Comparative Effects of Cervical Stabilization and Isometric Neck Exercises in Eyeglass Wearers With Non-specific Chronic Neck Pain

NCT07321054 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: IIUI/RERC/ADT/2025/04/180
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 62
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effects of cervical stabilization exercises and isometric neck exercises on pain, disability, quality of life, and kinesiophobia in eyeglasses wearers with Non-specific chronic neck pain. Participants were randomly assigned to either Group A (Isometric Neck Exercises) or Group B (Cervical Stabilization Exercises) using a toss-and-trial method. The intervention was provided over four weeks, with three sessions per week (total of 12 sessions): Group A (Isometric Neck Exercises): Participants performed isometric neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. Each movement was hold for 10 seconds, repeated 5 times, with a 5-second rest between repetitions. Group B (Cervical Stabilization Exercises): Participants performed chin tucks, neck extensions, shoulder shrugging, shoulder rolling, and scapular retractions in a sitting position. Each exercise was performed 15 repetitions, 1 set, holding a 6-second contraction followed by 2 seconds of relaxation per repetition.

Conditions

Neck Pain; Exercise Therapy; Isometric Exercise; Eyeglasses; Pain Measurement; Disability Evaluation

Keywords

Neck Pain; Kinesiophobia; Cervical Stabilization Exercises; Isometric Neck Exercises

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Neck Pain

  Pain was measured by NPRS

  Assessment was done at baseline, Week 2 and Week4

• Disability

  Disability was measured by Neck Disability Index

  Assessment was done at baseline, Week 2 and Week4

• Kinesiophobia

  Kinesiophobia was measured by Tempa Scale-11

  Assessment was done at baseline, Week 2 and Week4

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• Quality of life of Patients having Neck pain

  Assessment was done at baseline, Week 2 and Week4

Study Arms (2)

Isometric Neck Exercises

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants received isometric neck exercises (Isometric neck flexion, Isometric neck extension, Isometric lateral flexion and rotation), holding each movement for 10 s, and repeating each 5 times with a 5-s rest between each of them

Other: Isometric Neck Exercises

Cervical Stabilization Exercises

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants received each neck stabilization exercises (Tucking in of chin, extending the neck, shrugging of shoulder, rolling of shoulder, retraction of scapular) in sitting position with a frequency of 15 repetitions 1 set with relaxation maintaining 6 seconds of contraction followed by 2 seconds of relaxation per repetition.

Other: Cervical Stabilization Exercises

Interventions

Cervical Stabilization Exercises OTHER

Intervention Group B (Cervical Stabilization Exercises Group) Group B participants received each neck stabilization exercises (Tucking in of chin, extending the neck, shrugging of shoulder, rolling of shoulder, retraction of scapular) in sitting position with a frequency of 15 repetitions 1 set with relaxation maintaining 6 seconds of contraction followed by 2 seconds of relaxation per repetition.

Cervical Stabilization Exercises

Isometric Neck Exercises OTHER

Intervention Group A (Isometric Neck Exercises Group) Group A participants received isometric neck exercises (Isometric neck flexion, Isometric neck extension, Isometric lateral flexion and rotation), holding each movement for 10 s, and repeating each 5 times with a 5-s rest between each of them.

Isometric Neck Exercises

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 25 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Adults aged 25-50 years, using any form of eyeglasses for more than 2 years, with active non-specific chronic (more than three months) neck pain with pain intensity ≥ 5/10 on the numeric pain rating scale were included.

You may not qualify if:

• Participants with cognitive impairments or limitations that could impact their ability to provide informed consent or adhere to the study protocol.
• Individuals with a history of cardiovascular, pulmonary, or endocrine disease that could pose a risk to their health during exercise.
• Participants with health conditions that may prevent them from engaging in physical activity, such as severe musculoskeletal disorders or neurological impairments.
• Individuals with red flag symptoms indicative of underlying serious pathology, such as recent trauma, infection, or malignancy.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ibadat International University, Islamabad: lead

Study Sites (1)

Faculty of Allied Health & Biological Sciences

Islamabad, Pakistan

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Asiri F, Reddy RS, Tedla JS, ALMohiza MA, Alshahrani MS, Govindappa SC, Sangadala DR. Kinesiophobia and its correlations with pain, proprioception, and functional performance among individuals with chronic neck pain. PLoS One. 2021 Jul 8;16(7):e0254262. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254262. eCollection 2021.

  PMID: 34237105 BACKGROUND

• Jahre H, Grotle M, Smedbraten K, Dunn KM, Oiestad BE. Risk factors for non-specific neck pain in young adults. A systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2020 Jun 9;21(1):366. doi: 10.1186/s12891-020-03379-y.

  PMID: 32517732 BACKGROUND

• Bernal-Utrera C, Gonzalez-Gerez JJ, Anarte-Lazo E, Rodriguez-Blanco C. Manual therapy versus therapeutic exercise in non-specific chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2020 Jul 28;21(1):682. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04610-w.

  PMID: 32723399 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neck Pain; Kinesiophobia

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Phobic Disorders; Anxiety Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Muhammad Nazim Farooq, PhD-PT

  Ibadat International University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: This randomized controlled trial was double-blinded. Participants were randomly assigned to either the Cervical Stabilization Exercise group or the Isometric Neck Exercise group using a simple randomization (coin toss) method. Participants were informed that both interventions were effective physiotherapy treatments for chronic neck pain but were not told which group they belonged to. The outcome assessor, who had over fifteen years of experience, remained blinded to group allocation throughout data collection at baseline, week 2, and week 4. To maintain blinding, participants were instructed not to disclose their exercise details during assessment, and all data were recorded using coded identifiers (Group A or B).
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 22, 2025
• First Posted: January 6, 2026
• Study Start: May 26, 2025
• Primary Completion: October 27, 2025
• Study Completion: October 27, 2025
• Last Updated: January 6, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

PA (1)