Chronic Non-specific Neck PainMWM/ARTNCT07679438
Comparing Between Mulligan Technique and Active Release Technique in Treatment of Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain
A study testing Conventional treatment, mulligan mobilization and active release technique in people with Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain, run by Cairo University.
Trial summary
This study will be conducted to compare between Mulligan mobilization technique and Active release technique in management of non-specific chronic neck pain as regard to neck pain, cervical range of motion and neck function. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 40 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain
- What is being tested?
- Conventional treatment, mulligan mobilization and active release technique
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 36 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Jul 2026to Aug 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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 40 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- The participants will be included in this study if they meet the following criteria:
- Have referred from orthopedic surgeon diagnosed with NSCNP that has been localized to the cervical and periscapular areas for at least three months
- Aged from 18-40 years
- Having a score more than 10 on the Neck disability index (NDI)
- BMI from 18.5 to 29.9 kg/m2.
Who cannot join
- The Participants will be excluded from this study if they meet any of the following criteria
- History of previous neck surgery.
- Recent or old fractures.
- Cognitive impairment and inability to understand the scale.
- Systematic inflammatory disease e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, neck pain with radiculopathy or neuropathy.
- A score of below 10 or above 40 points out of 50 on the NDI.
Trial locations and contacts
No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Effect of Mulligan Mobilization Technique Versus Active Release Technique on Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain
This study will be conducted to compare between Mulligan mobilization technique and Active release technique in management of non-specific chronic neck pain as regard to neck pain, cervical range of motion and neck function.
Read the detailed description
Neck pain is the second leading cause of disability worldwide among people with musculoskeletal disorders , and neck pain is responsible for a substantial burden to society . Current guidelines advocate a multimodal approach including different types of exercise and manual therapy for managing non-specific neck pain and there is little evidence of what specific intervention of this multimodal approach is most beneficial. This means that there is a gap in literature regarding this point in general. If effectiveness of each intervention is clear, this will inform selection of individual components of the multimodal approach. 36 Subjects of both genders with a primary complaint of neck pain more than 12 weeks will participate in this study.Group A will receive only the conventional physical therapy program prescribed in the form of ( hot packs , stretching exercises, isometric strengthening exercises and postural correction exercises) .Group B: will receive combination of traditional treatment of neck pain and Mulligan mobilization technique.Group C:will receive combination of traditional treatment of neck pain and ART .
- Conditions
- Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain
- Being tested
- Conventional treatment, mulligan mobilization, active release technique
- Keywords
- Mulligan, Active release technique, neck pain
- Medical subject headings
- Neck Pain
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Conventional treatmentOther
twelve participants will receive only the conventional physical therapy program prescribed for chronic non-specific neck pain in the form of: 1.Source of superficial heat using hot packs for 15 minutes. 2.Postural correction exercises. 3.Isometric strengthening exercises for neck muscles in all directions (Flexion, extension, side bending and rotation). 4.Stretching for common tight muscles (Trapezius, levator scapulae and sternocleidomastoid muscles). 5.Chin tuck exercises. 6.Scapular stabilization exercises
mulligan mobilizationOther
Participant will sit comfortably supported in a chair with a neutral head and cervical spine position. Practitioner, A gentle, painless posterior-to-anterior (PA) glide will be applied to the facets (bony projections) on the spinous process or the articular pillar/cervical lamina. This glide will be maintained throughout the movement. Participant Action: While the glide will be held, the participant actively will move their neck in the direction that previously caused pain. If pain-free, the participant can gently push further into the movement restriction
active release techniqueOther
The patient will sit on a stool with hands supported on the thighs, the therapist will apply deep pressure on both sides of levator scapulae and upper trapezius muscles (over the area of tenderness) and the patient will be instructed to actively move the muscle from a shortened to lengthened position and thereby breaking adhesions.1 set of 3-5 repetitions in one session
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| conventional treatment | Active comparator | This group will receive only the conventional treatment 3 sessions per week for four weeks Receives: Other: Conventional treatment |
| Mulligan mobilization technique | Experimental | twelve participants will receive mulligan mobilization for cervical spine: Participant will sit comfortably supported in a chair with a neutral head and cervical spine position Receives: Other: mulligan mobilization |
| active release technique | Experimental | twelve participants will receive active release technique for cervical spine The patient will sit on a stool with hands supported on the thighs, the therapist will apply deep pressure on both sides of levator scapulae and upper trapezius muscles (over the area of tenderness) and the patient will be instructed to actively move the muscle from a shortened to lengthened position and thereby breaking adhesions.1 set of 3-5 repetitions in one session Receives: Other: active release technique |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cervical range of motion
Cervical ROM will be assessed using CROM device.
