Trial reportBMC neurology2022
Neck-specific strengthening exercise compared with placebo sham ultrasound in patients with migraine: a randomized controlled trial.
Trial report in BMC neurology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 21 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
21 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 45 citations in OpenAlex.
- Efficacy of cervical physical therapy on pain sensitivity in patients with migraine compared to no treatment, sham treatment or usual medical care: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2026Pooled it
- A clinical guide for physiotherapists to assess and manage cervical musculoskeletal impairment and pain sensitivity in migraine patients.The Journal of manual & manipulative therapy · 2025Guideline
- Prescription of therapeutic exercise in migraine, an evidence-based clinical practice guideline.The journal of headache and pain · 2023Guideline
- What is the efficacy of aerobic exercise versus strength training in the treatment of migraine? A systematic review and network meta-analysis of clinical trials.The journal of headache and pain · 2022Pooled it
- Pooled it
- Effects of kinesiotaping combined with physical therapy in patients with migraine-associated neck pain: a randomized controlled study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- The effect of different exercise types on migraine frequency in individuals with migraine: A pilot study.Headache · 2025Trial
- Myofascial trigger points therapy increases neck mobility and reduces headache pain in migraine patients - pilot study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Trial
- The effectiveness of aerobic exercise and neck exercises in pediatric migraine treatment: a randomized controlled single-blind study.Irish journal of medical science · 2024Trial
- Article
- Strength Training and Posture Correction of the Neck and Shoulder for Patients with Chronic Primary Headache: A Prospective Single-Arm Pilot Study.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Exercise Patterns and Migraine Management: A Multifaceted Approach.American journal of lifestyle medicine · 2025Article
- Which Exercise Patterns Are Most Effective for Reducing Severe Headache/Migraine in Adults? Evidence From a Nationally Representative U.S. Sample.American journal of lifestyle medicine · 2025Article
- General physical impairments in migraine patients beyond cervical function.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Hallmarks of primary headache: part 1 - migraine.The journal of headache and pain · 2024Review
- Advances in Exercise in the Clinical Trials of Migraine: A Scoping Review.Current pain and headache reports · 2024Article
- A Multimodal Conservative Approach to Treating Migraine: A Physical Therapist's Perspective.Current pain and headache reports · 2023Review
- Debate: differences and similarities between tension-type headache and migraine.The journal of headache and pain · 2023Review
- Headache and orofacial pain: A traffic-light prognosis-based management approach for the musculoskeletal practice.Frontiers in neurology · 2023Article
- Comment regarding: what is the efficacy of aerobic exercise versus strength training in the treatment of migraine? A systematic review and network meta‑analysis of clinical trials.The journal of headache and pain · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMigraine patients have musculoskeletal disorders and pain in the cervical. And, despite the pathophysiology demonstrating the relationship between migraine and the cervical spine, the effectiveness of craniocervical exercises in these patients has not been verified. So, the aimed of this study was verify the effectiveness of craniocervical muscle-strengthening exercise (CMSE) in reducing the frequency and intensity of headache in migraine patients.
methodsA two-armed, parallel-group randomized controlled trial with a 3-month follow-up was performed. For eight weeks, the volunteers in the intervention group (n = 21) performed a protocol of CMSE, while those in the sham ultrasound group (n = 21) received the application of disconnected therapeutic ultrasound in the upper trapezius and guideline for home-stretching. The primary outcomes were the frequency and intensity of the headache. The secondary outcomes were questionnaires about migraine and neck disability, and satisfaction with the treatment, cervical range of motion, the pressure pain threshold, craniocervical flexion test (CCFT), cervical muscle strength and endurance test, and the cervical muscle activity during the physical tests.
resultsNo differences were observed for the changes observed in primary outcomes after eight weeks and at the 3-months follow up (p > 0.05). For the secondary outcomes, craniocervical exercises improved the sensitivity of the frontal muscle (p = 0.040) and promoted a reduced amplitude of muscle activity of the anterior scalene and upper trapezius in the last stages of CCFT (p ≤ 0.010). There was also reduced muscle activity of the anterior scalene and splenius capitis in the endurance test (p ≤ 0.045), as evaluated by surface electromyography.
conclusionCMSE were insufficient in reducing the frequency and intensity of headache, improving the performance of the cervical muscles, or reducing migraine and neck pain-related disabilities. This was found despite a decreased electromyographic activity of the cervical muscles during the last stages of CCFT and increased median frequency during the endurance test.
trial registrationAccession code RBR-8gfv5j , registered 28/11/2016 in the Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC).
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.