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NCT Number: NCT07630142

Longitudinal Stripping Massage vs. Percussion Device for Neck Pain: Ultrasound Study.

This study evaluates whether a single session of percussion therapy can reduce muscle tension and increase blood flow in the transverse cervical artery in individuals with neck pain. The investigators will evaluate muscle stiffness using ultrasound elastography, and assess blood flow in the transverse cervical artery via Doppler imaging before and after treatment. The primary objective is to determine how this therapy affects neck muscle relaxation and vascular responses, specifically within the upper trapezius region.

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Key information

Conditions

Chronic Neck Pain Neck Pain Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

18 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Poznań University of Physical Education

Poznan, 61-871, Poland

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Dawid Łochyński, PhD, Assoc. Prof.

CONTACT

[email protected]

(61) 835 54 49

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age: 18-60 years
  • Neck pain persisting for at least 3 months
  • Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score between 3 and 7
  • Neck Disability Index (NDI) between 30% and 48%

Exclusion criteria

  • Pregnancy and postpartum period
  • History of cervical spine or shoulder surgery
  • Diagnosed fibromyalgia, radiculopathy, or myelopathy
  • Myofascial therapy within the last 3 months
  • Use of analgesic medication within 48 hours before assessment
  • Venous diseases

Treatment and study plan

Percussion Therapy

Device

Theragun device applied to dominant side of upper trapezius muscle. Session duration: 3 minutes.

Longitudinal stripping masage

Other

Longitudinal stripping massage of dominant side of upper trapezius muscle. Session duration: 3 minutes.

Primary outcomes

  1. Neck pain intensity on Visual Analog Scale (VAS)

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Neck pain intensity evaluated using a Visual Analog Scale slide scale (score range 0-10, where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst imaginable pain). The patient marks their pain level using the slider, and the result is recorded as a numerical score. Unit of Measure: points

Secondary outcomes

  1. Neck pain-related disability on Neck Disability Index (NDI)

    Time frame: Baseline, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Neck pain-related disability measured with the Neck Disability Index (score range 0-50 points, where higher scores indicate greater disability). Unit of Measure: points

  2. Shear-wave elastography of upper trapezius muscle: mean stiffness

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Ultrasound shear-wave elastography of the upper trapezius muscle at the midpoint (foramen magnum-acromion line) to evaluate the mean stiffness value. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe placed at the midpoint of the trapezius. Ultrasound gel applied for optimal contact. The measurement is performed 3 times and the average value is used; repeated if discrepancies. Same researcher throughout. Unit of Measure: kilopascals (kPa)

  3. Myotonometry of upper trapezius muscle: oscillation frequency

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Assessment of myofascial tissue tone (oscillation frequency) of the upper trapezius at the midpoint (foramen magnum-acromion line) using MyotonPRO device. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe placed perpendicular to the muscle surface at the midpoint of the trapezius. Same researcher throughout. Unit of Measure: hertz (Hz)

  4. Myotonometry of upper trapezius muscle: dynamic stiffness

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Assessment of biomechanical properties (dynamic stiffness) of the upper trapezius at the midpoint (foramen magnum-acromion line) using MyotonPRO device. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe placed perpendicular to the muscle surface at the midpoint of the trapezius. Same researcher throughout. Unit of Measure: newtons per meter (N/m)

  5. Myotonometry of upper trapezius muscle: decrement

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Assessment of viscoelastic properties (logarithmic decrement of oscillation, reflecting elasticity) of the upper trapezius at the midpoint (foramen magnum-acromion line) using MyotonPRO device. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe placed perpendicular to the muscle surface at the midpoint of the trapezius. Same researcher throughout. Unit of Measure: dimensionless

  6. Active cervical range of motion: flexion

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Active cervical range of motion (flexion) measured using EasyAngle goniometer mounted on the patient's head with an elastic band. The patient is seated upright with feet flat on the floor, head in neutral position. The movement is performed 3 times from neutral (goniometer recalibrated to 0° between trials) and the mean value is recorded. All measurements performed by the same researcher. Unit of Measure: degrees

  7. Active cervical range of motion: extension

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Active cervical range of motion (extension) measured using EasyAngle goniometer mounted on the patient's head with an elastic band. The patient is seated upright with feet flat on the floor, head in neutral position. The movement is performed 3 times from neutral (goniometer recalibrated to 0° between trials) and the mean value is recorded. All measurements performed by the same researcher.