Measured: 4 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Neck function
Arabic version of neck disability index will be used to assess neck function
Measured: 4 weeks
Pain intensity
Numerical Rating Scale will be used to assess pain intensity
Measured: 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted1 Jul 2026
- Study startJul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionAug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionAug 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic Non-specific Neck PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Cairo UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Abdullah Nagy Fathy Abdelrahman, Cairo University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07679438
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- P.T.REC/012/006219
- Acronym
- MWM/ART
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 1 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Effect of Mulligan Mobilization Technique Versus Active Release Technique on Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07679438
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- MWM/ART / P.T.REC/012/006219
- Conditions
- Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain
- Keywords
- Mulligan, Active release technique, neck pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 36 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Cairo UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 1 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will be conducted to compare between Mulligan mobilization technique and Active release technique in management of non-specific chronic neck pain as regard to neck pain, cervical range of motion and neck function.
Detailed description
Neck pain is the second leading cause of disability worldwide among people with musculoskeletal disorders , and neck pain is responsible for a substantial burden to society . Current guidelines advocate a multimodal approach including different types of exercise and manual therapy for managing non-specific neck pain and there is little evidence of what specific intervention of this multimodal approach is most beneficial. This means that there is a gap in literature regarding this point in general. If effectiveness of each intervention is clear, this will inform selection of individual components of the multimodal approach. 36 Subjects of both genders with a primary complaint of neck pain more than 12 weeks will participate in this study.Group A will receive only the conventional physical therapy program prescribed in the form of ( hot packs , stretching exercises, isometric strengthening exercises and postural correction exercises) .Group B: will receive combination of traditional treatment of neck pain and Mulligan mobilization technique.Group C:will receive combination of traditional treatment of neck pain and ART .
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| conventional treatment | Active comparator | Other: Conventional treatmentThis group will receive only the conventional treatment 3 sessions per week for four weeks |
| Mulligan mobilization technique | Experimental | Other: mulligan mobilizationtwelve participants will receive mulligan mobilization for cervical spine: Participant will sit comfortably supported in a chair with a neutral head and cervical spine position |
| active release technique | Experimental | Other: active release techniquetwelve participants will receive active release technique for cervical spine The patient will sit on a stool with hands supported on the thighs, the therapist will apply deep pressure on both sides of levator scapulae and upper trapezius muscles (over the area of tenderness) and the patient will be instructed to actively move the muscle from a shortened to lengthened position and thereby breaking adhesions.1 set of 3-5 repetitions in one session |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Have referred from orthopedic surgeon diagnosed with NSCNP that has been localized to the cervical and periscapular areas for at least three months
- Aged from 18-40 years
- Having a score more than 10 on the Neck disability index (NDI)
- BMI from 18.5 to 29.9 kg/m2.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- The Participants will be excluded from this study if they meet any of the following criteria
- History of previous neck surgery.
- Recent or old fractures.
- Cognitive impairment and inability to understand the scale.
- Systematic inflammatory disease e.g., rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, neck pain with radiculopathy or neuropathy.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional treatmenttwelve participants will receive only the conventional physical therapy program prescribed for chronic non-specific neck pain in the form of: 1.Source of superficial heat using hot packs for 15 minutes. 2.Postural correction exercises. 3.Isometric strengthening exercises for neck muscles in all directions (Flexion, extension, side bending and rotation). 4.Stretching for common tight muscles (Trapezius, levator scapulae and sternocleidomastoid muscles). 5.Chin tuck exercises. 6.Scapular stabilization exercises | Other | conventional treatment |
| mulligan mobilizationParticipant will sit comfortably supported in a chair with a neutral head and cervical spine position. Practitioner, A gentle, painless posterior-to-anterior (PA) glide will be applied to the facets (bony projections) on the spinous process or the articular pillar/cervical lamina. This glide will be maintained throughout the movement. Participant Action: While the glide will be held, the participant actively will move their neck in the direction that previously caused pain. If pain-free, the participant can gently push further into the movement restriction | Other | Mulligan mobilization technique |
| active release techniqueThe patient will sit on a stool with hands supported on the thighs, the therapist will apply deep pressure on both sides of levator scapulae and upper trapezius muscles (over the area of tenderness) and the patient will be instructed to actively move the muscle from a shortened to lengthened position and thereby breaking adhesions.1 set of 3-5 repetitions in one session | Other | active release technique |
Primary outcome
Cervical range of motion
Time frame: 4 weeks
Cervical ROM will be assessed using CROM device.
2 secondary outcomes
Neck function
Time frame: 4 weeks
Pain intensity
Time frame: 4 weeks
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 1 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Conventional treatment, mulligan mobilization and active release technique in people with Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain, run by Cairo University.
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 6 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 1 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Abdullah Nagy fathy abdelrahman, assistant lecturer (0201028645667, abdullahnagy999@gmail.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Cervical range of motion (time frame: 4 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 1 Jul 2026.