TENS Versus Ultrasound With Exercise for Mechanical Neck Pain.

NCT07723586 | Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: IRB-4390/DUHS/Approval/2025/84
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 44
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized clinical trial aims to compare the effectiveness of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) and therapeutic ultrasound, both combined with therapeutic exercises, in the management of mechanical neck pain. A total of 44 participants male and female both with mechanical neck pain will be randomly allocated into two equal groups at the physiotherapy OPD of DOW Institute of Physical Medicine \& Rehabilitation, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi. Group A will receive TENS with exercise, while group B will receive ultrasound with the same exercise protocol. Both groups will receive 9 treatment sessions over 2 weeks. Outcomes will include pain intensity, functional disability, and cervical range of motion, assessed before and after the intervention.

Conditions

Mechanical Neck Pain

Keywords

Mechanical Neck Pain; TENS; Therapeutic Ultrasound; Algometer

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for Pain

  Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for Pain: Scores range from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst imaginable pain. Higher scores indicate worse pain.

  Baseline and after 2 weeks of treatment.

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Muscle strength measured using Manual Muscle Testing (MMT)

  Baseline and after 2 weeks of treatment.

• Pressure pain threshold measured using an algometer

  Baseline and after 2 weeks of treatment.

• Neck disability measured using the Neck Disability Index (NDI)

  Baseline and after 2 weeks of treatment.

Study Arms (2)

Group B (Ultrasound with Exercise)

PLACEBO COMPARATOR

Participants in this group will receive therapeutic ultrasound for 10 minutes, heating therapy for 10 minutes, followed by cervical active stretching and isometric exercises. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. A total of 9 sessions will be provided over 2 weeks.

Device: Arm 1 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Therapeutic Exercise Heating Pad. Arm 2 Therapeutic Ultrasound Therapeutic Exercise Heating Pad

Group A (TENS with Exercise)

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for 15 minutes, heating therapy for 10 minutes, followed by cervical active stretching and isometric exercises. Each session will last approximately 45 minutes. A total of 9 sessions will be provided over 2 weeks.

Device: Arm 1 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Therapeutic Exercise Heating Pad. Arm 2 Therapeutic Ultrasound Therapeutic Exercise Heating Pad

Interventions

Arm 1 Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) Therapeutic Exercise Heating Pad. Arm 2 Therapeutic Ultrasound Therapeutic Exercise Heating Pad DEVICE

Participants will receive Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) for 15 minutes, heating therapy for 10 minutes, followed by cervical active stretching and isometric exercises during each treatment session. A total of 9 sessions will be conducted over 2 weeks. Participants will receive therapeutic ultrasound for 10 minutes, heating therapy for 10 minutes, followed by cervical active stretching and isometric exercises during each treatment session. A total of 9 sessions will be conducted over 2 weeks.

Group A (TENS with Exercise); Group B (Ultrasound with Exercise)

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 45 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Diagnosed and referred patients with mechanical neck pain.
• Participants with subacute or chronic neck pain.
• Participants willing to participate in the study.
• Participants with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain score greater than 5 (moderate to severe pain).

You may not qualify if:

• Participants with other musculoskeletal disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, cervical spondylosis, spondylolisthesis, cervical radiculopathy, malignancy, or neurological disorders.
• Participants with a history of trauma or whiplash injury.
• Participants with chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.
• Participants with vertigo or dizziness.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dow University of Health Sciences: lead

Study Sites (1)

Dow University of Health Sciences

Karachi, Sindh, 75300, Pakistan

RECRUITING

Related Publications (10)

• Gumuscu BH, Kisa EP, Kara Kaya B, Muammer R. Comparison of three different exercise trainings in patients with chronic neck pain: a randomized controlled study. Korean J Pain. 2023 Apr 1;36(2):242-252. doi: 10.3344/kjp.22371. Epub 2023 Mar 21.

  PMID: 36941087 RESULT

• Puntumetakul R, Chatprem T, Saiklang P, Phadungkit S, Kamruecha W, Sae-Jung S. Prevalence and Associated Factors of Clinical Myelopathy Signs in Smartphone-Using University Students with Neck Pain. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Apr 17;19(8):4890. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19084890.

  PMID: 35457756 RESULT

• Rodriguez-Huguet M, Gil-Salu JL, Rodriguez-Huguet P, Cabrera-Afonso JR, Lomas-Vega R. Effects of Myofascial Release on Pressure Pain Thresholds in Patients With Neck Pain: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2018 Jan;97(1):16-22. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000000790.

  PMID: 28678033 RESULT

• Weleslassie GG, Meles HG, Haile TG, Hagos GK. Burden of neck pain among medical students in Ethiopia. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2020 Jan 8;21(1):14. doi: 10.1186/s12891-019-3018-x.

  PMID: 31914983 RESULT

• Qing W, Shi X, Zhang Q, Peng L, He C, Wei Q. Effect of Therapeutic Ultrasound for Neck Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2021 Nov;102(11):2219-2230. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2021.02.009. Epub 2021 Mar 17.

  PMID: 33722564 RESULT

• Vas J, Perea-Milla E, Mendez C, Sanchez Navarro C, Leon Rubio JM, Brioso M, Garcia Obrero I. Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for chronic uncomplicated neck pain: a randomised controlled study. Pain. 2006 Dec 15;126(1-3):245-55. doi: 10.1016/j.pain.2006.07.002. Epub 2006 Aug 23.

  PMID: 16934402 RESULT

• Hany Sedeek Abousenna MM, Mohamed Shalaby AS, Chahal A, Shaphe A. A comparison of low dose ultrasound and far-infrared therapies in patients with mechanical neck pain. J Pak Med Assoc. 2021 Feb;71(2(A)):397-401. doi: 10.47391/JPMA.190.

  PMID: 33819214 RESULT

• Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi SA, Amiri P, Pourfathi H, Araj-Khodaei M, Sullman MJM, Kolahi AA, Safiri S. Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022 Jan 3;23(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s12891-021-04957-4.

  PMID: 34980079 RESULT

• Siddiqui M, Akhter S, Baig AAM. Effects of autogenic and reciprocal inhibition techniques with conventional therapy in mechanical neck pain - a randomized control trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022 Jul 25;23(1):704. doi: 10.1186/s12891-022-05668-0.

  PMID: 35879756 RESULT

• Dusunceli Y, Ozturk C, Atamaz F, Hepguler S, Durmaz B. Efficacy of neck stabilization exercises for neck pain: a randomized controlled study. J Rehabil Med. 2009 Jul;41(8):626-31. doi: 10.2340/16501977-0392.

  PMID: 19565156 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Electric Stimulation Therapy; Therapeutics; Physical Therapy Modalities; Rehabilitation; Analgesia; Anesthesia and Analgesia

Study Officials

• Bushra naseem, DPT, MSAPT (In progress)

  DUHS

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Bushra Naseem, physiotherapist

CONTACT

+923131175294; naseembushra321@gmail.com

Dr. Saba Aijaz Ali, Physiotherapist, MSAPT

CONTACT

+923002886769; saba.aijaz@duhs.edu.pk

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Therapeutic benefit of two modalities TENS and Ultrasound along with exercises in the management of mechanical neck pain; A randomized clinical trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 8, 2026
• First Posted: July 23, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): August 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 15, 2026
• Last Updated: July 23, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)