Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42475549›Full record

Trial reportJMIR research protocols2026

Comparison of Traditional Chinese Manual Therapy (Tuina) and Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Patients With Nonspecific Neck Pain: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Hongyu Li, Lili Zhao, Zhenning Zhao, Jing Mu, Huisheng Ma

Abstract readRandomized Controlled TrialComparative Study
In one paragraph

Trial report in JMIR research protocols, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Hongyu LiDepartment of Rehabilitation Medicine, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9567-6059
Lili ZhaoCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, 750003, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0009-3853-3930
Zhenning ZhaoCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, 750003, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0001-2348-666X
Jing MuCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, 750003, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8687-9743
Huisheng MaCollege of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli Street, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, 750003, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-6387-1872

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Nonspecific neck pain (NNP) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal condition worldwide, yet optimal noninvasive treatments remain to be established. Tuina and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) are both commonly used in clinical practice, but comparative evidence is limited. Objective: This study aims to compare the clinical efficacy of Tuina versus ESWT in patients with NNP. Methods: In this randomized, controlled, single-blind trial, 58 patients with NNP will be allocated in a 1:1 ratio into 2 groups: Tuina therapy and ESWT. The Tuina group will receive 30-minute sessions 3 times per week for 4 weeks (12 sessions total). The ESWT group will receive interventions on days 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 (7 sessions total). The primary outcome measure will be pain intensity measured by the visual analog scale. Secondary outcome measures will include the Neck Disability Index, cervical active range of motion, shear wave elastography (SWE) using musculoskeletal ultrasound, and serum inflammatory factors. All outcome measures will be assessed at baseline, during treatment (2 and 4 wk), and at the 8-week follow-up, except for SWE and inflammatory factors. SWE will be measured at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8-week follow-up; inflammatory factors will be measured at baseline and 4 weeks. Results: Recruitment began on January 4, 2026, and is expected to be completed by August 2026. As of March 30, 2026, of the planned 58 participants, 26 had been enrolled. Data collection, including follow-up, is projected to finish by October 2026. Data analysis will commence after data collection is completed, and the results are anticipated to be submitted for publication in early 2027. Conclusions: This trial will provide direct comparative evidence to determine whether Tuina is superior to ESWT for reducing pain and disability in NNP, thereby informing evidence-based clinical decisions. Key design limitations include the inability to blind participants, which we mitigated by using blinded outcome assessors and rigorous allocation concealment.

Indexed as

Extracorporeal Shockwave TherapyMedicine, Chinese TraditionalMusculoskeletal ManipulationsNeck PainAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementSingle-Blind MethodTreatment Outcomenonspecific neck painprotocolrandomized controlled trialshock wave therapyTuina

Identifiers

PMID42475549
PMCPMC13384353

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.