip Strength
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Gross grip strength will be measured with a Jamar® digital hand dynamometer. The gross grip strength measurement will be performed in the standard measurement position recommended by the American Hand Therapists Association, with the patient sitting in a chair without elbow support, the arm in adduction and neutral rotation, the elbow in 90-degree flexion, and the forearm and wrist in a neutral position. The test will be repeated 3 times. The average of the 3 tests will be taken.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Pinch Grip Strength
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Pinch grip strength will be measured with a Jamar® digital pinchmeter. The pinch grip strength measurement position will be performed with the patient sitting in a chair without elbow support, the arm in adduction and neutral rotation, the elbow in 90 degrees flexion, the forearm in 90 degrees supination, and the wrist in a neutral position. The test will be repeated 3 times. The average of the 3 tests will be taken.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Upper Extremity Strenght
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
The strength of individuals' shoulder flexor, extensor, abductor, adductor and rotator muscles, elbow flexor and extensor muscles, wrist flexor and extensor muscles will be evaluated with a sphygmomanometer. The evaluation will be carried out with the protocol of the person being measured applying maximum force against the device while the person measuring holds the sphygmomanometer steady.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Semmes-Weinstein Monofilament Test
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
It is a test used to evaluate light touch sensation in individuals. Monofilaments contain different values from 1.65 to 6.65. Monofilaments between 1.65 and 2.83 are interpreted as normal sensation, while an increase in the perceived thickness indicates a sensory defect. The test will be applied to the C3-C8 dermatomes on both upper extremities. The evaluation will start with the 2.83 monofilament, which is considered optimal, and 3 strokes, each lasting 3 seconds, will be applied to each point with the monofilament. Individuals will be asked to give the answer "I felt it". If individuals respond, a lower monofilament will be applied, and if no response is received, a higher monofilament will be applied and the test will be continued.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
Cervical Endurance Test
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks
To assess the endurance of the cervical flexors, individuals perform cervical flexion while lying on their back in a chin position, and the time they maintain this position is recorded in seconds. To assess the endurance of the cervical extensors, individuals attempt to maintain a neutral neck position while lying on their stomach with their head hanging off the bed, and the time they maintain this position is recorded in seconds. The test is terminated when the head position changes in the direction of flexion or extension, or when individuals want to stop the test.
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 7 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University

Collaborators

Pamukkale University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 15, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

December 21, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

December 21, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 17, 2024

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 5, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

January 10, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 9, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 6, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • GO 2023/97

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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