Shockwaves could soothe stiff necks

NCT ID NCT07266272

Symptom relief Sponsor: Benha University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether adding extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) to standard exercises helps people with chronic mechanical neck pain. Fifty-two adults aged 18 to 29 with neck pain lasting over three months took part. The goal was to see if ESWT improves pain, pressure tolerance, neck movement, and function.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) plus exercise
What this could lead to: If it works, this could offer a non-drug option to ease chronic neck pain and improve neck movement.
What could go wrong: This is a small, completed trial with 52 people. The results may not apply to everyone, and the benefits might be modest.

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

52 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jul 2023

Finished

Mar 2024

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 29 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: 1. The patients (both males and females) with chronic non-specific neck pain for more than three months. 2. The patient's age is between 18 and 29 years old. 3. The patient has at least one taut band at the upper fibers of the trapezius as described in assessment procedures. 4. patient's numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) was 3 to 8 out of 10 Exclusion Criteria: 1. Were treated for neck or shoulder pain during the last three months. 2. Had a neck or shoulder operation during the last two years. 3. Had any structural pathology of the cervical spine, such as disk prolapse, spinal stenosis, or cervical spondylosis. 4. Had a traumatic history, instability, and spasmodic torticollis. 5. Had cardiovascular, respiratory, or allergic disease or neck osteoarthritis. 6. Had homeostatic disorders. 7. Fibromyalgia, shoulder diseases (tendonitis, bursitis, capsulitis). 8. Inflammatory rheumatic diseases. 9. Severe psychiatric illness and other diseases that restrict physical loading, and pregnancy (Salo et al., 2010). 10. Patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency and vertigo.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Neck Pain

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Cervical pain, posterior Extracorporeal shock wave therapy Mechanical neck pain Neck pain Neck pain musculoskeletal Pain threshold

Shockwaves could soothe stiff necks

What the study statuses mean