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Manual Therapy vs. Multicomponent Exercise in Cervicogenic Headache

NCT07776093 · Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 32

Last updated 2026-08-24

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of manual therapy and a multicomponent exercise program on suboccipital muscle thickness, joint position sense, pain, central sensitization, balance, and kinesiophobia in patients diagnosed with cervicogenic headache.

Cervicogenic headache is a common secondary headache originating from dysfunction in the upper cervical spine. Dysfunction in the deep neck muscles, impaired neck joint awareness, and heightened pain sensitivity (central sensitization) are frequently observed in these patients. While both manual therapy and targeted exercise are used in physiotherapy practice, evidence regarding their direct comparative effects on suboccipital muscle morphology and somatosensory parameters remains limited.

Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups for a duration of 4 weeks (12 sessions total):

1. Manual Therapy Group: Receives joint mobilization, myofascial release, trigger point release, and suboccipital distraction targeting the cervical region.
2. Multicomponent Exercise Group: Receives deep cervical flexor strengthening, cervical proprioception training, head-eye coordination training, and progressive balance exercises.

The main questions the study aims to answer are:

* Do manual therapy and multicomponent exercise improve suboccipital muscle thickness and cervical joint position sense in patients with cervicogenic headache?
* Is there a significant difference between manual therapy and multicomponent exercise in reducing pain intensity, central sensitization, disability, and fear of movement (kinesiophobia)? It is hypothesized that both intervention protocols will yield significant clinical improvements, with specific synergistic adaptations in muscle structure, somatosensory system processing, and pain-related fear.

Conditions

  • Cervicogenic Headache
  • Proprioceptive Disorders
  • Neck Pain Musculoskeletal

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Manual Therapy Protocol

Upper cervical joint mobilization, myofascial release, suboccipital distraction, and trigger point therapy targeting the cervical region.

OTHER

Multicomponent Exercise Program

Deep cervical flexor strengthening, cervical proprioception exercises, gaze stability/head-eye coordination training, and progressive balance exercises.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Pamukkale University

    lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
45 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2026-09-01
Primary Completion
2027-02-28
Completion
2027-03-31

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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 NCT07776093 on ClinicalTrials.gov