Can a quick neck stretch boost shoulder power in athletes?
NCT ID NCT06903793
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026
Summary
This study looked at whether a single quick stretch to the neck can improve neck and shoulder movement and shoulder strength in college athletes who play overhead sports like baseball or volleyball. Twenty athletes received the neck manipulation, and researchers measured their range of motion and strength before and after. The goal was to see if this simple technique could help athletes perform better or reduce injury risk.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cervical manipulation (a quick stretch technique to the neck)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple technique to improve shoulder mobility and strength in athletes who rely on overhead motions.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small, early study with only 20 participants and no control group. Results may not apply to other populations or real sports performance.
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
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20 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2025
- Finished
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May 2025
- 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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18 years and older
- 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.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years old and above * Current overhead college athlete * No mental health considerations such as generalized anxiety disorder, PTSD, and schizophrenia Exclusion Criteria: * Upper extremity surgery in the last year * Current shoulder pain * Current neck pain * Recent episodes of vertigo, dizziness, and migraines * Recent motor vehicle accident * History of cardiovascular disease such as hypertension, heart attack, stroke, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, arrhythmias, heart valve disease, congenital heart defects, and aortic aneurysm * Fear or unwillingness to undergo cervical manipulation
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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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Sacred Heart University
Fairfield, Connecticut, 06825, United States
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