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High-intensity Laser Therapy for Neck Pain

NCT05689788 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 72

Last updated 2025-08-07

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Chronic nonspecific neck pain is a common musculoskeletal disorder recognized for its high rates of disability and economic losses, ranking second in musculoskeletal conditions after low back pain. There are several effective physical therapy interventions to treat chronic nonspecific neck pain, such as laser therapy. High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) is a recent treatment proposed to reduce musculoskeletal pain; however, there are few studies that prove its effects in reducing neck pain.

The aim of this randomized clinical trial is to evaluate the effect of high-intensity laser therapy on pain intensity in patients with chronic nonspecific neck pain.

The research will be carried out in the laboratory of physical agents at the Andrés Bello University, Campus Casona de las Condes. Participants will be employers and volunteer students with non-specific chronic neck pain. Participants will be randomized and allocated into 2 study groups: group 1 (HILT and stretching exercises) and group 2 (simulated HILT and stretching exercises). Treatments will be performed twice a week for 4 weeks with 3 assessments: before treatment, at the end of treatment, and 12 weeks after treatment (follow-up). The main results will be the differences in pain pressure threshold (ΔPPT), intensity of pain at rest (ΔRPI) and intensity of pain on movement (ΔMPI). Secondary outcome measures, on the other hand, will include differences in cervical spine range (ΔCROM) and cervical disability (ΔND).

Conditions

  • Non-specific Chronic Neck Pain

Interventions

DEVICE

High-intensity laser therapy

punctual technique on the 6 bilateral points of the cervical region and shoulder girdle, to be followed by a sweep technique on both trapezius muscles (upper portions). The parameters proposed by Dundar et al. will be used: an average power of 3 W, 60 J per point (360 J), and 500 J for manual scanning (1000 J). For the application of laser therapy, the 12 W BTL-6000 equipment that emits at 1064 nm wavelengths will be used.

PROCEDURE

Stretching exercise

Three sets of bilateral passive static stretching will be performed for the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles. Each series will last 30 seconds, followed by a 30-second rest interval. The exercises will be carried out with the participant in a seated position in a chair with a backrest.

DEVICE

Sham High-intensity laser therapy

Intervention in which the therapist performs a HILT simulation application, performing all of the steps and movements for an administration without actually receiving the treatment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Quiropraxia y Equilibrio

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Hernán de la Barra Ortiz, MSc · Universidad Andrés Bello

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
TRIPLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2024-03-31
Primary Completion
2024-05-30
Completion
2025-12-28

Countries

  • Chile

Study Locations

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Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT05689788 on ClinicalTrials.gov