Could a simple massage tool boost the benefits of posture exercises?
NCT ID NCT07702604
First seen Jul 14, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 3 times
Summary
This study looks at whether adding instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) — a type of massage using special tools — to a corrective exercise program can improve neck movement, strength, and posture in people with Upper-Crossed Syndrome. Upper-Crossed Syndrome is a common postural problem involving a forward head and rounded shoulders, often causing neck pain. The trial will compare two groups: one doing exercises alone and one doing exercises plus IASTM, over six weeks.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Instrument-Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) plus a Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Program (CCEP)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a more effective non-drug treatment for Upper-Crossed Syndrome, reducing neck pain and improving posture.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 60 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The added benefit of IASTM over exercise alone may be small or absent.
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 48 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
Jul 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Nov 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
-
18 to 40 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 Hide 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: * Age between 18-40 years * Both males and females * Diagnosed with Upper-Crossed Syndrome * Presence of forward head posture and rounded shoulders * Chronic neck pain related to postural dysfunction Exclusion Criteria: * History of cervical spine surgery or fracture * Neurological conditions (e.g., radiculopathy, myelopathy) * Systemic musculoskeletal disorders (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) * Current physiotherapy treatment for neck pain * Skin conditions preventing IASTM application
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Postural dysfunction are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
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.
-
The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
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
-
Ghurki Trust Teaching Hospital
Lahore, Punjab Province, 53400, Pakistan
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can special exercises outperform education for posture pain?
- Which exercise fixes rounded shoulders and forward head better?
- Can dry cupping and muscle energy fix rounded shoulders and forward head posture?
- Study probes hidden links between neck awareness and balance in slouching students
- Which exercise eases upper crossed syndrome pain better? new study aims to find out
- Pilates for posture: new study targets slouching and pain in school kids