Neck PainNCT07900295
Effect of Added Load on Map-Based Proprioceptive Training in Chronic Neck Pain
A study testing Weightless map-based proprioceptive training and Weighted map-based proprioceptive training in people with Neck Pain and Chronic Neck Pain, run by Hacettepe University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is to find out whether adding an external load to a map-based cervical proprioceptive training program provides additional benefit for people with chronic neck pain. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Neck Pain, Chronic Neck Pain
- What is being tested?
- Weightless map-based proprioceptive training and Weighted map-based proprioceptive training
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 2 Jan 2023to 31 Jan 2024
- 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 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Age 18-65 years
- Chronic neck pain for the last 3 months with an intensity of at least 2 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
- No neurological, orthopedic or traumatic neck/cervical complaint
Who cannot join
- History of cervical surgery
- Balance disorder of vestibular or central nervous system origin
- Diagnosed rheumatologic/inflammatory disease
- Pregnancy
- Communication or cognitive limitation preventing compliance with the assessment protocol
- Inability to attend the regular physiotherapy program throughout the study period
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site
Erciyes University Faculty of Sport Sciences
Kayseri, 38039
About this study
Official title: Does Adding External Load to Laser-Guided Map-Based Proprioceptive Training Make a Difference in Chronic Neck Pain? A Randomized Comparative Study
The purpose of this study is to find out whether adding an external load to a map-based cervical proprioceptive training program provides additional benefit for people with chronic neck pain. Adults aged 18-65 years with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to two groups: one group performed map-based proprioceptive training without load (weightless group) and the other group performed the same training with a 2 kg load secured to the head with a band (weighted group). The main question is whether the added load improves cervical joint position sense (repositioning error). Shoulder joint position sense, scapular position (Lateral Scapular Slide Test), neck awareness (Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire), neck disability (Neck Disability Index) and fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia) were also assessed before and after the 8-week training period.
Read the detailed description
Chronic neck pain is associated with impaired cervical proprioception, which may contribute to altered movement control and persistence of symptoms. Map-based proprioceptive training, in which a laser pointer fixed to the forehead is used to trace simple and complex target patterns projected on a wall with head movements, is used to improve cervical sensorimotor control; however, it is not known whether adding an external load to this training enhances its effects.
In this single-center, parallel-group study conducted at Erciyes University Faculty of Sport Sciences, 30 adults with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to a weighted group (n=15; training performed with a 2 kg load secured to the head with a band) or a weightless group (n=15; same training without load). Group allocation was performed by a person not involved in the assessments, and the outcome assessor was unaware of group allocation. Both groups trained 3 days per week for 8 weeks (about 30 minutes per session): approximately 10 minutes of map-based proprioceptive training followed by the same exercise program (neck isometric exercises, pectoral stretching, scapular and upper extremity stabilization exercises). The only difference between groups was the added load during proprioceptive training.
Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention: cervical joint position error (primary outcome), shoulder joint position sense, Lateral Scapular Slide Test (0, 45 and 90 degrees), Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia. Within-group changes were analyzed with paired tests and between-group differences with tests on change scores and analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline values.
The study was approved by the Erciyes University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (decision no. 2022/600) and supported by TUBITAK 2209-A.
- Conditions
- Neck Pain, Chronic Neck Pain
- Being tested
- Weightless map-based proprioceptive training, Weighted map-based proprioceptive training
- Keywords
- Proprioception, Joint Position Sense, Sensorimotor Training, Kinesiophobia
- Medical subject headings
- Neck Pain, Kinesiophobia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Weightless map-based proprioceptive trainingOther
Cervical proprioceptive training in which participants follow map/target patterns with head movements, performed without any added load, for 8 weeks.
Weighted map-based proprioceptive trainingOther
The same map-based cervical proprioceptive training program, performed with an additional load secured to the head with a band, for 8 weeks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Weightless Group | Active comparator | Participants performed map-based cervical proprioceptive training without added load for 8 weeks. Receives: Other: Weightless map-based proprioceptive training |
| Weighted Group | Experimental | Participants performed the same map-based cervical proprioceptive training with an additional load secured to the head with a band for 8 weeks. Receives: Other: Weighted map-based proprioceptive training |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Cervical joint position error
Cervical joint position sense assessed with the head repositioning (joint position error) test; the error between the starting and the reproduced head position is recorded. Lower values indicate better proprioception.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (5)
Shoulder joint position sense
Shoulder joint position sense assessed as the repositioning error (degrees) between the target and the reproduced shoulder angle, measured bilaterally. Lower values indicate better proprioception.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST)
Distance (cm) between the inferior angle of the scapula and the nearest thoracic spinous process, measured bilaterally at 0, 45 and 90 degrees of shoulder abduction.
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire (FreNAQ)
Self-reported body (neck) perception questionnaire with 9 items scored 0-4 (total 0-36); higher scores indicate more disturbed neck perception (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Neck Disability Index (NDI)
10-item questionnaire of neck pain-related disability, each item scored 0-5 (total 0-50); higher scores indicate greater disability (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK)
17-item questionnaire of fear of movement/re-injury, each item scored 1-4 (total 17-68); higher scores indicate greater kinesiophobia (worse outcome).
