Effectiveness of LASER Therapy and PNF Technique in Neck Pain

April 27, 2026 updated by: Istanbul Gedik University

Low-Intensity Laser Therapy Versus Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation for Pain and Disability in Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of low-intensity laser therapy, a photobiomodulation treatment, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation on pain and disability in individuals with non-specific neck pain. This randomized controlled trial used the Numerical Pain Scale (primary outcome) and the Bournemouth Neck Pain Questionnaire to assess pain, a manual algometer to assess pain threshold, and the Neck Disability Index to assess disability. Three groups were included in this randomized controlled trial: Group 1: Photobiomodulation therapy (low-intensity laser therapy) + conventional physiotherapy; Group 2: Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation with stretching and strengthening + conventional physiotherapy; Group 3: Conventional physiotherapy only. We hypothesized that low-intensity laser therapy and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation would have distinct effects on pain and disability in chronic non-specific neck pain.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

75

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:

  • Volunteering to participate in the study
  • A neck pain score of at least 3 on the Numerical Pain Scale in the assessment conducted prior to inclusion in the study
  • A Neck Disability Index score of 5 or higher
  • No comorbid conditions affecting the orthopaedic, neurological or cardiopulmonary systems
  • Participants who have not been enrolled in another clinical trial within the last month

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals who have undergone upper limb surgery (e.g. shoulder blade, shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist, etc.) within the last year
  • Individuals with a pacemaker or subcutaneous implant
  • Pregnant women or women who have recently given birth
  • Use of antidepressants, anti-inflammatory drugs or anxiolytics within the last 6 months

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: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Low-intensity Laser Therapy Group
Low-intensity Laser Therapy + Conventional Physiotherapy
Device: Low-intensity Laser Therapy Treatment
Low-dose laser therapy was administered twice a week for a total of 10 sessions using a Chattanoga Advance device, at a power of 100 mW and an energy dose of 4 J/cm², with each trigger point receiving treatment plus four additional points marked with a cross (Legouté et al. 2019).
Other Names:
  • Low-level laser therapy
  • Photobiomodulation therapy
  • Low-dose laser therapy
Other: Conventional physiotherapy
Conventional physiotherapy involved traditional heat therapy, pain-relieving electrical stimulation and neck exercises.
Experimental: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Group
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Technique + + Conventional Physiotherapy
Other: Conventional physiotherapy
Conventional physiotherapy involved traditional heat therapy, pain-relieving electrical stimulation and neck exercises.
Other: Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Technique
Stretching and strengthening exercises were performed twice a week for a total of 10 sessions on the scalene, sternocleidomastoid, trapezius, pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, intercostal and serratus anterior muscles, and three times a week for 10 minutes (including the neck extensors). The specific method involved the 'hold-release' technique for 10 repetitions of PNF stretching and the maximum isometric contraction technique for strengthening (Liu et al. 2021; Cruz-Montecinos et al. 2017).
Other Names:
  • PNF
Active Comparator: Control Group
Conventional physiotherapy
Other: Conventional physiotherapy
Conventional physiotherapy involved traditional heat therapy, pain-relieving electrical stimulation and neck exercises.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Numerical Pain Scale
Time Frame: at baseline and week 5
It was used to assess neck pain. Pain is assessed using a rating scale of 1-10. Higher scores indicate more severe pain.
at baseline and week 5

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pressure-Pain Threshold Measurement
Time Frame: at baseline and week 5
A manual algometer was used to assess the pain threshold. The pain threshold increases as the amount of pressure applied increases in kilograms.
at baseline and week 5
The Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire
Time Frame: at baseline and week 5
The study was used to assess the severity of neck pain, functional limitations, and biopsychosocial factors. This indicates that neck pain has a greater impact on the person's life (high level of limitation/pain).
at baseline and week 5
The Neck Disability Index
Time Frame: at baseline and week 5
It was used to examine disability. An increase in the score means an increase in disability.
at baseline and week 5

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Istanbul Gedik University

Collaborators

Medipol 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)

February 5, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

March 28, 2026

Study Completion (Actual)

March 28, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 20, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

May 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 27, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • E-56365223-050.02.04-2023.1375

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

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.

Clinical Trials on Non Specific Neck Pain

Clinical Trials on Low-intensity Laser Therapy Treatment

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Papua New Guinea

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe