Hands-On neck therapy: which technique works best?
NCT ID NCT07164963
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested two different hands-on treatments for people with mechanical neck pain and forward head posture. 45 adults were split into three groups: one received upper cervical mobilization, one received a muscle energy technique, and one got standard physical therapy alone. All treatments were given three times a week for four weeks. Researchers measured pain, neck movement, posture, and daily function before and after treatment to see which approach helped most.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- manual therapy (upper cervical translatoric mobilization or sub occipital muscle energy technique)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could show that specific manual therapy techniques are more effective than standard physical therapy for reducing neck pain and improving posture.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed trial with only 45 participants. Results may not apply to everyone with neck pain, and the benefits may be modest or not last long-term.
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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45 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Sep 2025
- Finished
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Dec 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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20 to 60 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
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: * patients aged from 20-60 Years * suffering from M echanical neck pain with Craniovertebral angle ; \< 53 * their NDI ranging from 30-48% \[9\]. Patients were excluded from the study if they have injury or trauma to cervical region, spinal surgery, cervical canal stenosis, radicular pain and malignancy. Exclusion Criteria: * Patients were excluded from the study if they have injury or trauma to cervical region, spinal surgery, cervical canal stenosis, radicular pain and malignancy.
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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
-
Faculty of Physical Therapy, Benha University
Cairo, Benha, Egypt
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Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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