Effectiveness of a Home-based Cervical Motor Control Exercise Programme Versus Conventional Manual Therapy in Patients With Post-whiplash Neck Pain.

NCT07324811 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 00043
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Whiplash-associated disorders are a common cause of persistent neck pain following traffic accidents and are frequently associated with impairments in cervical motor control, pain, and functional disability. Therapeutic exercise aimed at restoring cervical motor control has shown promising results; however, evidence regarding the effectiveness of structured home-based exercise programs compared with conventional physiotherapy remains limited. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a home-based cervical motor control exercise program versus conventional physiotherapy in patients with whiplash-associated neck pain. A randomized controlled trial with two parallel groups was conducted. Patients diagnosed with whiplash-associated neck pain were randomly assigned to either an experimental group performing a structured home-based cervical motor control exercise program or a control group receiving conventional physiotherapy based on manual therapy and cervical mobilization techniques. Outcome measures included pain intensity assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale, functional disability measured with the Neck Disability Index, and active cervical range of motion. Assessments were performed at baseline and after an eight-week intervention period.

Conditions

Cervical Disease

Keywords

Whiplash; pain; exercise

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• pain

  measured using the visual analogue pain scale (VAS) (where 0 is the least possible pain and 10 is the maximum possible pain)

  2 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• range of motion

  2 months

Study Arms (2)

home-based cervical motor control exercise programme

EXPERIMENTAL

home-based cervical motor control exercise programme monitored by physiotherapists

Procedure: home-based cervical motor control exercise programme

conventional physiotherapy treatment

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Conventional physiotherapy treatment including passive therapies (manual therapy) in the physiotherapy clinic.

Procedure: conventional physiotherapy treatment

Interventions

home-based cervical motor control exercise programme PROCEDURE

home-based programme of active cervical motor control exercises supervised by physiotherapists

home-based cervical motor control exercise programme

conventional physiotherapy treatment PROCEDURE

Conventional physiotherapy treatment with passive therapy (manual therapy) carried out in a physiotherapy clinic.

conventional physiotherapy treatment

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 65 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Patients who met the following criteria were included:
• Age between 18 and 65 years.
• Clinical diagnosis of post-whiplash neck pain resulting from a traffic accident.
• Symptoms lasting longer than four weeks.
• Presence of neck pain with a minimum intensity of 3 points on the Visual Analogue Scale.
• Ability to understand and follow the instructions of the home exercise programme.
• Signed informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Patients with the following conditions were excluded:
• Signs of severe neurological compromise or significant structural cervical pathology (fractures, cervical instability, myelopathy).
• History of cervical surgery.
• Rheumatic, neurological, or systemic diseases that could influence the results.
• Previous physiotherapy treatment for the same episode in the three months prior to the study.
• Pregnancy or any medical contraindication for therapeutic exercise.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca: lead

Study Sites (1)

Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca

Salamanca, 37002, Spain

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Randlov A, Ostergaard M, Manniche C, Kryger P, Jordan A, Heegaard S, Holm B. Intensive dynamic training for females with chronic neck/shoulder pain. A randomized controlled trial. Clin Rehabil. 1998 Jun;12(3):200-10. doi: 10.1191/026921598666881319.

  PMID: 9688035 RESULT

• Jordan A, Bendix T, Nielsen H, Hansen FR, Host D, Winkel A. Intensive training, physiotherapy, or manipulation for patients with chronic neck pain. A prospective, single-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1998 Feb 1;23(3):311-8; discussion 319. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199802010-00005.

  PMID: 9507618 RESULT

• Bronfort G, Evans R, Nelson B, Aker PD, Goldsmith CH, Vernon H. A randomized clinical trial of exercise and spinal manipulation for patients with chronic neck pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2001 Apr 1;26(7):788-97; discussion 798-9. doi: 10.1097/00007632-200104010-00020.

  PMID: 11295901 RESULT

• Kjellman GV, Skargren EI, Oberg BE. A critical analysis of randomised clinical trials on neck pain and treatment efficacy. A review of the literature. Scand J Rehabil Med. 1999 Sep;31(3):139-52. doi: 10.1080/003655099444489.

  PMID: 10458312 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Uterine Cervical Diseases; Whiplash Injuries; Pain; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Uterine Diseases; Genital Diseases, Female; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Urogenital Diseases; Genital Diseases; Neck Injuries; Wounds and Injuries; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, INVESTIGATOR
• Masking Details: Double blinding
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Principal Investigator

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: December 23, 2025
• First Posted: January 8, 2026
• Study Start: January 10, 2025
• Primary Completion: April 10, 2025
• Study Completion: September 10, 2025
• Last Updated: January 8, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Locations

ES (1)