NCT07164963

Upper Cervical Mobilization vs. Sub-Occipital MET for Neck Pain and FHP

Upper Cervical Translatoric Mobilization Versus Sub Occipital Muscle Energy Technique in Patients With Mechanical Neck Pain and Forward Head Posture

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 45 (actual)
• Sponsor: MTI University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 20 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

forty-five patients with MNP and FHP age from 25-40 years will be randomly assigned into three groups: Group A (study): 15patients will receive (upper cervical translatoric mobilization) and traditional physical therapy, Group B (study): 15patients received sub occipital muscle energy technique and traditional physical therapy, and Group C (control): 15 patients will receive the traditional physical therapy treatment only . Interventions will be conducted three times a week for four weeks. Craniovertebral angle (CVA) using Photographic Posture Analysis Method (surgimap software), pain intensity using viual analogue scale (VAS), Cervical ROM using CROM device, and neck functional ability using Neck Disability Index (NDI) will be assessed for all participants before and after the treatment program.

Detailed description

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of Upper Cervical Translatoric Mobilization (UC-TSM) and Sub-Occipital Muscle Energy Technique (MET) in patients with Mechanical Neck Pain (MNP) and Forward Head Posture (FHP). Forty-five participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group A (UC-TSM + conventional physical therapy), Group B (Sub-Occipital MET + conventional physical therapy), and Group C (conventional physical therapy only). Interventions will be administered three times per week for four weeks. Outcomes include pain intensity (VAS), neck disability (NDI), cervical range of motion (CROM), and craniovertebral angle (CVA) assessed via photographic analysis (Surgimap). The study will be conducted at Benha University.

Conditions

• Mechanical Neck Pain
• Forward Head Posture

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	upper cervical translatoric mobilisation	(UC-TSM) is defined as a system of manual techniques using straight-line forces delivered in a parallel or perpendicular direction to an individual vertebral joint or motion segment there is also increasing in body of evidence supporting the its clinical effectiveness and safety in the management of patients with cervical impairments.
OTHER	sub occipital muscle energy technique	Muscle Energy Technique (MET) is another form of a gentle manual therapy intervention that primarily targets the soft tissues, though it also contributes significantly to joint mobilization. It has been reported that, adding MET to exercise program resulted in better improvement in CVA and FHP than exercise group only
OTHER	traditional physical therapy	hot pack and kendel exercise

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-09-12
• Primary completion: 2025-10-15
• Completion: 2025-12-01
• First posted: 2025-09-10
• Last updated: 2026-01-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Egypt