    Unit of Measure: degrees

  8. Active cervical range of motion: right lateral flexion

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Active cervical range of motion (right lateral flexion) measured using EasyAngle goniometer mounted on the patient's head with an elastic band. The patient is seated upright with feet flat on the floor, head in neutral position. The movement is performed 3 times from neutral (goniometer recalibrated to 0° between trials) and the mean value is recorded. All measurements performed by the same researcher. Unit of Measure: degrees

  9. Active cervical range of motion: left lateral flexion

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Active cervical range of motion (left lateral flexion) measured using EasyAngle goniometer mounted on the patient's head with an elastic band. The patient is seated upright with feet flat on the floor, head in neutral position. The movement is performed 3 times from neutral (goniometer recalibrated to 0° between trials) and the mean value is recorded. All measurements performed by the same researcher. Unit of Measure: degrees

  10. Active cervical range of motion: right rotation

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Active cervical range of motion (right rotation) measured using EasyAngle goniometer mounted on the patient's head with an elastic band. The patient is seated upright with feet flat on the floor, head in neutral position. The movement is performed 3 times from neutral (goniometer recalibrated to 0° between trials) and the mean value is recorded. All measurements performed by the same researcher. Unit of Measure: degrees

  11. Active cervical range of motion: left rotation

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Active cervical range of motion (left rotation) measured using EasyAngle goniometer mounted on the patient's head with an elastic band. The patient is seated upright with feet flat on the floor, head in neutral position. The movement is performed 3 times from neutral (goniometer recalibrated to 0° between trials) and the mean value is recorded. All measurements performed by the same researcher. Unit of Measure: degrees

Other outcomes

  1. Peak systolic velocity (Vs) of the transverse cervical artery.

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Doppler ultrasound of the transverse cervical artery to evaluate Vs. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe positioned over the transverse cervical artery. Ultrasound gel applied for optimal contact. The measurement is performed 3 times and the mean value is used; repeated if discrepancies. Same researcher throughout.

    Unit of Measure: millimeters per second (mm/s)

  2. End-diastolic velocity (Vd) of the transverse cervical artery.

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Doppler ultrasound of the transverse cervical artery to evaluate Vd. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe positioned over the transverse cervical artery. Ultrasound gel applied for optimal contact. The measurement is performed 3 times and the mean value is used; repeated if discrepancies. Same researcher throughout.

    • Unit of Measure: millimeters per second (mm/s)

  3. Resistive index (RI) of the transverse cervical artery.

    Time frame: Baseline, 20 minutes post-therapy, 2 days post-therapy (follow-up), immediately before next therapy session, 20 minutes post-second therapy, and 2 days post-second therapy (final follow-up)

    Doppler ultrasound of the transverse cervical artery to evaluate RI. Measurements performed supine with head stabilized, arms alongside body, cervical spine neutral. Probe positioned over the transverse cervical artery. Ultrasound gel applied for optimal contact. The measurement is performed 3 times and the mean value is used; repeated if discrepancies. Same researcher throughout.

    • Unit of Measure: dimensionless (lub ratio / score)

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Poznan University of Physical Education

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Percussion Therapy on Neck Functional Disability, Pain and Upper Trapezius Muscle Properties Assessed by Elastography and Doppler Ultrasound in Patients With Neck Pain.

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2028
Study completion
2029
First posted
Jun 5, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 17, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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