Scapular Muscle Strengthening Combined With Core Stabilization Exercises in Telephone Operators With Neck Pain

Scapular muscle strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises is an effective intervention for reducing neck pain in telephone operators. Prolonged sitting, forward head posture, and repetitive upper-limb use in this population often lead to scapular dyskinesis and poor trunk control, increasing cervical spine stress. Strengthening the scapular stabilizers (such as the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) improves shoulder girdle alignment and reduces overload on cervical muscles. When combined with core stabilization exercises, which enhance trunk stability and postural control, overall biomechanical efficiency is improved. This combined approach has been shown to decrease pain intensity, improve neck function, enhance posture, and reduce work-related musculoskeletal strain in telephone operators with neck pain.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Work-related Neck Pain
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Scapular Muscle Strengthening Combined with Core Stabilization Exercises; Other: Conventional Neck Exercise Program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• 1. Aged between 20 and 60 years(Kang, Im, & Kim, 2021) 2. Both male and female(Hetaimish et al., 2024) 3. Sitting job during an 8-hour shift and worked telephone, and documents.(Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, & Varmazyar, 2023) 4. Employed 6 months ago 5. The patients included in this study if they have CVA equal or less than 50(Abd El-Azeim et al., 2022) 6. Neck pain with mild neck disability (NDI score 5-15)(Pawaria, Sudhan, & Kalra, 2019) 7. A score of 4-7 for the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)(Kang et al., 2021)

Exclusion Criteria:

• 1. History of traumatic cervical spine injuries ,Inflammatory arthropathy 2. Infectious spondylitis, severe osteoporosis, cervical disc protrusion, cervical spine fractures or dislocations, previous cervical surgery, and intractable migraines.(Tian et al., 2025a) 3. intermittent neck pain, transient neck pain or any radiation of the pain to the upper extremity (neurological origin of the pain)

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: Scapular Strengthening + Core Stabilization Group; Participants in this arm will receive a structured exercise program consisting of scapular muscle strengthening (targeting the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) combined with core stabilization exercises. The intervention will be supervised and performed over the defined treatment period, with sessions conducted multiple times per week. The program aims to improve postural control, reduce cervical spine load, and decrease neck pain intensity while enhancing functional outcomes.	Other: Scapular Muscle Strengthening Combined with Core Stabilization Exercises; This intervention consists of a structured therapeutic exercise program focusing on strengthening the scapular stabilizing muscles (including the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) combined with core stabilization exercises targeting the deep abdominal and lumbar muscles. The program is designed to improve postural alignment, enhance trunk and shoulder girdle stability, and reduce mechanical stress on the cervical spine. Exercises are performed under supervision with progressive intensity over the intervention period. The intervention is specifically tailored for telephone operators experiencing work-related neck pain.; Other: Conventional Neck Exercise Program; This intervention consists of conventional physiotherapy exercises commonly used for the management of work-related neck pain. The program includes cervical range-of-motion exercises, stretching of neck and shoulder muscles, and basic isometric strengthening of the cervical musculature. No specific scapular muscle strengthening or core stabilization exercises are included. The exercises are supervised and performed according to standard clinical practice guidelines for neck pain management, serving as a comparator to evaluate the added effects of scapular strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises.
Active Comparator: Conventional Exercise / Control Group; Participants in this arm will receive conventional neck exercises, including cervical range-of-motion, stretching, and basic strengthening exercises commonly prescribed for work-related neck pain. No specific scapular strengthening or core stabilization exercises will be included. This group serves as a comparison to evaluate the additional effects of combined scapular and core stabilization training.	Other: Scapular Muscle Strengthening Combined with Core Stabilization Exercises; This intervention consists of a structured therapeutic exercise program focusing on strengthening the scapular stabilizing muscles (including the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) combined with core stabilization exercises targeting the deep abdominal and lumbar muscles. The program is designed to improve postural alignment, enhance trunk and shoulder girdle stability, and reduce mechanical stress on the cervical spine. Exercises are performed under supervision with progressive intensity over the intervention period. The intervention is specifically tailored for telephone operators experiencing work-related neck pain.; Other: Conventional Neck Exercise Program; This intervention consists of conventional physiotherapy exercises commonly used for the management of work-related neck pain. The program includes cervical range-of-motion exercises, stretching of neck and shoulder muscles, and basic isometric strengthening of the cervical musculature. No specific scapular muscle strengthening or core stabilization exercises are included. The exercises are supervised and performed according to standard clinical practice guidelines for neck pain management, serving as a comparator to evaluate the added effects of scapular strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Neck Pain	Neck disability index	6 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Lahore

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): February 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 26, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 15, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 20, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 17, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: Umama Jabbar

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