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Can zapping muscles boost back pain relief?

NCT ID NCT07821021

Symptom relief Sponsor: University of Hartford Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
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 Results may not be published yet.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This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.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 Sep 15, 2026 · Last updated Sep 16, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

Researchers at the University of Hartford are testing whether adding high-intensity electromyostimulation (Hi-EMS) to TECAR therapy, a treatment that uses electrical energy to warm tissue, helps adults with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Participants receive both TECAR alone and TECAR plus Hi-EMS in random order, with a week between sessions. The team measures pain at rest, pain during a sit-to-stand test, pressure pain threshold, and functional performance before and after each session.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
TECAR therapy with or without high-intensity electromyostimulation
What this could lead to
If adding Hi-EMS helps, it could give physical therapists a stronger non-drug option for easing chronic low back pain and improving movement.
What could go wrong
This is a small, short-term study of 37 people, so any benefits may be modest or fade, and results may not apply to other back pain patients. Electrical therapies can cause skin irritation or discomfort.

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 37 people

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

Expected to start

Oct 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Feb 2027

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

21 to 60 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: * 21 to 60 years old * chronic nonspecific low back pain * minimum pain intensity of 3 on a 0-10 scale * be able to provide consent and comply with study procedures Exclusion criteria: * spinal fracture * tumor * radiculopathy * neurological or vascular condition * pregnancy * cardiac pacemaker or other implanted device * skin disorder or allergy * altered sensation in the treatment area * active or recent hemorrhage * cognitive impairments * liniments or heat rubs immediately before a study session * treatment for low back within the previous 6 weeks * currently receiving disability benefits because of low back pain * current or pending litigation related to low back pain

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Back Pain Hyperthermia

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) Non specific chronic low back pain

How to take part

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  1. 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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  2. A doctor treating you

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