Work-related Neck PainNCT07480772
Scapular Muscle Strengthening Combined With Core Stabilization Exercises in Telephone Operators With Neck Pain
A study testing Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening and Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening in people with Work-related Neck Pain, run by University of Lahore at 1 site in Pakistan.
Trial summary
Scapular muscle strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises is an effective intervention for reducing neck pain in telephone operators. Prolonged sitting, forward head posture, and repetitive upper-limb use in this population often lead to scapular dyskinesis and poor trunk control, increasing cervical… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 20 to 60 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Work-related Neck Pain
- What is being tested?
- Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening and Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 70 participants
- Where
- 1 sitePakistan
- Study dates
- 10 Feb 2026to 10 Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 20 to 60 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- 1. Aged between 20 and 60 years(Kang, Im, \& Kim, 2021) 2. Both male and female(Hetaimish et al., 2024) 3. Sitting job during an 8-hour shift and worked telephone, and documents.(Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, \& Varmazyar, 2023) 4. Employed 6 months ago 5. The patients included in this study if they have CVA equal or less than 50(Abd El-Azeim et al., 2022) 6. Neck pain with mild neck disability (NDI score 5-15)(Pawaria, Sudhan, \& Kalra, 2019) 7. A score of 4-7 for the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)(Kang et al., 2021)
Who cannot join
- 1. History of traumatic cervical spine injuries ,Inflammatory arthropathy 2. Infectious spondylitis, severe osteoporosis, cervical disc protrusion, cervical spine fractures or dislocations, previous cervical surgery, and intractable migraines.(Tian et al., 2025a) 3. intermittent neck pain, transient neck pain or any radiation of the pain to the upper extremity (neurological origin of the pain)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Scapular muscle strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises is an effective intervention for reducing neck pain in telephone operators. Prolonged sitting, forward head posture, and repetitive upper-limb use in this population often lead to scapular dyskinesis and poor trunk control, increasing cervical spine stress. Strengthening the scapular stabilizers (such as the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) improves shoulder girdle alignment and reduces overload on cervical muscles. When combined with core stabilization exercises, which enhance trunk stability and postural control, overall biomechanical efficiency is improved. This combined approach has been shown to decrease pain intensity, improve neck function, enhance posture, and reduce work-related musculoskeletal strain in telephone operators with neck pain.
- Conditions
- Work-related Neck Pain
- Being tested
- Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening, Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle StrengtheningOther
This intervention consists of a structured therapeutic exercise program focusing on strengthening the scapular stabilizing muscles (including the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) combined with core stabilization exercises targeting the deep abdominal and lumbar muscles. The program is designed to improve postural alignment, enhance trunk and shoulder girdle stability, and reduce mechanical stress on the cervical spine. Exercises are performed under supervision with progressive intensity over the intervention period. The intervention is specifically tailored for telephone operators experiencing work-related neck pain.
Deep Cervical Muscle StrengtheningOther
This intervention consists of conventional physiotherapy exercises commonly used for the management of work-related neck pain. The program includes cervical range-of-motion exercises, stretching of neck and shoulder muscles, and basic isometric strengthening of the cervical musculature. No specific scapular muscle strengthening or core stabilization exercises are included. The exercises are supervised and performed according to standard clinical practice guidelines for neck pain management, serving as a comparator to evaluate the added effects of scapular strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening | Experimental | Participants in Group A was perform scapular stabilizing and deep cervical strengthening exercises focusing on improving muscular balance between upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior. Exercises include shoulder press, one-arm row, resistance band scapular retraction, prone abduction with external rotation, prone flexion, and W/V-pattern resistance band exercises (Andersen et al., 2012; Tabanfar et al., 2023; Mehmetoğlu \& Yüksel, 2025). Each exercise will be performed 3 sets of 15 repetitions during Weeks 1-4, progressing to up to 20 repetitions and/or increased resistance during Weeks 5-8. Rest intervals will be standardized between sets. The total exercise duration per session will be approximately 25-30 minutes (Kuo et al., 2020; Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, Varmazyar, et al., 2023). Receives: Other: Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening; Other: Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening |
| Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening | Active comparator | Participants in Group B was received deep cervical flexor strengthening exercises including chin tucks, cervical flexor strengthening against resistance, nuchal ligament stretching, cervical rotation, supine deep cervical flexor activation (nodding with towel support), and arm elevation exercises (Tabanfar et al., 2023; Tian et al., 2025b). To ensure equal treatment time, participants will also perform standardized shoulder range of motion exercises (flexion/extension, abduction, internal/external rotation), each repeated three times (Setuain et al., 2017). The total session duration will be approximately 25-30 minutes (Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, \& Varmazyar, 2023). Receives: Other: Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening; Other: Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Neck Pain
Neck disability index
Measured: 6 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted18 Mar 2026
- Study start10 Feb 2026
- Primary completion10 Sep 2026
- Study completion10 Sep 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Work-related Neck PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of LahoreThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 70 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Lahore
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Aqsa Majeed, University of Lahore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07480772
