MANUAL THERAPY ON PAIN, DISABILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE

March 20, 2026 updated by: Ozden Baskan, Istanbul Rumeli University

THE EFFECT OF MANUAL THERAPY ON PAIN, DISABILITY AND QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC MECHANICAL NECK PAIN

The aim of this study is to investigate whether conventional physical therapy combined with manual therapy reduces pain and maintains life support in individuals with chronic mechanical neck pain, compared to conventional physical therapy alone. The study plans to evaluate the combined benefits of both treatment methods and manual therapy. Pain, quality of life, range of motion, and neck injuries will be assessed in the participants. The treatment protocol will be administered twice a week, for a total of 10 sessions over a 5-week period.

Study Overview

Status

Enrolling by invitation

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

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

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
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • • Being between 18-65 years of age

    • Having neck pain that has lasted for at least three months
    • Having a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of at least 3

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Patients not aged 18-60 years

    • Pregnant women or those suspected of being pregnant
    • Individuals with acute inflammatory diseases
    • Individuals with neurological deficits
    • Individuals with a positive vertebrobasilar artery test
    • Individuals with advanced osteoporosis
    • Individuals who have undergone spinal surgery
    • Individuals who have received an injection in the cervical region within the last 3 months
    • Individuals with any neurological or psychiatric disorders

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: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Physical Therapy
Conventional physical therapy includes transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), infrared device application, and exercise programs.
Other: Physical therapy
Traditional physiotherapy includes transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), infrared device application, and exercise programs.
Experimental: Physical therapy and Manual therapy
Cervical region mobilization techniques include bridging, cervical manual traction, rotation with traction, lateral flexion with traction, antero-posterior sliding and lateral sliding techniques with traction. Prior to joint mobilization techniques, bilaterally, soft tissue techniques including myofascial release techniques and ischemic compression will be applied to the cervical paravertebral muscles, upper and middle trapezius, levator scapula, sternocleidomastoid (SCM), anterior-medius posterior scalene muscles, deep and superficial fascia to reduce muscle spasm in the soft tissues and relax the cervical muscles. Transverse friction massage will be applied to the occipital attachment points of the semispinalis capitis and splenius capitis muscles.
Other: Physical therapy and manual therapy
Cervical region mobilization techniques include bridging, cervical manual traction, rotation with traction, lateral flexion with traction, antero-posterior sliding and lateral sliding techniques with traction. Prior to joint mobilization techniques, bilaterally, soft tissue techniques including myofascial release techniques and ischemic compression will be applied to the cervical paravertebral muscles, upper and middle trapezius, levator scapula, sternocleidomastoid (SCM), anterior-medius posterior scalene muscles, deep and superficial fascia to reduce muscle spasm in the soft tissues and relax the cervical muscles. Transverse friction massage will be applied to the occipital attachment points of the semispinalis capitis and splenius capitis muscles.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain Assessment
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)
Visual Pain Scale
Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)
Range of motion
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)
The data will be recorded in the range of motion assessment section of the patient evaluation form. While the participant is in a seated position, the measurement results of active flexion, extension, right and left rotation, right and left lateral flexion movements of the cervical region will be recorded.
Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)
Disability
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)
Bournemoth Neck :The BDI consists of 10 categories: neck pain intensity, personal care, lifting, reading, headache, concentration, work, driving, sleep, and leisure activities. Individuals included in the study were asked to rate each category between 0 (no disability) and 5 (complete disability) (Vernon, 2008). The total score ranged from 0 (no disability) to 50 (complete disability).
Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)
quality of life
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)

The SF-36 Quality of Life Scale consists of 36 items assessed across 8 separate subscales.

Physical function, social function, general health, fitness, mental health, pain, and physical and emotional role limitations are the subscales of the SF-36.

Each subscale can be scored between 0 and 100.
Baseline and at the end of treatment (week 5)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Istanbul Rumeli University

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 (Estimated)

March 15, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

May 1, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

May 10, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 20, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 20, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

March 27, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 27, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 20, 2026

Last Verified

March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • E-53938333-050-55608

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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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