ClinicalTrials.gg
Status unknownNCT05428254Updated Jun 23, 2022

Radiofrequency Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain.

An interventional study of Capacitive and Resistive Radiofrequency therapy and Exercise therapy in Neck Pain, Posterior, sponsored by Umm Al-Qura University. Status unknown at 1 site in Saudi Arabia. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 50 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2022-06-23.

Sponsored by Umm Al-Qura University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

The sponsor has not verified this record recently (last verified Jun 2022), so the status shown — last known as Not yet recruiting — may be out of date.
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years to 50 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a major health problem affecting individuals with high prevalence and subsequent complications which interfere with the physical, personnel, and psychological status. The capacitive and resistive radiofrequency therapy (CRRT) is a relatively new treatment modality used in rehabilitation with no evidence on its efficacy on chronic neck pain.

Objective: The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of the CRRT alone or with manual therapy in the treatment of patients with patients with non-specific CNP.

Hypotheses Is the application of the CRRT when applied alone or with combination with manual therapy and exercises effective in decreasing pain and improving the function and strength in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain?? Methods: 60 patients will participle in the study. They will be recruited from the hospital in mecca, Saudi Arabia. They will be randomized into three groups. Group I will be treated with stretching exercises (EX) and manual therapy (Manual + EX group). Group II will be treated with CRRT plus exercises (CRRT+ EX group). Group III will be treated by EX plus manual therapy applied during CRRT for groups (Manual + CRRT+ EX group). For groups II and III, capacitive electrodes will be applied for five minutes. Then the resistive electrodes will be applied for 10 minutes and finally the capacitive will be applied again for another five minutes. Assessment of the neck pain, function, CROM, trigger points, neck muscle strength as well as neck angles will be performed. Measurement will be performed before, after 6 weeks, and 6 months of treatment as follow up measurements. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare between and within groups. The level of statistical significance is set as P\<0.05.

Read the detailed description

Chronic neck pain (CNP) is a major health problem affecting individuals with high prevalence 90.4 to 86.8% of the population) and comes secondary to low back pain. It exerts negative pressure on personnel, their families, and health organizations in addition to the decreases of workdays and productivity loss. CNP may be associated with referred pain, restricted range of motion, headache, presence of trigger points, dysfunction of the cervical musculature and presence of faulty posture.

Rehabilitation of patients with CNP may include the mechanical, electrical and /or, thermal modalities which are applied with the manual techniques and exercise therapy. The capacitive and resistive radiofrequency therapy (CRRT) is a long-wave diathermy with a long-lasting thermal effect used to decrease pain and muscle spasm in case of lumbago, fibromyalgia, and knee osteoarthritis.

Literature comparing the efficacy of each modality with exercise or with manual therapy. Previous literature used CRRT for only its thermal effect. The CRRT may combine the effect of thermal, electrical, and mechanical modalities as well as the effect of exercise and manual therapy with a new technique not used previously. This study is the first study using CRRT with a new technique which combines the effect of the CRRT with the manual therapy to treat patients with CNP.

Objective of the project:

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of the CRRT in the treatment of patients with non-specific CNP. The CRRT will be applied to the posterior neck and shoulder areas for two sessions per week for six weeks. CRRT will be applied alone or combined with manual therapy and stretching exercises.

  1. To investigate the short-term effect of the CRRT on the neck pain, function, and cervical range of motion (ROM), the pressure pain threshold of the trigger points trapezius upper fibers, neck muscle strength, and the neck angles.
  2. Compare the effect of CRRT alone to the combined effect of CRRT and manual therapy on the measured outcomes.
  3. To investigate the long-term effect of CRRT alone or combined with manual therapy on patients with non-specific CNP.

Hypotheses Is the application of the CRRT when applied alone or in combination with manual therapy and exercises effective in decreasing pain and improving the function and strength in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain??

Ethical Approval:

this protocol had an ethical approval from the Institute Review Board of biomedical research ethics committee, Umm Al-Qura University Makkah, Saudi Arabia A written consent form also will be provided for all participants.

02

Conditions studied

  • Neck Pain, Posterior

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03

In context

Neck Pain

1,259 studies on the registry are indexed under Neck Pain; 256 are open to participants now.