Measured: Baseline and 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted28 Oct 2026
- Study start2 Jan 2023
- Primary completion31 Jan 2024
- Study completion31 Jan 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Neck PainStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Model description
- Two parallel groups: weightless map-based proprioceptive training versus weighted (head-loaded) map-based proprioceptive training, both for 8 weeks.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Hacettepe University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- TC Erciyes University, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Yozgat Bozok University
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Tuğba DERE, Bozok University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07900295
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- ErciyesKAEK-2022-600
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Oct 2026
- Last updated
- 28 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Individual participant data will not be publicly shared because participant consent did not cover public data sharing. De-identified data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Does Adding External Load to Laser-Guided Map-Based Proprioceptive Training Make a Difference in Chronic Neck Pain? A Randomized Comparative Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07900295
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ErciyesKAEK-2022-600
- Conditions
- Neck Pain, Chronic Neck Pain
- Keywords
- Proprioception, Joint Position Sense, Sensorimotor Training, Kinesiophobia
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Hacettepe UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- TC Erciyes University, The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, Yozgat Bozok University
- Study start
- 2 Jan 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Jan 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jan 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 28 Oct 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.
The purpose of this study is to find out whether adding an external load to a map-based cervical proprioceptive training program provides additional benefit for people with chronic neck pain. Adults aged 18-65 years with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to two groups: one group performed map-based proprioceptive training without load (weightless group) and the other group performed the same training with a 2 kg load secured to the head with a band (weighted group). The main question is whether the added load improves cervical joint position sense (repositioning error). Shoulder joint position sense, scapular position (Lateral Scapular Slide Test), neck awareness (Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire), neck disability (Neck Disability Index) and fear of movement (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia) were also assessed before and after the 8-week training period.
Detailed description
Chronic neck pain is associated with impaired cervical proprioception, which may contribute to altered movement control and persistence of symptoms. Map-based proprioceptive training, in which a laser pointer fixed to the forehead is used to trace simple and complex target patterns projected on a wall with head movements, is used to improve cervical sensorimotor control; however, it is not known whether adding an external load to this training enhances its effects.
In this single-center, parallel-group study conducted at Erciyes University Faculty of Sport Sciences, 30 adults with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to a weighted group (n=15; training performed with a 2 kg load secured to the head with a band) or a weightless group (n=15; same training without load). Group allocation was performed by a person not involved in the assessments, and the outcome assessor was unaware of group allocation. Both groups trained 3 days per week for 8 weeks (about 30 minutes per session): approximately 10 minutes of map-based proprioceptive training followed by the same exercise program (neck isometric exercises, pectoral stretching, scapular and upper extremity stabilization exercises). The only difference between groups was the added load during proprioceptive training.
Outcomes were assessed at baseline and after the 8-week intervention: cervical joint position error (primary outcome), shoulder joint position sense, Lateral Scapular Slide Test (0, 45 and 90 degrees), Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire, Neck Disability Index and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia. Within-group changes were analyzed with paired tests and between-group differences with tests on change scores and analysis of covariance adjusted for baseline values.
The study was approved by the Erciyes University Clinical Research Ethics Committee (decision no. 2022/600) and supported by TUBITAK 2209-A.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Two parallel groups: weightless map-based proprioceptive training versus weighted (head-loaded) map-based proprioceptive training, both for 8 weeks.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Weightless Group | Active comparator | Other: Weightless map-based proprioceptive trainingParticipants performed map-based cervical proprioceptive training without added load for 8 weeks. |
| Weighted Group | Experimental | Other: Weighted map-based proprioceptive trainingParticipants performed the same map-based cervical proprioceptive training with an additional load secured to the head with a band for 8 weeks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Age 18-65 years
- Chronic neck pain for the last 3 months with an intensity of at least 2 on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS)
- No neurological, orthopedic or traumatic neck/cervical complaint
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- History of cervical surgery
- Balance disorder of vestibular or central nervous system origin
- Diagnosed rheumatologic/inflammatory disease
- Pregnancy
- Communication or cognitive limitation preventing compliance with the assessment protocol
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Weightless map-based proprioceptive trainingCervical proprioceptive training in which participants follow map/target patterns with head movements, performed without any added load, for 8 weeks. | Other | Weightless Group |
| Weighted map-based proprioceptive trainingThe same map-based cervical proprioceptive training program, performed with an additional load secured to the head with a band, for 8 weeks. | Other | Weighted Group |
Primary outcome
Cervical joint position error
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Cervical joint position sense assessed with the head repositioning (joint position error) test; the error between the starting and the reproduced head position is recorded. Lower values indicate better proprioception.
5 secondary outcomes
Shoulder joint position sense
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Fremantle Neck Awareness Questionnaire (FreNAQ)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Neck Disability Index (NDI)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK)
Time frame: Baseline and 8 weeks
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 28 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Individual participant data will not be publicly shared because participant consent did not cover public data sharing. De-identified data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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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 Weightless map-based proprioceptive training and Weighted map-based proprioceptive training in people with Neck Pain and Chronic Neck Pain, run by Hacettepe University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 3 inclusion and 6 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 28 Oct 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?
Cervical joint position error (time frame: Baseline and 8 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 28 Oct 2026.