Neck Pain Clinical Trials

The goal of this observational trial is to compare the health history and motion capabilities of participants with low back pain disorders to participants with healthy spines. The main question[s] it aims to answer are to: Primary outcomes of this research effort include composite measures that differentiate between control and patient populations, predict injury or reinjury risk, identify low back and neck pain patient phenotypes, and evaluate treatment effectiveness. Secondary outcomes of this research effort include an assessment of wearable motion sensor accuracy, characterization of motion assessment utility, biopsychosocial profiling of control and low back and neck pain patient populations, and differentiation of sincere and insincere motion assessment efforts. Participants will complete questionnaires and wear a motion monitor that will assess your back and/or neck. This session will be approximately 40-70 minutes. The research team will follow up with participants at 3 month, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years to complete a short series of questionnaires and a motion assessment test. Read Less

The broad long-term objective is to develop an objective biomarker for spinal health based on aberrant or abnormal movement patterns during functional activities to better target spinal manipulation therapy (SMT) and other conservative treatments. The central hypotheses are a) that aberrant spinal motions and their location (area and level) are indicative of underlying spinal dysfunction, and b) that quantified 3D cervical spine intersegmental and global motion patterns during functional tasks can be used as a biomarker for subsequent clinical studies aimed at normalizing cervical kinematics. Specific Aim: Determine the extent to which SMT can modulate, or normalize, intersegmental motion in patients with neck pain. Rationale: SMT is a force-based biomechanical event whose hypothesized mechanism of action relies on moving the segment into the para-physiological zone, resulting in normalization of spinal kinematic function. Hypothesis: Severity of abnormal or aberrant motion, identified in those with NP, will improve following SMT. Approach: Participants with chronic mechanical neck pain will be recruited and randomized into one of three groups: 1) No Treatment, 2) Light Massage (pseudo- sham), and 3) Spinal Manipulative Therapy. Using a repeated measures study design, metrics of quality of spinal motion will be compared before and after the prescribed intervention. Read Less

We are conducting a trial that evaluates the feasibility of telehealth group pain reprocessing therapy (PRT), with no comparison group, for the treatment of chronic back pain in a population of veterans. PRT is a psychotherapy for chronic pain that aims to help patients reconceptualize their pain as a non-dangerous signal. It has been shown to be effective in a previous RCT (n=151). Read Less

This study aims to assess the efficacy of Personalized Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (PrTMS) therapy to reduce chronic neck for military health system beneficiaries. Read Less

This study is interested in whether baseline measures of pain sensitivity i.e. the amount of pressure required to feel pain predicts pain relief following a pain inducing massage AND whether pain relief following a pain inducing massage is different than a pain free massage or placing your hand in a cold water bath. Participants with neck pain will be randomly assigned to receive a pain inducing massage, pain free massage, or to place their hand in a cold water bath. Read Less

Feasibility study investigating the effects of dry needling on individuals with chronic neck pain and sleep disturbance. Read Less

The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the effects of two spinal manipulations in adults between the ages of 18-65 based on the results of a non-invasive clinical test. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does matched or unmatched region of manipulation based on the CTDT result in greater reduction of pain levels and improvement in range of motion in adults with neck pain compared to unmatched manipulations? Participants will be asked to: rate their pain with neck movement, complete brief questionnaires about their pain, have their neck range of motion measured, perform a test known as the cervico-thoracic differentiation test (CTDT), receive either a cervical or thoracic manipulation, repeat the range of motion measurements. A second session will occur 7-10 days later where questionnaires and range of motion measures will be repeated. Researchers will compare the effects of manipulation matched to CTDT test result to individuals in the unmatched CTDT manipulation group to see if the CTDT may indicate which region will provide a greater treatment effect for individuals with neck pain. Read Less

The goal of this observational trial is to compare the health history and motion capabilities of participants with low back pain disorders to participants with healthy spines. The main question[s] it aims to answer are to: Primary outcomes of this research effort include the development of composite measures or digital biomarkers to track functional recovery over time and predict duty or work status outcomes (return-to-full duty/work, limited duty/work restrictions or medical discharge/long-term disability). Secondary outcomes of this research effort include characterization of motion assessment utility to predict reinjury risk and evaluate intervention effectiveness. In addition, exploratively, the investigators will determine biopsychosocial profiles of low back pain, and neck pain military populations to identify low back and neck pain phenotypes. Participants will complete questionnaires and wear a motion monitor that will assess the participant's back and/or neck. This session will be approximately 40-70 minutes. The research team will follow up with participants at 3 month, 6 months, and 1 year to complete a short series of questionnaires and a motion assessment test. Read Less

Determine the most effective and efficient treatment protocols for treating neck pain with LLLT. Read Less

This feasibility project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of chiropractic care combined with Tai Chi (TC) training to reduce pain and disability in adults with chronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP). Read Less

SpineZone is an innovative physical therapy program with its focus on treatment of cervical, thoracic, and lumbar conditions through the use of a multi-disciplinary, technology enabled platform. Standard physical therapy modalities including psychologically informed physical therapy are employed in addition to online coaching with a fundamental tenant of core strengthening. Treatments are tracked and modified in a multi-disciplinary format taking all radiographic studies into direct consideration. The goal of this study is to utilize a registry of participants undergoing either in-clinic or online rehabilitation treatment for spine pain at the SpineZone clinical in order to understand the clinical outcomes and costs of different rehabilitation modalities in this patient population. Read Less

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CP) is a major public health concern. Psychosocial treatments have been shown to be efficacious when compared to largely inert control conditions, but they are characterized by modest effects on primary outcomes. One strategy to boost efficacy is to increase our understanding of treatment mediators. Studies of mediators that directly compare different treatments with each other are needed to determine which mediators are treatment-specific, which are shared across treatments, and which contribute the most to clinical outcomes. Another strategy is to identify the patient characteristics that moderate treatment responses. Research is needed that is guided by theoretical models and that tests moderators across multiple treatments. Identifying subgroups of patients more likely to respond to one or another treatment can advance precision medicine by informing a priori patient-treatment matches that can optimize treatment effects. To accomplish these goals, the authors will conduct a randomized clinical trial to compare the mediators and moderators of the clinical effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET) on adults with chronic spinal (axial) pain. Following baseline assessment of outcome variables as well as potential mediators and moderators, 460 participants will be randomized to CBT, ACT, EAET, or treatment-as-usual control (TAU). The three treatments will be conducted as individual therapy provided weekly for 8 weeks via telehealth. The researchers will conduct weekly assessments of both potential mediators and outcomes, as well as post-treatment and 6-month follow-up assessments. The goal of the study is to identify the most powerful treatment mechanisms - specific and shared -- and reveal for whom the mediator-outcome pathways are strongest.This project can increase the effects of our psychosocial chronic pain treatments by identifying the most effective treatment mechanisms and by informing patient-treatment matches that can optimize treatment effects. Read Less