Effects of a Multimodal Telerehabilitation Program in Patients With Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain.

Effects of a Multimodal Telerehabilitation Program in Patients With Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain: Randomized Clinical Trial.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical results in pain intensity, neck disability, range of motion, endurance deep cervical muscles, forward head position and kinesiophobia through thoracic spine mobility, deep neck muscles and thoracic strength training and pain education protocol versus a thoracic spine mobility, thoracic strength training and pain education protocol in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Chronic Neck Pain; Non-specific Neck Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Thoracic and neck specific exercise program and education; Other: Thoracic exercise program and education

Detailed Description

The cervical spine is the most mobile region of the spine and must be strong enough to support the weight of the skull and thoracic spine is the most stiff region. In addition, patients often catastrophize their pain, it has a major impact on quality of life. Strength deficits of the deep cervical muscles are related to different clinical conditions, such as non-specific neck pain. Training and education protocols can help to improve pain, function, posture and cross-sectional area. However, there are no multimodal protocols in subjects with chronic non-specific neck pain including deep neck extensor and flexor muscles, thoracic spine mobility and pain education.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 54
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Daniel Pantaleon-Hernandez; Phone Number: +34 669322784; Email: daniel.pantaleon@uic.es

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain
    • Universitat Internacional de Cataluña
    • Contact: Universitat Internacional de Cataluña; Phone Number: 935042000; Email: nnogales@uic.es

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Non-specific neck pain for at least the last 12 weeks.
• Pain intensity equal to or greater than 4 on the visual analog scale (VAS).
• Mild-moderate disability in the Neck Disability Index.
• Not reaching phase 2 in Craniocervical flexion test.
• Availability and skill to do video calls.
• Understanding Spanish.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Other type of neck pain.
• Previous neck surgery.
• Diagnosed metabolic diseases.
• Red flags (infection, tumors, rheumatic arthritis, or cardiovascular disease).
• History of cardio-respiratory disease that contraindicates high-intensity exercise.
• Fibromyalgia
• Pregnancy
• Physiotherapeuthic treatment continued in the last 3 month.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental group; Thoracic spine mobility, deep cervical flexor and extensor muscles strength training, thoracic muscles strength training and pain education through telerehabilitation.	Other: Thoracic and neck specific exercise program and education; Thoracic spine mobility, deep cervical flexor and extensor muscles strength training, thoracic muscles strength training and pain education through telerehabilitation.
Active Comparator: Control group; Thoracic spine mobility, thoracic muscles strength training and pain education through telerehabilitation.	Other: Thoracic exercise program and education; Thoracic spine mobility, thoracic muscles strength training and pain education through telerehabilitation.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Pain intensity	Measured by Visual Analogue Scale.	Baseline, 6 weeks, 1 month follow-up
Neck Disability	Measured by the Spanish version of Neck Disability Index Questionnaire.	Baseline, 6 weeks, 1 month follow-up

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Activation of deep neck flexors muscles.	Measured by Cranio-cervical flexion test	Baseline, 6 weeks, 1 month follow-up
Forward head posture	Measured by craniovertebral angle.	Baseline, 6 weeks, 1 month follow-up
Cervical range of motion	Measured by CROM(Cervical Range-of-Motion Instrument). Cervical flexion, extension, right/left side bending and right/left rotation.	Baseline, 6 weeks, 1 month follow-up
Kinesiophobia	Measured with Spanish version of Tampa Scale	Baseline, 6 weeks, 1 month follow-up
Global Rating of Change	Measured by Global Rating of Change Scale	1 month follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Universitat Internacional de Catalunya
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Daniel Pantaleon-Hernandez, Universitat Internacional de Cataluña

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): December 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2025
• First Posted (Estimated): December 3, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 3, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Telerehabilitation; Exercise therapy; Pain education; Chronic neck pain; Neck muscles
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Socioeconomic Factors; Population Characteristics; Educational Status
• Other Study ID Numbers: FIS-2024-009

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No