Laser Therapy for Patients With Nonspecific Neck Pain

NCT07262697 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: RHPT/022/041
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Background and Purpose: Neck pain is widespread and stands as the sixth most common cause of disability globally. While laser therapy has been used for many years to treat non-specific neck pain (NNP), there is still a shortage of research directly comparing different laser modalities. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the therapeutic effectiveness of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and high intensity laser therapy (HILT) in managing NNP. Methods: sixty patients diagnosed with NNP were equally randomized into three groups. HILT group received 10 weeks of HILT, LLLT group received 10 weeks of LLLT and a control group that received a home program. Outcome measures were evaluated at baseline and after the intervention period and included pain intensity, neck disability, active cervical range of motion (ROM), and quality of life.

Conditions

Neck Pain; Non Specific Neck Pain

Keywords

laser; neck pain; neck disability

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Pain intensity

  VAS is a reliable tool for measuring pain intensity. Each participant was asked to mark a point on a 10 cm line corresponding to the severity of their pain, with scores ranging from 0 to 10-where 0 indicates no pain and 10 represents the most severe pain. Previous research has demonstrated that the VAS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing the intensity of neck pain

  10 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Active ROM of the cervical spine

  10 weeks

• Functional disability

  10 weeks

• SF-36 Quality of life

  10 weeks

Study Arms (3)

HILT

EXPERIMENTAL

The first phase consisted of rapid manual scanning, delivering a total energy of 1000 J/cm². During the second phase, HILT was applied to eight trigger points, with four applications per point, continuing until pain reduction reached approximately 70-80%; a total of 200 J was delivered in this phase. The final phase was performed with slow manual scanning with the same parameters as the initial phase. The complete HILT procedure lasted around 30 minutes, with a total energy dose of approximately 2050 J (19).

Other: HILT; Other: CONTROL

LLLT

EXPERIMENTAL

LLLT sessions were carried out using the diode laser device (Chattanooga Group, USA) of gallium-aluminum-arsenide (GaAlAs, infrared laser) with an 850 nm wavelength, 800 mW power, and constant wave with 1 cm spot size was utilized for the treatment procedures. The laser probe was positioned directly on specific points along the cervical spine while the participant's head remained in a neutral position. Each point was treated for 2 minutes. A total of eight points were marked bilaterally over the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles, covering an area of 24 cm². The total treatment duration was 18 minutes, with an energy dose of 2 J/cm² applied to each point (20).

Other: LLLT; Other: CONTROL

CONTROL

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The home program involved stretching exercises for levator scapulae and upper trapezius, strengthening exercises for neck extensors, and scapular stabilizer exercises. Each exercise was executed with a 5-second hold and 10 repetitions per set, for a total of three sets repeated three times per week for 10 weeks.

Other: CONTROL

Interventions

HILT OTHER

The first phase consisted of rapid manual scanning, delivering a total energy of 1000 J/cm². During the second phase, HILT was applied to eight trigger points, with four applications per point, continuing until pain reduction reached approximately 70-80%; a total of 200 J was delivered in this phase. The final phase was performed with slow manual scanning with the same parameters as the initial phase. The complete HILT procedure lasted around 30 minutes, with a total energy dose of approximately 2050 J (19).

Also known as: Home program

HILT

LLLT OTHER

The laser probe was positioned directly on specific points along the cervical spine while the participant's head remained in a neutral position. Each point was treated for 2 minutes. A total of eight points were marked bilaterally over the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles, covering an area of 24 cm². The total treatment duration was 18 minutes, with an energy dose of 2 J/cm² applied to each point (20).

Also known as: HOME PROGRAM

LLLT

CONTROL OTHER

The home program involved stretching exercises for levator scapulae and upper trapezius, strengthening exercises for neck extensors, and scapular stabilizer exercises. Each exercise was executed with a 5-second hold and 10 repetitions per set, for a total of three sets repeated three times per week for 10 weeks.

CONTROL; HILT; LLLT

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• chonic neck pain lasting more than 30 days with no evidence of foraminal compression;
• age 18 years or older;
• experiencing considerable pain, stiffness, or discomfort localized to the neck area, without associated numbness or radiation of pain to the upper limbs;
• a visual analog scale (VAS) pain rating of 3 or above;
• no therapeutic intervention within the last month

You may not qualify if:

• Previous cervical spine trauma or surgery;
• significant cervical disc prolapse, cervical nerve root compression or spinal cord manifestations;
• history of severe and frequent migraines, fibromyalgia, shoulder diseases, rheumatic or rheumatoid diseases, severe osteoporosis, mental illnesses, significant spinal deformities, or serious cardiovascular, pulmonary, or neurological diseases.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Mohammed Hegazy

Al Kharj, 16242, Saudi Arabia

Location

Related Publications (2)

• Ezzati K, Laakso EL, Saberi A, Yousefzadeh Chabok S, Nasiri E, Bakhshayesh Eghbali B. A comparative study of the dose-dependent effects of low level and high intensity photobiomodulation (laser) therapy on pain and electrophysiological parameters in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2020 Dec;56(6):733-740. doi: 10.23736/S1973-9087.19.05835-0. Epub 2019 Nov 18.

  PMID: 31742366 BACKGROUND

• Alayat MSM, Alshehri MA, Shousha TM, Abdelgalil AA, Alhasan H, Khayyat OK, Al-Attar WS. The effectiveness of high intensity laser therapy in the management of spinal disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2019;32(6):869-884. doi: 10.3233/BMR-181341.

  PMID: 30932879 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain

Interventions

Low-Level Light Therapy

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Laser Therapy; Therapeutics; Phototherapy

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assisstant professor

Model Details: th

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 18, 2025
• First Posted: December 4, 2025
• Study Start: March 1, 2023
• Primary Completion: March 1, 2024
• Study Completion: April 1, 2024
• Last Updated: December 4, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

SA (1)