Could neck pain weaken breathing muscles? ultrasound study investigates

NCT ID NCT07782099

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Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
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By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
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The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
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Cancelled before anyone took part.

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Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
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Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
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First seen Aug 24, 2026 · Last updated Aug 25, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study uses ultrasound to examine the size and function of breathing-related muscles—like the diaphragm and neck muscles—in people with chronic non-specific neck pain, comparing them to healthy individuals. The goal is to see if these muscles differ and whether they relate to breathing strength and lung function. By understanding these connections, the study may help improve how neck pain is assessed and treated.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Ultrasonography (diagnostic imaging) of diaphragm, anterior scalene, upper trapezius, and sternocleidomastoid muscles
What this could lead to
If this study finds clear differences in breathing muscles, it could lead to better assessment and treatment strategies for chronic neck pain, potentially improving respiratory function.
What could go wrong
This is a small, early observational study with only 10 participants, so findings may not apply broadly. It does not test any treatment, so it cannot prove cause and effect.

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.

Participants

About 10 people

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

Started

Jun 2026

Expected to finish

Dec 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.

Who is studied

The study population will consist of adults aged 18 to 65 years. The case group will include individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain lasting at least 3 months, while the control group will consist of age-matched healthy volunteers without neck pain during the previous 3 months. Participants will be recruited from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinic and the surrounding community.

Ages

18 to 65 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

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 Chronic Non-Specific Neck Pain Group: * Age between 18 and 65 years * Presence of chronic non-specific neck pain for at least 3 months * Non-traumatic origin of neck pain * Pain intensity ≥ 3 on the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) or Visual Analog Scale (VAS) * Neck Disability Index (NDI) score ≥ 15 * Willingness to participate and provide informed consent Healthy Control Group: * Age between 18 and 65 years * No neck pain during the previous 3 months * Not receiving any treatment related to the cervical region * Willingness to participate and provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria (Both Groups): * History of whiplash injury or cervical trauma * Previous cervical spine surgery * Cervical radiculopathy or neurological deficits * Chronic respiratory diseases (e.g., COPD, asthma) * Active respiratory tract infection * Thoracic or abdominal surgery within the previous 6 months * Rheumatologic, neuromuscular, or systemic inflammatory disorders * Pregnancy * Physiotherapy treatment for neck pain within the previous 3 months * Regular respiratory muscle training or breathing exercises within the previous 3 months * Inability to comply with study procedures or assessments

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Respiratory Aspiration

As listed by the trial registrant

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

How to take part

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  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

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Derince Training and Research Hospital

    RECRUITING

    Kocaeli, Derince, 41000, Turkey (Türkiye)

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