NCT07756125

Brief Summary

Randomized controlled trial comparing suboccipital release and smartphone app-guided exercises on pain, disability, craniovertebral angle and cervical ROM in 52 participants with smartphone neck syndrome over 4 weeks.

Trial Health

63
Monitor

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
52

participants targeted

Target at P25-P50 for not_applicable

Timeline
12mo left

Started Aug 2026

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
not yet recruiting

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress3%
Aug 2026Aug 2027

Study Start

First participant enrolled

August 1, 2026

Completed
4 days until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

August 5, 2026

Completed
5 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

August 10, 2026

Completed
12 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

August 1, 2027

Expected
4 days until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

August 5, 2027

Last Updated

August 10, 2026

Status Verified

August 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

1 year

First QC Date

August 5, 2026

Last Update Submit

August 5, 2026

Conditions

Neck Syndrome

Keywords

Suboccipital ReleaseSmartphone App Guided ExercisesSmartphone Neck Syndrome

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

  • Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS)

    The Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) is a simple self-report tool in which patients rate their pain intensity on a scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain).It is widely used in clinical and research settings due to its strong validity, good test-retest reliability, and strong correlation with other pain assessment tools

    Baseline, 2nd week, 4th week

  • Neck Disability Index (NDI)

    The Neck Disability Index (NDI) is a brief, self-administered questionnaire designed to measure disability related to neck pain. It assesses how neck pain affects daily activities and functional status. The NDI is highly reliable and valid, making it a commonly recommended outcome measure in musculoskeletal practice

    Baseline, 2nd week, 4th week

Study Arms (2)

Suboccipital Release

EXPERIMENTAL

Suboccipital Release

Other: Suboccipital Release

Smartphone App Guided Exercises

EXPERIMENTAL

Smartphone App Guided Exercises

Other: Smartphone App Guided Exercises

Interventions

Suboccipital ReleaseOTHER

Suboccipital release technique applied in supine position with sustained bilateral pressure under occiput at C2 level. Duration 4 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks

Suboccipital Release
Smartphone App Guided ExercisesOTHER

Chin tucks (10 sec hold, 10 reps), Suboccipital stretch (30 sec hold, 3 reps), Craniovertebral nodding (10 sec hold, 10 reps). 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks. App features include reminders, instructional videos, adherence tracking and feedback.

Smartphone App Guided Exercises

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years - 30 Years
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • Adults aged 18 -30 years
  • Both genders
  • Neck pain (\>3 months duration)
  • Smartphone use ≥3 h/day
  • Presence of ≥ 3 symptoms (neck pain, upper back pain, shoulder pain, headache, insomnia,intermittent tingling/numbness in upper limbs)
  • Smartphone use with neck flexion ≥ 15°.
  • Pain intensity ≥ 3/10 on NPRS
  • Disability score ≥ 10/50 on Neck Disability Index (NDI)
  • Forward head posture with a craniovertebral angle (CVA) \< 50
  • Able to understand and independently follow smartphone application-guided

You may not qualify if:

  • History of cervical spine trauma, surgery, or fracture.
  • Presence of clinically confirmed cervical radiculopathy or objective neurological deficits (e.g., dermatomal sensory loss, myotomal weakness, diminished deep tendon reflexes, or positive clinical tests for cervical radiculopathy).
  • Structural spinal deformities (e.g., scoliosis, torticollis)
  • Presence of acute infection, inflammatory, or systemic musculoskeletal conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis)
  • Vestibular deficits
  • Current participation in other neck pain treatments

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Tariq Medical Centre

Kallar Kahār, Punjab Province, 46000, Pakistan

Location

Study Officials

  • KINZA ANWAR

    Riphah International University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

KINZA ANWAR, MS-OMPT

CONTACT

+92-3239735427kinza.anwar@riphah.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
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

August 5, 2026

First Posted

August 10, 2026

Study Start

August 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 5, 2027

Last Updated

August 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-08

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations

PA(1)