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Enhancing Treatment Outcomes: The Impact of Physical Touch in Back and Neck Pain Management

NCT06069193 · Status: RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 120

Last updated 2023-10-31

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

In this study, we aim to investigate the impact of professional touch techniques on treatment expectations and adherence in German-speaking adults with current back or neck pain. Participants will engage in a 45-minute interaction, including structured components and physical touch interventions. We will assess treatment expectations, treatment effects, adherence, and participant motivation. Our study will provide insights into the role of touch in healthcare interactions and its influence on treatment outcomes.

Conditions

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Touch Intervention

The participants will be examined, with various areas in the neck and upper back being palpated. Subsequently, the exercises to be performed at home will be demonstrated by the experimenter. The experimenter will ensure correct execution by touching specific areas in the neck and upper back of the participants. Finally, the participants will be provided with a cream to be applied to the affected regions. Placebo cream: The participants receive an inert placebo cream, which is a standard basic cream infused with lemon oil, produced by a local pharmacy. Participants are informed that they are about to receive an effective analgesic cream. Placebo exercises: Participants are assigned a series of five core exercises, with an optional supplementary exercise available in case any of the core exercises proves ineffective for the participants. Participants are led to believe that these exercises are expected to have therapeutic effects.

BEHAVIORAL

Control

The participants will be examined, and they will be asked to describe as accurately as possible the regions where they experience pain. Subsequently, the experimenter will demonstrate the exercises to be performed at home. Finally, the participants will be provided with a cream to be applied to the affected regions. Placebo cream: The participants receive an inert placebo cream, which is a standard basic cream infused with lemon oil, produced by a local pharmacy. Participants are informed that they are about to receive an effective analgesic cream. Placebo exercises: Participants are assigned a series of five core exercises, with an optional supplementary exercise available in case any of the core exercises proves ineffective for the participants. Participants are led to believe that these exercises are expected to have therapeutic effects.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Philipps University Marburg

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Winfried Rief, Prof. Dr. · Dept. of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Philipps-University Marburg, Germany

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2023-10-02
Primary Completion
2024-09-30
Completion
2024-12-31

Countries

  • Germany

Study Locations

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Entities

Diseases

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 NCT06069193 on ClinicalTrials.gov