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Headache DisordersNCT07411820

Effect of Kinesio Taping Combined With Postural Correction on Improving Tension-Type Headache Among University Students

A study testing Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle Inhibition and Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMI in people with Headache Disorders and Forward Head Posture, run by Deraya University at 1 site in Egypt.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combining Kinesio Taping (KT) with postural correction exercises and suboccipital muscle inhibition (SMI) in managing tension-type headaches (TTH) among university students. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 25 years
What is being tested?
Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle Inhibition and Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMI
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
52 participants
Where
1 siteEgypt
Study dates
10 Feb 2025to 1 Jul 2025
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 to 25 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • University students aged 18-25 years
  • Diagnosed with tension-type headache per ICHD-3 criteria
  • At least 10 headache episodes per month for >3 months
  • Pericranial muscle tenderness (suboccipital, temporalis, upper trapezius)
  • Craniovertebral angle < 50°

Who cannot join

  • Migraine or cluster headaches
  • Recent neck trauma or surgery
  • Skin allergy or sensitivity to tape
  • Current use of medications affecting pain perception Cervical radiculopathy or neurological deficits

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Egypt1 site

  • Deraya university, faculty of physical therapy

    Minya, Menia Governorate

Other trials in Egypt

About this study

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of combining Kinesio Taping (KT) with postural correction exercises and suboccipital muscle inhibition (SMI) in managing tension-type headaches (TTH) among university students. The intervention's impact on headache intensity, frequency, and functional limitations will be compared with a control group performing postural correction and SMI alone.

Read the detailed description

Tension-type headache (TTH) is a common primary headache associated with muscular tension, poor posture, and psychological stress. Physiotherapy interventions including deep neck flexor exercises, suboccipital muscle inhibition (SMI), and postural education have been shown to reduce pain and improve posture.

Kinesio Taping (KT) has been proposed as an adjunct that enhances proprioception, reduces muscle tension, and supports cervical alignment.

This randomized controlled trial will recruit 52 university students aged 18-25 years diagnosed with frequent episodic TTH according to ICHD-3 criteria. Participants will be randomly assigned to two groups:

Group A (Control): Postural correction + SMI Group B (Experimental): Kinesio Taping + Postural correction + SMI

Both groups will receive two treatment sessions per week for 4 weeks.

Assessments will be performed at baseline, after 4 weeks of treatment, and at a 1-month follow-up using validated measures for pain, frequency, and posture.

Being tested
Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle Inhibition, Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMI
Medical subject headings
Headache Disorders

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle InhibitionOther

    Deep neck flexor exercises, suboccipital muscle inhibition, and ergonomic education performed twice weekly for four weeks.

  • Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMIOther

    Same as the control program with addition of Kinesio Taping to cervical and trapezius muscles.

Study groups in NCT07411820
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle InhibitionActive comparatorParticipants will receive a postural correction program consisting of: Deep neck flexor strengthening exercises (chin tucks, progressive resistance) Suboccipital muscle inhibition (manual pressure to release muscle tension) Ergonomic and postural education for studying and daily activities Two sessions per week for 4 weeks.
Receives: Other: Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle Inhibition
Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMIExperimentalParticipants will receive the same postural correction program as the control group with the addition of Kinesio Taping: Kinesio Tape applied to cervical spine and upper trapezius to enhance proprioception and reduce strain. Two sessions per week for 4 weeks.
Receives: Other: Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMI

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Headache Intensity

    Measurement Tool: Visual Analog Scale (VAS) / Numeric Pain Rating Scale Self-reported headache pain intensity (0-10 scale).

    Measured: Baseline, 4 weeks post-intervention, 1-month follow-up

  2. Headache Frequency

    Measurement Tool: Headache Diary Number of headache days per month recorded by participants.

    Measured: Baseline, 4 weeks post-intervention, 1-month follow-up

  3. Headache Impact

    Measurement Tool: Headache Impact Test (HIT-6)

    Description: Assesses the effect of headaches on daily life and function.

    Measured: Baseline, 4 weeks post-intervention, 1-month follow-up

Secondary outcomes (2)

  1. Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT)

    Measurement Tool: Pressure Algometer Description: Measures pericranial muscle tenderness.

    Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks post-intervention

  2. Craniovertebral Angle (CVA)

    Measurement Tool: Goniometer / Digital Photogrammetry

    Description: Quantifies forward head posture; increased angle indicates improvement.

    Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks post-intervention

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted17 Feb 2026
  2. Study start10 Feb 2025
  3. Primary completion10 May 2025
  4. Study completion1 Jul 2025

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Fifty-two participants will be randomly assigned to two parallel groups. The experimental group will receive Kinesio Taping in addition to postural correction and SMI, while the control group will receive postural correction and SMI only. Both groups will undergo two sessions per week for four weeks.
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
52 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07411820
Sponsor's protocol ID
DU-PT-KT-TTH-001
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
9 Feb 2026
Last updated
28 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Publications

  • Johansson, A. M., Vikingsson, H., & Varkey, E. (2017). The physiotherapist, an untapped resource for headaches: A survey of university students. European Journal of Physiotherapy, 20(1), 45-50. DOI: 10.1080/21679169.2017.1352023

  • Repiso-Guardeno A, Moreno-Morales N, Armenta-Pendon MA, Rodriguez-Martinez MDC, Pino-Lozano R, Armenta-Peinado JA. Physical Therapy in Tension-Type Headache: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Mar 2;20(5):4466. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20054466.

    PubMed 36901475

  • Safiri S, Kolahi AA, Noori M, Nejadghaderi SA, Aslani A, Sullman MJM, Farhoudi M, Araj-Khodaei M, Collins GS, Kaufman JS, Gharagozli K. Burden of tension-type headache in the Middle East and North Africa region, 1990-2019. J Headache Pain. 2022 Jul 6;23(1):77. doi: 10.1186/s10194-022-01445-5.

    PubMed 35794530

  • Bendtsen L, Ashina S, Moore A, Steiner TJ. Muscles and their role in episodic tension-type headache: implications for treatment. Eur J Pain. 2016 Feb;20(2):166-75. doi: 10.1002/ejp.748. Epub 2015 Jul 6.

    PubMed 26147739

  • Freitag F. Managing and treating tension-type headache. Med Clin North Am. 2013 Mar;97(2):281-92. doi: 10.1016/j.mcna.2012.12.003. Epub 2012 Dec 27.

    PubMed 23419626

  • Headache Classification Committee of the International Headache Society (IHS) The International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. Cephalalgia. 2018 Jan;38(1):1-211. doi: 10.1177/0333102417738202. No abstract available.

    PubMed 29368949

  • Stovner LJ, Hagen K, Linde M, Steiner TJ. The global prevalence of headache: an update, with analysis of the influences of methodological factors on prevalence estimates. J Headache Pain. 2022 Apr 12;23(1):34. doi: 10.1186/s10194-022-01402-2.

    PubMed 35410119

  • de Tommaso M, Fernandez-de-Las-Penas C. Tension Type Headache. Curr Rheumatol Rev. 2016;12(2):127-39. doi: 10.2174/1573397112666151231113625.

    PubMed 26717946

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Postural Correction and Suboccipital Muscle Inhibition and Kinesio Taping + Postural Correction and SMI in people with Headache Disorders and Forward Head Posture, run by Deraya University at 1 site in Egypt.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Egypt. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Headache Intensity (time frame: Baseline, 4 weeks post-intervention, 1-month follow-up). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07411820, which also lists 8 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 28 Aug 2026.

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