Chronic Neck PainNCT07741227
Electroacupuncture on Neck Muscle Stiffness in Chronic Neck Pain
A study testing Electroacupuncture in people with Chronic Neck Pain, run by The Hong Kong Polytechnic University at 1 site in Hong Kong.
Trial summary
This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to investigate the immediate physiological effects of a single session of electroacupuncture (EA) on neck muscle stiffness in individuals with chronic neck pain. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Chronic Neck Pain
- What is being tested?
- Electroacupuncture
- Type of treatment
- Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 66 participants
- Where
- 1 siteHong Kong
- Study dates
- 1 May 2026to 30 Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
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 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Aged 18-65 years
- Chronic non-specific neck pain persisting for ≥3 months
- Average pain intensity ≥3 on a 0-10 Numeric Rating Scale over the past week
- Pain primarily located in the posterior cervical region, which may radiate to the upper trapezius muscles
- Able to provide informed consent and sufficient language proficiency to complete questionnaires
Who cannot join
- Specific pathological causes for neck pain (cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy, fracture, infection, tumour, systemic rheumatic disease)
- History of neck or shoulder surgery
- Contraindications to acupuncture (severe needle phobia, bleeding disorders, pregnancy)
- Received acupuncture or other physical therapy for neck pain within the past 6 months
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong
Hio Teng Leong, 85227666707, annie-ht.leong@polyu.edu.hk
About this study
Official title: The Immediate Effect of Electroacupuncture on Neck Muscle Stiffness in Individuals With Chronic Neck Pain
This randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aims to investigate the immediate physiological effects of a single session of electroacupuncture (EA) on neck muscle stiffness in individuals with chronic neck pain. While acupuncture is a widely used complementary therapy for musculoskeletal pain, high-quality, objective evidence demonstrating its immediate effects on muscle biomechanics remains limited. This study will utilize Shear Wave Elastography (SWE)-a non-invasive, objective ultrasound-based technology-to measure these changes.
Adult participants aged 18 to 65 with non-specific chronic neck pain (lasting
Read more
≥ 3 months) will be randomly allocated into one of two groups:
- True Electroacupuncture (EA) Group: Participants will receive a 20-minute session of active electroacupuncture with comfortable electrical stimulation at specific neck and tender points.
- Sham Acupuncture (Placebo) Group: Participants will receive a 20-minute session of non-penetrating sham acupuncture with a deactivated electroacupuncture device to ensure participant blinding.
The primary objective is to evaluate immediate changes in the stiffness of the upper trapezius muscle, measured objectively via SWE (as Young's Modulus in kPa) before and immediately after the intervention. Secondary objectives include assessing immediate post-treatment changes in subjective pain and stiffness (Visual Analogue Scale), Pressure Pain Threshold (PPT), and active Cervical Range of Motion (CROM), alongside a 7-day post-intervention follow-up questionnaire on neck function.
- Conditions
- Chronic Neck Pain
- Being tested
- Electroacupuncture, Sham Electroacupuncture
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ElectroacupunctureProcedure or surgery
A single 20-minute session of electroacupuncture administered by a registered Chinese Medicine Practitioner (>10 years experience). Sterile single-use needles (0.25 mm × 25 mm or 0.30 mm × 40 mm) inserted at GB21, GB20, BL10, and local Ashi points on the affected upper trapezius to elicit de-qi. Needle pairs connected to a HANS-200A pulse generator delivering continuous asymmetric biphasic square wave at 2 Hz, pulse duration 200 μs, intensity titrated to maximum comfortable tolerance (checked every 5 min). Applied to the more painful/stiffer side; if bilateral and symmetrical, the dominant side is treated.
Sham ElectroacupunctureProcedure or surgery
A single 20-minute session using validated Streitberger non-penetrating placebo needles at the same acupoints (GB21, GB20, BL10, Ashi). The blunt-tip needle retracts into the handle upon skin contact without penetrating the skin, secured with adhesive rings. The same HANS-200A device is connected but set to a deactivated mode (blinking lights and sounds active, no electrical current delivered). The practitioner follows an identical protocol and communication script as the EA group, including adjusting the intensity dial on the sham device.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Electroacupuncture Receives: Procedure: Electroacupuncture |
| Control | Sham comparator | Sham Electroacupuncture Receives: Procedure: Sham Electroacupuncture |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Upper trapezius shear modulus
Shear modulus (kPa) of the upper trapezius muscle measured by shear-wave elastography (SWE) at the midpoint between C7 spinous process and acromion on the treated side. Mean of 3 consecutive measurements. Young's modulus values divided by 3 to obtain shear modulus.
Measured: Baseline (pre-intervention) and immediately post-intervention (within 15 minutes after needle removal, following a 5-minute rest period)
Secondary outcomes (6)
Pain intensity (VAS)
Current neck pain intensity measured using a 100-mm Visual Analogue Scale, anchored "no pain" to "worst pain imaginable."
Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention
Pressure pain threshold - ipsilateral splenius capitis
PPT (kPa) at approximately 2 cm lateral to C4 spinous process on the treated side.
Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention
Pressure pain threshold - contralateral upper trapezius
PPT (kPa) at the UT midpoint on the untreated side.
Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention
Pressure pain threshold - contralateral splenius capitis
PPT (kPa) at approximately 2 cm lateral to C4 spinous process on the untreated side.
Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention
Pressure pain threshold - bilateral tibialis anterior (remote)
PPT (kPa) over the belly of the tibialis anterior bilaterally, as an extra-cephalic remote reference site.
Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention
Cervical range of motion
Active cervical ROM in 6 directions (flexion, extension, left/right lateral flexion, left/right rotation) measured in degrees using a validated smartphone Clinometer application. Mean of 2 closest trials per direction.
Measured: Baseline and immediately post-intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Aug 2026
- Study start1 May 2026
- Primary completion30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Chronic Neck PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- 66 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07741227
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- HSEARS20250926007
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 28 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 24 Aug 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No