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Umama Jabbar
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 2 Nov 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Nov 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Scapular Muscle Strengthening Combined With Core Stabilization Exercises in Telephone Operators With Neck Pain
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07480772
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- Umama Jabbar
- Conditions
- Work-related Neck Pain
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 70 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of LahoreUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Sep 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 Sep 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 18 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Scapular muscle strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises is an effective intervention for reducing neck pain in telephone operators. Prolonged sitting, forward head posture, and repetitive upper-limb use in this population often lead to scapular dyskinesis and poor trunk control, increasing cervical spine stress. Strengthening the scapular stabilizers (such as the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) improves shoulder girdle alignment and reduces overload on cervical muscles. When combined with core stabilization exercises, which enhance trunk stability and postural control, overall biomechanical efficiency is improved. This combined approach has been shown to decrease pain intensity, improve neck function, enhance posture, and reduce work-related musculoskeletal strain in telephone operators with neck pain.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening | Experimental | Other: Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening, Other: Deep Cervical Muscle StrengtheningParticipants in Group A was perform scapular stabilizing and deep cervical strengthening exercises focusing on improving muscular balance between upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior. Exercises include shoulder press, one-arm row, resistance band scapular retraction, prone abduction with external rotation, prone flexion, and W/V-pattern resistance band exercises (Andersen et al., 2012; Tabanfar et al., 2023; Mehmetoğlu \& Yüksel, 2025). Each exercise will be performed 3 sets of 15 repetitions during Weeks 1-4, progressing to up to 20 repetitions and/or increased resistance during Weeks 5-8. Rest intervals will be standardized between sets. The total exercise duration per session will be approximately 25-30 minutes (Kuo et al., 2020; Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, Varmazyar, et al., 2023). |
| Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening | Active comparator | Other: Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening, Other: Deep Cervical Muscle StrengtheningParticipants in Group B was received deep cervical flexor strengthening exercises including chin tucks, cervical flexor strengthening against resistance, nuchal ligament stretching, cervical rotation, supine deep cervical flexor activation (nodding with towel support), and arm elevation exercises (Tabanfar et al., 2023; Tian et al., 2025b). To ensure equal treatment time, participants will also perform standardized shoulder range of motion exercises (flexion/extension, abduction, internal/external rotation), each repeated three times (Setuain et al., 2017). The total session duration will be approximately 25-30 minutes (Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, \& Varmazyar, 2023). |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 20 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 1. Aged between 20 and 60 years(Kang, Im, \& Kim, 2021) 2. Both male and female(Hetaimish et al., 2024) 3. Sitting job during an 8-hour shift and worked telephone, and documents.(Tabanfar, Sobhani, Safari Variani, \& Varmazyar, 2023) 4. Employed 6 months ago 5. The patients included in this study if they have CVA equal or less than 50(Abd El-Azeim et al., 2022) 6. Neck pain with mild neck disability (NDI score 5-15)(Pawaria, Sudhan, \& Kalra, 2019) 7. A score of 4-7 for the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)(Kang et al., 2021)
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- 1. History of traumatic cervical spine injuries ,Inflammatory arthropathy 2. Infectious spondylitis, severe osteoporosis, cervical disc protrusion, cervical spine fractures or dislocations, previous cervical surgery, and intractable migraines.(Tian et al., 2025a) 3. intermittent neck pain, transient neck pain or any radiation of the pain to the upper extremity (neurological origin of the pain)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle StrengtheningThis intervention consists of a structured therapeutic exercise program focusing on strengthening the scapular stabilizing muscles (including the middle and lower trapezius and serratus anterior) combined with core stabilization exercises targeting the deep abdominal and lumbar muscles. The program is designed to improve postural alignment, enhance trunk and shoulder girdle stability, and reduce mechanical stress on the cervical spine. Exercises are performed under supervision with progressive intensity over the intervention period. The intervention is specifically tailored for telephone operators experiencing work-related neck pain. | Other | Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening, Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening |
| Deep Cervical Muscle StrengtheningThis intervention consists of conventional physiotherapy exercises commonly used for the management of work-related neck pain. The program includes cervical range-of-motion exercises, stretching of neck and shoulder muscles, and basic isometric strengthening of the cervical musculature. No specific scapular muscle strengthening or core stabilization exercises are included. The exercises are supervised and performed according to standard clinical practice guidelines for neck pain management, serving as a comparator to evaluate the added effects of scapular strengthening combined with core stabilization exercises. | Other | Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening, Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening |
Primary outcome
Neck Pain
Time frame: 6 weeks
Neck disability index
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Nov 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Scapular + Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening and Deep Cervical Muscle Strengthening in people with Work-related Neck Pain, run by University of Lahore at 1 site in Pakistan.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Nov 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Pakistan. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Neck Pain (time frame: 6 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 2 Nov 2026.