INSTRUMENT ASSISSTED SOFT TISSUE MOBILIZATION VERSUS DRY CUPPING ON UPPER TRAPEZIUS TRIGGER POINT… (NCT07260019) | Clinical Trial Compass
Not Yet RecruitingNot Applicable
INSTRUMENT ASSISSTED SOFT TISSUE MOBILIZATION VERSUS DRY CUPPING ON UPPER TRAPEZIUS TRIGGER POINTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL
75 participantsStarted 2025-12-01
Plain-language summary
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to compare the effects of Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and dry cupping in patients (both genders), aged 20-50 years, diagnosed with chronic non-specific neck pain who have active upper trapezius trigger points. The main questions it aims to answer are :
1. Is there a significant difference in the effect on pain level (measured by VAS) between the groups?
2. Is there a significant difference in the effect on cervical range of motion (CROM), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and functional disability (NDI) between the groups?
Researchers will compare three groups:
1. Group A (Control):\] Will receive a conventional physical therapy program (hot packs, TENS, and exercises).
2. Group B (Experimental):\] Will receive conventional therapy plus IASTM.
3. Group C (Experimental):\] Will receive conventional therapy plus Dry Cupping.
Participants will be asked to do the following:
1. Undergo baseline assessments (measuring pain, ROM, PPT, and disability) before treatment and final assessments after 4 weeks.
2. Attend \[3 treatment sessions per week for four weeks\].
3. At each session, all participants will receive the conventional physical therapy program , while Groups B and C will receive their additional intervention (IASTM or dry cupping).
Who can participate
Age range
20 Years – 50 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
. Had an active upper trapezius TrP (defined as a tender nodule in a taut band that referred pain in a pattern specific for upper trapezius TrP1 or TrP2).
. Pain of at least 40 mm on a visual analogue scale (VAS).
. Body mass index from 18 - 30 kg/m2
Exclusion criteria
. Participants who will exhibit signs of fibromyalgia syndrome.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
What they're measuring
1
Pain Intensity Level
Timeframe: Baseline (before intervention) and after 4 weeks of treatment.
. Participants with a specific neck pain such as cervical radiculopathy with neurological deficits (e.g., motor weakness, significant sensory loss), cervical instability, fracture, tumor, infection, or inflammatory arthropathies.
. Sensory problems in the upper or midback regions, heart/circulation problems.
. Participants who will have vascular syndromes such as vertebrobasilar insufficiency.
. Participants with skin lesions, fragile skin, or a history of bleeding disorders.