Can a simple stretching technique outshine a Tool-Based massage for stubborn neck pain?
NCT ID NCT07720544
First seen Jul 22, 2026 · Last updated Jul 23, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests two non-drug treatments for trapezius myalgia—a condition causing pain and tightness in the upper back and neck muscles. One group receives instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM), a technique using tools to massage and break up muscle knots. The other group performs post-isometric relaxation (PIR), a gentle stretching method. Researchers are measuring whether either approach better reduces pain, improves neck movement, and helps with daily activities in adults aged 25 to 35.
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) and post-isometric relaxation (PIR) techniques
- What this could lead to
- If one technique proves superior, it could offer a more effective, drug-free option for managing chronic neck pain and stiffness.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 48 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Both techniques are manual therapies and may not work for all individuals.
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
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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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48 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Apr 2025
- Finished
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Jun 2026
- 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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25 to 35 years
- 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: * Individuals aged 25 to 35 experiencing trapezius myalgia, * both men and women who report neck pain and stiffness, * Limited range of motion in lateral neck bending and rotational movement. * Presence of identifiable tender areas or trigger points within the trapezius muscle, Evidence of muscle tightness observed during mobility assessments, such as when performing lateral head tilt. * A firm band of muscle tissue containing a hypersensitive point, often with a palpable nodule and potential for radiating discomfort. Exclusion Criteria: * Traumatic injury to the neck causing torticollis, * Tumor affecting the upperportion of the trapezius muscle, * Cervical nerverootirritation or damage, Break in one or more cervical vertebrae, * Impairment of nervous system function, * Swelling and hypersensitivity reactions in the skin, * Abnormal spinal curvature and birth-related structural defects.
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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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Arif memorial teaching hospital
Lahore, Punjab Province, 54000, Pakistan
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