This study's planned enrollment of 60 is above the median of 52 across 1,026 interventional studies indexed under Neck Pain.

Browse Neck Pain studies →

Lead sponsor

Umm Al-Qura University is the lead sponsor of 46 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 50 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patients with chronic neck pain.
  2. Age is above 18 years.
  3. patients had chronic pain ≥ 3 months,
  4. The radiological examination showed that the patients is free from any discogenic cause of pain.
  5. Patients are willing to stop medications.
  6. Patients accepted to assign informed consent to participate in the current study and will attend the lab twice a week for six successive weeks.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. They have any known significant medical conditions such as hypertension, asthma, cardiac disease, or systemic disease that adversely affect them during testing.
  2. Previous neck surgery/injection for the last six months.
  3. Previous vertebral fracture or malignancy.
  4. Patients have a discogenic pain or any other radicular manifestation to the upper limb.
  5. Unable to commit study requirements.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Quadruple (Participant, Care provider, Investigator, Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    Exercise and Manual therapy

    Group I will be treated with stretching exercises (EX), manual therapy (EX group) and serves as a control group. Stretching of the neck extensor, upper fibers of trapezius, levator scapulae and scalenus muscles. stretching is applied for at least 15 seconds and repeated ten times in each session. Mobilization of the facet joint of the cervical vertebrae is performed after neck exercises.

    Other: Exercise therapy

  • Active comparator
    Exercise and radiofrequency therapy

    Group II will be treated with capacitive and resistive radiofrequency therapy plus EX without manual therapy (CRRT+ EX group). In addition to neck stretching exercises, they will receive 20 minutes of CRRT. Both the capacitive and resistive electrodes. CRRT is applied by the INDIBA radiofrequency therapy. INDIBA radiofrequency therapy has a long wavelength diathermy with frequency of 488 KHz range. The integration of two operational modes capacitive electrode (CAP) and (RES), makes it possible to combine sub-thermal (electric) and thermal effects. Indiba radiofrequency has output frequency: 448kHz ± 1 kHz with Maximum output power in RES mode: 100 W and in CAP mode: 350 VA. Capacitive electrodes will be applied for five minutes. Then the resistive electrodes will be applied for 10 minutes and finally the capacitive will be applied again for another five minutes.

    Other: Capacitive and Resistive Radiofrequency therapy · Other: Exercise therapy

  • Active comparator
    Exercise, Manual and Radiofrequency therapy

    Patients in this group will receive the same program of exercises as in group one. in addition, patients will receive the CRRT as in group two and the mobilization of the facet joints of the cervical vertebrae is applied while applied the CRRT by a trained physiotherapist. The same protocol of mobilization is applied for group one and three.

    Other: Capacitive and Resistive Radiofrequency therapy · Other: Exercise therapy

Interventions

  • OtherCapacitive and Resistive Radiofrequency therapy

    TECAR or CRRT is electromagnetic waves produced by high frequency electrical current that are able to penetrate very deep and produce a long-lasting heat which stimulates the superficial and dep tissues and produce a potent long-lasting pain-relieving effect. Mild intensity of heat produced by the long wave diathermy may be used to promote proliferation (Hernández-Bule et al., 2014) and improve the vascularization of skin and muscles. The integration of two operational modes, Capacitive (CAP) and Resistive (RES), makes it possible to combine sub-thermal (electric) and thermal effects. Indiba radiofrequency has output frequency: 448kHz ± 1 kHz with Maximum output power in RES mode: 100 W and in CAP mode: 350 VA. The capacitive used an isolated metal coated electrode acts as a dielectric surface which concentrate the electrical charges near the capacitive electrode While the resistive electrode causing the diffusion of electrical charges which accumulate near bone and soft tissues.

    Also known as: Transfer Electrical Capacitive And Resistive (TECAR therapy)

  • OtherExercise therapy

    Stretching of the neck extensor, upper fibers of trapezius, levator scapulae and scalenus muscles. stretching is applied for at least 15 seconds and repeated ten times in each session.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain intensity

    The pain will be measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). This scale is a 10-centimeter drawn line.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed before treatment.

  2. Pain intensity

    The pain will be measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). This scale is a 10-centimeter drawn line.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 6 weeks of treatment.

