Gentle manual therapy shows promise for fibromyalgia pain relief
NCT ID NCT07421609
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether adding a gentle manual therapy called strain counterstrain to standard physiotherapy helps women with fibromyalgia feel better. 105 women were split into three groups: one got standard care, another got standard care plus the therapy, and a control group got no treatment. Researchers measured pain, fatigue, mood, and quality of life before and after three weeks of daily sessions.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Strain counterstrain therapy (a gentle manual therapy technique)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a simple, drug-free way to ease pain and fatigue for women with fibromyalgia.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with 105 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The therapy is added to standard care, so its standalone benefit is unclear.
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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105 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Oct 2024
- 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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Children (under 18), adults (18 to 64) and older adults (65 and over)
- Sex
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Female participants only
- 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.
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: * Female participants aged within the predefined study age range * Diagnosis of fibromyalgia according to established clinical criteria * Ability to participate in treatment sessions and assessments * Willingness to participate and provide informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Those in menopause or postmenstrual period, * Those with psychiatric, neurological and/or chronic progressive systemic disease, * Those with immunodeficiency, * Those with heart, kidney, or liver failure, * Those receiving any pharmacological treatment, * Those with health issues preventing participation in the treatment programmes, * Pregnant patients were excluded from the study.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Inonu University Turgut Ozal Medical Center
Malatya, 4400, Turkey (Türkiye)
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