Comparative Effects of Back School Based Intervention Versus Cranio-Cervical Muscle Training in Computer Users With Cervicogenic Headache

NCT ID: NCT07327827

Last Updated: 2026-01-08

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 44 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-12-12
• Study Completion Date: 2026-07-18

Brief Summary

The aim of the study is to compare Back School Based Intervention with Cranio- Cervical muscle training in participants with Cervicogenic headache. The study wants to investigate that which intervention helps to mange pain, improve posture and reduce disability. The study aims to answer the question:

• How effective is Back School Based intervention on pain, posture and disability in computer users with Cervicogenic headache compared to Cranio-cervical Muscle Training? Participants will
• Attend the treatment sessions of the group in which they are placed.
• Take treatment session two times a week for eight weeks.
• Participants will be asked about their pain and activities throughout the study.

Detailed Description

• Headache is one of the disorder that affects 50% of the population worldwide which have negative impact on the quality of life. Cervicogenic headache is the secondary type of headache in which the pain referred from the cervical spine. Headache aggravates by the neck movement and significant reduced range of motion is noticed among patients.
• The management of the cervicogenic headache is both pharmacological and non- pharmacological but pharmacological having more side effects.Non pharmacological management includes massage, dry needing, physical therapy exercises, manual therapy and patient education.
• Cranio-cervical muscle training include cranio-cervical flexion exercises, strengthening, stretching, posture exercises and cervical stabilization exercises. These exercises altogether helps in the strengthening of the neck and shoulder muscles which ultimately correct the cervical impairment which neutralize the posture and decrease the load on the structures of the spine.
• Back school based exercise program can have both practical and theoretical sessions. In practical part patient is guided to the different strengthening and flexibility exercises with increase resistance in each session. In theoretical part patient education is the main part. Patient is educated about the anatomical and posture related changes in the spine so he/ she can identify and correct them by incorporating in their daily life.

Conditions

Cervicogenic Headache

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Back School Based Intervention

Back School Based Intervention

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Back School Based Intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

• Patient will receive 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks for a total of 16 sessions. Each session lasted for 35 minutes.
• Conventional Physical therapy will be provided in which stretching of the tight muscles which include SCM, upper trapezius, levator scapulae, scalene, sub occipitals, pectoralis minor, and pectoralis major. Neck stretches, chin tucks, scapular squeezes, and upper back strengthening exercises with 5 repetitions will be performed. Trigger points of sub occipitals, SCM, and temporalis are released because they cause headache.
• Back School Based Intervention includes both theoretical and practical part. Patients had total of 16 sessions out of which 14 will be practical one and remaining two will be theoretical one. In theoretical part main focus is on the patient education and guidance. In practical part resistive exercises of increase intensity in each session will be performed in which main focus is on the strengthening

Cranio- Cervical Muscle Training

Cranio- cervical muscle Training

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Cranio-Cervical muscle Training

Intervention Type: OTHER

• Patient will receive 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks for a total of 16 sessions. Each session lasted for 35 minutes. Conventional physical therapy will be same in both groups
• Cranio- cervical muscle training session main focus is on the strengthening and posture correction. Cervical flexion, extension and stabilization exercises will be performed which helps to strength muscles and helps to neutralize posture and ultimately disability which is due to headache will be reduced.

Interventions

Back School Based Intervention

• Patient will receive 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks for a total of 16 sessions. Each session lasted for 35 minutes.
• Conventional Physical therapy will be provided in which stretching of the tight muscles which include SCM, upper trapezius, levator scapulae, scalene, sub occipitals, pectoralis minor, and pectoralis major. Neck stretches, chin tucks, scapular squeezes, and upper back strengthening exercises with 5 repetitions will be performed. Trigger points of sub occipitals, SCM, and temporalis are released because they cause headache.
• Back School Based Intervention includes both theoretical and practical part. Patients had total of 16 sessions out of which 14 will be practical one and remaining two will be theoretical one. In theoretical part main focus is on the patient education and guidance. In practical part resistive exercises of increase intensity in each session will be performed in which main focus is on the strengthening

Intervention Type: OTHER

Cranio-Cervical muscle Training

• Patient will receive 2 sessions per week for 8 weeks for a total of 16 sessions. Each session lasted for 35 minutes. Conventional physical therapy will be same in both groups
• Cranio- cervical muscle training session main focus is on the strengthening and posture correction. Cervical flexion, extension and stabilization exercises will be performed which helps to strength muscles and helps to neutralize posture and ultimately disability which is due to headache will be reduced.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Participants of both gender.
• Participants aged between 19 to 44 years.
• Participants having unilateral headache without side shift for>3 months aggravated by neck movement.
• Participants with pain intensity ≥3 on a visual analog scale (VAS).
• Participants working on the computer for an average 32 h per week.
• Participants having positive cervical flexion rotation test (CFRT).
• Participants having joint tenderness in at least one of the upper three cervical joints with palpation.

Exclusion Criteria

• If participants having any history of fractures or previous surgery of the vertebral column, any degenerative and inflammatory arthritis, osteoporosis, dislocations, cervical radiculopathy/myelopathy and any history of whiplash injury.
• Participants showing any signs of the five 'D's' or three 'N's.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 19 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 44 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Dr. Hufsa Tariq

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Laiba Azam

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences

Locations

Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Lahore

Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan

Countries

Pakistan

Central Contacts

Laiba Azam

Role: CONTACT

laibaazam99@gmail.com

0324-4714749

Hufsa Tariq

Role: CONTACT

hufsatariq@ubas.edu.pk

0331-6732797

Other Identifiers

UBAS/ERB/FoRS/25/029

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id