Can a special massage technique beat standard physio for stiff necks?
NCT ID NCT07694102
First seen Jul 09, 2026 · Last updated Sep 02, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study tests whether adding a manual therapy called Integrated Neuromuscular Inhibition Technique (INIT) to standard neck mobilization provides greater relief for adults aged 30–60 with non-specific mechanical neck pain. Participants receive five sessions of either INIT plus mobilization or mobilization with conventional physiotherapy. Researchers measure pain, disability, and neck movement to see which approach works better.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Integrated Neuromuscular Inhibition Technique (INIT) — a manual therapy combining muscle energy, strain-counterstrain, and ischemic compression
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this approach could offer a better non-drug option for managing common neck pain and improving daily function.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 42 participants, so results may not apply widely. The technique requires a skilled therapist and may not work for everyone.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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42 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Jan 2026
- Finished
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Jul 2026
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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30 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 30 to 60 years. * Clinical diagnosis of non-specific mechanical neck pain. * Neck pain duration of less than 6 months. * Painful cervical extension and rotation. * Negative Sharp-Purser test. * Negative vertebral artery insufficiency test. * No history of whiplash injury. * Able and willing to provide written informed consent and comply with the study protocol Exclusion Criteria: * Specific causes of neck pain (e.g., fracture, infection, tumor, inflammatory disease, or cervical myelopathy). * History of cervical spine surgery. * Positive Sharp-Purser test or vertebral artery insufficiency test. * History of whiplash injury. * Neurological disorders affecting the cervical spine or upper extremities. * Pregnancy. * Receipt of physiotherapy or manual therapy for neck pain within the previous 4 weeks. * Any medical condition that would prevent safe participation in the intervention or outcome assessment.
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As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Fauji Foundation Hospital
Islamabad, 44800, Pakistan