Neck rub may steady your step, study suggests
NCT ID NCT07670819
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 30, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether a 4-minute gentle pressure technique on the small muscles at the base of the skull can improve balance in healthy adults aged 18 to 35. Researchers will measure how steady participants stand before and after the technique, comparing it to a placebo where the therapist simply rests hands on the collarbone. The goal is to see if relaxing these deep neck muscles can help the body control posture more efficiently.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- suboccipital inhibition technique (manual therapy)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple manual therapy to improve balance in healthy people.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage study in healthy young adults, so results may not apply to older people or those with balance disorders. The placebo group also receives hands-on contact, which may reduce the apparent effect.
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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About 74 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Jul 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Sep 2026
An estimate. End dates often move.
- 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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18 to 35 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
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: * Healthy individuals (defined by the absence of the exclusion criteria listed below) * Aged between 18 and 35 years * Signed informed consent form Exclusion Criteria: * Recent history of falls * History of spinal or foot surgery * Cervical fractures * Known postural instability * Suspected neurovascular compromise * Neurological deficits * Neurological or vestibular disorders * Use of medication or substances that may affect the nervous system * Osteopathy students from the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th academic years
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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.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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