Can targeted pressure and simple exercises ease stubborn neck pain?

NCT ID NCT07685418

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jul 06, 2026 · Last updated Jul 07, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study investigates whether a technique called ischemic compression—where a therapist applies gradual pressure to tender spots in neck muscles—combined with a home exercise program can reduce pain and improve quality of life in people with chronic non-specific neck pain. Half of the 52 participants will receive both the pressure treatment and exercises, while the other half will do exercises only. The goal is to see if the combination offers better relief than exercise alone.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
ischemic compression (manual pressure on trigger points)
What this could lead to
If effective, this combined approach could offer a simple, non-drug way to manage chronic neck pain and improve daily function.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early-stage trial with only 52 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The treatment may cause temporary discomfort and might not outperform home exercise alone.

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

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

About 52 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

May 2026

Expected to finish

Jul 2026

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

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

17 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

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

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals aged between 18 and 65 years. * Diagnosis of non-specific neck pain for at least 3 months. * Diagnosis of non-specific neck pain for at least 3 months. * Voluntarily agreeing to participate and signing the informed consent form. Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of specific causes of neck pain (cervical disc herniation, radiculopathy, spinal stenosis, tumor, infection, rheumatic diseases, etc.). * Having undergone surgical intervention in the neck region within the last 6 months. * History of neurological disease. * History of surgery in the cervical or thoracic vertebrae. * Presence of impaired skin integrity in the application area.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Musculoskeletal Pain myofascial pain syndrome Neck Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

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  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • SZ Clinic Physical Therapy, Dietetics and Health Services Center

    RECRUITING

    Istanbul, Bakırköy, 34140, Turkey (Türkiye)

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