An interventional study of Spray and Stretch Technique and Sustained Pressure Technique in Myofascial Trigger Points and Neck Pain, sponsored by King Edward Medical University. Not yet recruiting at 1 site in Pakistan. Open to participants aged 20 Years to 30 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-10-09.
Sponsored by King Edward Medical University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
This study will compare two physiotherapy treatments for adults with long-lasting neck pain and tender muscle spots, called trigger points, in the upper trapezius muscle between the neck and shoulder. The aim is to find out which treatment was more effective in reducing pain, improving neck movement, and reducing difficulty with daily activities.
The study will includ 76 adults aged 20-40 years at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Participants will be assigned by chance to one of two treatment groups. One group will receive a cooling spray followed by gentle stretching of the affected muscle. The other group will receive sustained pressure applied by a therapist to the tender muscle spots. Both groups also will receive routine physiotherapy, including heat, exercises, and advice about neck care and posture.
Participants will receive six treatment sessions over two weeks. Pain, neck movement, and difficulty with daily activities will be assessed before treatment, immediately after the first session, and after the sixth session.
Mechanical neck pain may be accompanied by upper trapezius trigger points, which are tender muscle spots associated with pain and restricted movement. Spray-and-stretch and sustained-pressure techniques are used to manage these symptoms, but their comparative short-term effects remain uncertain.
This study will evaluate the additional effects of each technique when combined with the same conventional physiotherapy programme. The comparison will examine both the immediate response to the first treatment session and the response after completion of the two week programme. It will focuse on whether differences between the treatments will be observed across pain, cervical mobility, and neck-related disability.
1,259 studies on the registry are indexed under Neck Pain; 256 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 76 is above the median of 52 across 1,026 interventional studies indexed under Neck Pain.
Browse Neck Pain studies →King Edward Medical University is the lead sponsor of 80 studies on the registry; 25 are open to participants now.
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Inclusion Criteria:Adults aged 20-40 years, of either sex.
Chronic mechanical neck pain lasting at least three months.
At least one upper trapezius trigger point with painful restriction of cervical range of motion.
Forward head posture.
Pain intensity below 7 on the 0-10 Visual Analogue Scale. -
Exclusion Criteria:Fibromyalgia.
Previous cervical spine surgery.
Thoracic outlet syndrome.
Cervical radiculopathy.
Skin infection or open wounds in the cervical region.
Cervical tumour.
Cervical spine fracture.
Use of steroid therapy.
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Participants received spray-and-stretch treatment targeting upper trapezius trigger points, alongside conventional physiotherapy. A vapocoolant spray will be applied over the affected muscle, followed by stretching. Conventional physiotherapy will include a hot pack, neck isometric and movement exercises, shoulder shrugs, retraction exercises, and neck-care and posture advice. Treatment will consist of six sessions, three times weekly for two weeks.
Other: Spray and Stretch Technique · Other: Conventional Physiotherapy
Participants will receive sustained pressure applied by a therapist to upper trapezius trigger points, alongside conventional physiotherapy. Conventional physiotherapy will include a hot pack, neck isometric and movement exercises, shoulder shrugs, retraction exercises, and neck-care and posture advice. Treatment will consist of six sessions, three times weekly for two weeks.
Other: Sustained Pressure Technique · Other: Conventional Physiotherapy
With the participant seated comfortably, a vapocoolant spray will be applied in 3-5 parallel sweeps over the upper trapezius muscle, followed by stretching of the affected muscle. The procedure will be repeated 2-3 times per session. Participants will receive six sessions, three times weekly for two weeks, alongside conventional physiotherapy.
The therapist will apply sustained manual pressure to upper trapezius trigger points, adjusting the pressure according to the participant's tolerance. Pressure application will be repeated during each session. Participants will receive six sessions, three times weekly for two weeks, alongside conventional physiotherapy.
Also known as: Sustained Compression, Ischemic Compression
Both groups will receive a hot pack over the upper trapezius for 10 minutes, cervical isometric exercises, active neck movement exercises, shoulder shrugs, retraction exercises, and advice on posture and neck care. Exercises will be progressed during the second week. Conventional physiotherapy will provide during six sessions, three times weekly for two weeks.
Pain intensity
Pain Intensity Measured Using the Visual Analogue Scale
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the first treatment session, and after the sixth treatment session (2 weeks).
Cervical range of motion
Active cervical range of motion will be measured in degrees using a goniometer. Measurements included flexion, extension, right and left lateral flexion, and right and left rotation. Higher values indicate greater range of motion.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the first treatment session, and after the sixth treatment session (2 weeks).
Neck Related Disability Measured Using the Neck Disability Index
The Neck Disability Index assesses the effect of neck pain on daily activities through 10 items, each scored from 0 to 5. The total raw score ranges from 0 to 50, with higher scores indicating greater disability.
Time frame: Baseline, immediately after the first treatment session, and after the sixth treatment session (2 weeks)
Plan to share: No — There is no plan to share individual participant data with other researchers. Aggregate findings will be reported in publications.
No publications or documents are linked to this record.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
This study is not yet recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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King Edward Medical University