Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Introduction Neck pain is highly prevalent worldwide with no reliable or approved therapies. Recently, percutaneous neuromodulation (PNM) has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional treatments for managing musculoskeletal disorders.Objective This study aims to assess the comparative effe...

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Main Authors: Manuel Fernandez-Sanchez, Héctor García-López, Steven Paul Cohen, Inmaculada Carmen Lara-Palomo, Raúl Romero-del Rey, Manuel Saavedra-Hernández, Adelaida María Castro-Sánchez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-06-01
Series:BMJ Open
Online Access:https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/6/e097193.full
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author Manuel Fernandez-Sanchez
Héctor García-López
Steven Paul Cohen
Inmaculada Carmen Lara-Palomo
Raúl Romero-del Rey
Manuel Saavedra-Hernández
Adelaida María Castro-Sánchez
author_facet Manuel Fernandez-Sanchez
Héctor García-López
Steven Paul Cohen
Inmaculada Carmen Lara-Palomo
Raúl Romero-del Rey
Manuel Saavedra-Hernández
Adelaida María Castro-Sánchez
author_sort Manuel Fernandez-Sanchez
collection DOAJ
description Introduction Neck pain is highly prevalent worldwide with no reliable or approved therapies. Recently, percutaneous neuromodulation (PNM) has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional treatments for managing musculoskeletal disorders.Objective This study aims to assess the comparative effectiveness of PNM compared with therapeutic exercise in the management of patients with chronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP).Methods and analysis In this randomised, controlled, single-blind study, 100 patients with CNNP will be allocated in a 1:1 ratio into two study groups: treatment with PNM and treatment with therapeutic exercise (specific neck exercises). A total of 18 structured exercise sessions will be administered three times per week for 6 weeks. Disability, pain intensity, fear of movement, quality of life, quality of sleep, catastrophising, cervical range of motion and pressure pain threshold will be recorded at 6 weeks (immediately post-treatment) and 8 weeks after initiation (or the end of treatment).Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the provincial research ethics committee of Almeria (AP-0429-2023 C4-F2) in June 2024. The results of the study, including feasibility outcomes, will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at academic, clinical and healthcare conferences.Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06695949.
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spelling doaj-art-7e735f4eaff24d7d98b22e14d0d154852025-08-20T02:23:35ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Open2044-60552025-06-0115610.1136/bmjopen-2024-097193Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trialManuel Fernandez-Sanchez0Héctor García-López1Steven Paul Cohen2Inmaculada Carmen Lara-Palomo3Raúl Romero-del Rey4Manuel Saavedra-Hernández5Adelaida María Castro-Sánchez6Nursing, Physical Therapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalucía, SpainNursing, Physical Therapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalucía, SpainEdmond I. Eger Chair of Anesthesiology & Vice Chair of Research and Pain Medicine. Professor of Anesthesiology, Neurology, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Psychiatry and Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USANursing, Physical Therapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalucía, SpainNursing, Physical Therapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalucía, SpainNursing, Physical Therapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalucía, SpainNursing, Physical Therapy and Medicine, University of Almeria, Almeria, Andalucía, SpainIntroduction Neck pain is highly prevalent worldwide with no reliable or approved therapies. Recently, percutaneous neuromodulation (PNM) has gained popularity as an alternative to conventional treatments for managing musculoskeletal disorders.Objective This study aims to assess the comparative effectiveness of PNM compared with therapeutic exercise in the management of patients with chronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP).Methods and analysis In this randomised, controlled, single-blind study, 100 patients with CNNP will be allocated in a 1:1 ratio into two study groups: treatment with PNM and treatment with therapeutic exercise (specific neck exercises). A total of 18 structured exercise sessions will be administered three times per week for 6 weeks. Disability, pain intensity, fear of movement, quality of life, quality of sleep, catastrophising, cervical range of motion and pressure pain threshold will be recorded at 6 weeks (immediately post-treatment) and 8 weeks after initiation (or the end of treatment).Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval was obtained from the provincial research ethics committee of Almeria (AP-0429-2023 C4-F2) in June 2024. The results of the study, including feasibility outcomes, will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at academic, clinical and healthcare conferences.Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT06695949.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/6/e097193.full
spellingShingle Manuel Fernandez-Sanchez
Héctor García-López
Steven Paul Cohen
Inmaculada Carmen Lara-Palomo
Raúl Romero-del Rey
Manuel Saavedra-Hernández
Adelaida María Castro-Sánchez
Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
BMJ Open
title Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
title_full Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
title_fullStr Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
title_short Comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
title_sort comparison of percutaneous neuromodulation and therapeutic exercise in patients with chronic non specific neck pain a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
url https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/15/6/e097193.full
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