Hands-On therapy showdown: which muscle technique eases shoulder pain best?

NCT ID NCT07403227

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tested two manual therapy techniques—Muscle Energy Technique and Modified Active Release Technique—in 46 adults with scapulocostal syndrome, a condition causing pain around the shoulder blade. Participants received one of the two treatments over several sessions. Researchers measured pain levels, chest expansion, and neck disability before and after treatment to see which technique worked better.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Muscle Energy Technique and Modified Active Release Technique
What this could lead to
If one technique proves better, it could offer a more effective hands-on therapy option for reducing pain and improving movement in people with scapulocostal syndrome.
What could go wrong
This is a small, completed trial with only 46 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The techniques are manual therapies, not drugs, so effects are modest and depend on the therapist's skill.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Neck Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • AAHAD Hospital Sialkot.

    Sialkot, Punjab Province, 51310, Pakistan

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