  3. Pain intensity

    The pain will be measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). This scale is a 10-centimeter drawn line.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 3 months of treatment as follow up measurement.

  4. Pain intensity

    The pain will be measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS). This scale is a 10-centimeter drawn line.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 6 months of treatment as follow up measurement.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Neck disability index

    The level of function is measured by the neck disability index. An Arabic version of neck disability index (NDI) will be filled for all patients. NDI is the most frequently functional activity index used for neck related disabilities and is considered as a valid and reliable measure used in patients with neck pain. NDI is a self-perceived disability neck pain from. Every patient is asked to mark the in each section which most describes his level of disability. Each item is recorded out of 5 for a maximum total score of 50

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed before treatment.

  2. Neck disability index

    The level of function is measured by the neck disability index. An Arabic version of neck disability index (NDI) will be filled for all patients. NDI is the most frequently functional activity index used for neck related disabilities and is considered as a valid and reliable measure used in patients with neck pain. NDI is a self-perceived disability neck pain from. Every patient is asked to mark the in each section which most describes his level of disability. Each item is recorded out of 5 for a maximum total score of 50

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 6 weeks of treatment.

  3. Neck disability index

    The level of function is measured by the neck disability index. An Arabic version of neck disability index (NDI) will be filled for all patients. NDI is the most frequently functional activity index used for neck related disabilities and is considered as a valid and reliable measure used in patients with neck pain. NDI is a self-perceived disability neck pain from. Every patient is asked to mark the in each section which most describes his level of disability. Each item is recorded out of 5 for a maximum total score of 50

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 3 months of treatment as a follow up measurement.

  4. Neck disability index

    The level of function is measured by the neck disability index. An Arabic version of neck disability index (NDI) will be filled for all patients. NDI is the most frequently functional activity index used for neck related disabilities and is considered as a valid and reliable measure used in patients with neck pain. NDI is a self-perceived disability neck pain from. Every patient is asked to mark the in each section which most describes his level of disability. Each item is recorded out of 5 for a maximum total score of 50

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 6 months of treatment as a follow up measurement.

Other outcomes

  1. Pressure pain threshold

    Trigger points in the posterior neck and upper fibers of trapezius muscle will be allocated and evaluated using the pressure algometer.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed before treatment.

  2. Pressure pain threshold

    Trigger points in the posterior neck and upper fibers of trapezius muscle will be allocated and evaluated using the pressure algometer.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 6 weeks of treatment.

  3. Pressure pain threshold

    Trigger points in the posterior neck and upper fibers of trapezius muscle will be allocated and evaluated using the pressure algometer.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 3 months of treatment as a follow up measurement.

  4. Pressure pain threshold

    Trigger points in the posterior neck and upper fibers of trapezius muscle will be allocated and evaluated using the pressure algometer.

    Time frame: Measurement will be performed after 6 months of treatment as follow up measurement.

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Umm Al-Qura University, Faculty of Applied Medical Science
    Mecca, 21955, Saudi Arabia
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Undecided

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Start is estimated for Jul 2022; primary completion for Oct 2022, 3 months later.

Of 690 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Neck Pain, half reached primary completion within 7 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 15. This study's planned 3 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 698 studies reached it within 7 months; a quarter within 3 and three quarters within 15.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Jun 12, 2022
First posted
Jun 23, 2022
StartEst.
Jul 2022
Primary completionEst.
Oct 2022
CompletionEst.
Dec 2022
Last update
Jun 23, 2022
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jun 23, 2022, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05428254
Lead sponsor
Umm Al-Qura University
Collaborators
Deanship of scientific research at Umm Al-Qura university
Responsible party
Mohamed Alayat (Associate Professor of Physical Therapy, Umm Al-Qura University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Jun 23, 2022
Start date
Jul 2022 (estimated)
Primary completion
Oct 2022 (estimated)
Completion
Dec 2022 (estimated)
Last update
Jun 23, 2022

Study contacts

Mohamed S Alayat, Ph.D
Contact
mohsalahpt@hotmail.com
+966566003665
Mohamed Alayat, Ph.D
Contact
msayiat@uqu.edu.sa
Mohamed S Alayat, Ph.D.
principal investigator · Umm Al-Qura University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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