Can Activating Weakened Neck And Shoulder Muscles Help Reduce Neck Pain And Restore Movement?? A Canadian University Study Tested This on Real Patients

person Savannah Martin
calendar_today Jan 10, 2026
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This article is part of the ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST series. In this series, we regularly share real scientific studies from universities and hospitals around the world. Our goal is simple:

To spark curiosity
To make science easy to understand
To help everyday people start their own learning journey

We always include links to the original research papers at the end.
If you enjoy collecting studies, checking data, or reading the full science yourself, you can skip our explanation and go straight to the original source.

What Is This Research About — in One Sentence?

This research studied whether neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES - a niche of EMS) combined with simple exercises could help people with long-term neck and shoulder muscle problems regain movement and feel less discomfort.

Who Did This Research and When?

Who:
A team of physiotherapists and neuroscientists led by Dr. David F. Collins

Where:

University of Alberta
Cross Cancer Institute
Alberta Health Services
Canada

When:
Published in 2012

Why this matters:
The University of Alberta is a well-known public research university in Canada, and the study was conducted inside hospital and rehabilitation settings, not a marketing lab.

📄 Source: Physiotherapy Canada (peer-reviewed journal)

Who Funded This Research?

This study was conducted within Canada’s public health and university research system.

No commercial company funded the work.
The authors also declared no competing interests.

That matters because it reduces bias.

Who Was Studied?

3 adult patients
All had neck or head cancer surgery
All had damage to the spinal accessory nerve
This nerve controls the trapezius muscle (neck & shoulder muscle)

Important detail:
These patients had already finished normal physiotherapy — but still had problems.

What Was the Problem These People Had?

Because of nerve damage:

Their neck and shoulder muscles were weak
Shoulder movement was limited
Muscles showed visible atrophy
Pain and daily discomfort remained

Even though the nerve had partially healed, the muscle was not working properly.

What Is NMES (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation)?

NMES uses gentle electrical signals to:

Activate muscles
Cause visible muscle contractions
Send sensory signals back to the brain

In this study, NMES was used to wake up weak muscles and reconnect brain-muscle pathways.

This is not TENS.
This is muscle-activating stimulation, not pain-masking stimulation.

What Exactly Did the Researchers Do?

For 6 weeks, participants did:

NMES applied near the nerve
Combined with simple bilateral shoulder exercises
3 sessions per week
About 1 hour per session

Key technical detail (simplified):

NMES used wide pulse width
Higher frequency than standard stimulation
Designed to strongly activate muscle + nervous system together

What Did the Researchers Measure?

They measured:

Shoulder movement range (how far the arm could lift)
Self-reported pain and disability
Daily function and quality of life

All measurements were taken before and after 6 weeks.

What Were the Findings?

1️⃣ Shoulder Movement Improved

All participants showed increased shoulder movement, including:

Better arm lifting
Better side arm movement

One patient improved shoulder movement by 25 degrees, which is considered clinically meaningful.

2️⃣ Muscle Function Improved

NMES caused clear muscle contractions in weak trapezius muscles.

This matters because:

Muscle contraction helps reduce muscle wasting
Active muscle sends stronger signals back to the brain

3️⃣ Pain and Disability Scores Went Down

Participants reported:

Less discomfort
Less daily limitation
Better quality of life

Even when pain reduction was small, movement and function still improved.

Why Is This Important?

This study showed something important:

👉 Movement can improve even before pain fully disappears.

That helps explain why some people feel “looser” or more mobile before pain fades completely.

Why Could NMES Be Helpful for Neck & Shoulder Issues?

Based on this research, NMES may help by:

Activating weak muscles
Reducing muscle atrophy
Improving nerve-muscle communication
Supporting better shoulder control and posture

This is especially relevant when muscles are weak due to long-term disuse or nerve injury.

How Might This Help EMS / NMES Device Users?

For everyday users, this study helps explain:

Why muscle activation matters, not just pain relief
Why consistent use over weeks matters
Why combining stimulation with gentle movement is important

It shows that electrical muscle stimulation is not just about sensation — it’s about retraining muscles and movement patterns.

Study Information

Original Paper Name:
Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation and Exercise for Reducing Trapezius Muscle Dysfunction in Survivors of Head and Neck Cancer

Simplified Name:
Can NMES Help Weak Neck and Shoulder Muscles Move Better?

Source:
Physiotherapy Canada — peer-reviewed academic journal
Link to original study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23729969/

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Study Summary Table

Item	Details
Study Type	Prospective case series
Country	Canada
Institution	University of Alberta
Participants	3 adults
Duration	6 weeks
Sessions	3 per week
Method	NMES + bilateral exercise
Key Outcome	Improved shoulder movement
Other Outcome	Reduced pain & disability

Let’s Talk

Have you ever noticed movement improving before pain fully disappears?
Or felt muscles “wake up” after stimulation?

Leave a comment — your experience may help someone else.

Mandatory Disclaimer

This blog post is for informational and recreational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment.
Full disclaimer:
https://oriems.fit/blogs/research-digest/disclaimer

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🔍 How We Source Research Studies

At ORIEMS FIT Research Digest, every study we feature comes directly from peer-reviewed scientific journals, not social media or secondary websites.
Here’s how the process works:

Global Database Access
We search through respected scientific databases such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Taylor & Francis, MDPI, Frontiers, and Google Scholar — including university-hosted repositories.
Peer-Reviewed Journals Only
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Verification and Citation
Every article is read in full — not just the abstract — and we verify:
- the authors’ institutions (universities, hospitals, or research institutes),
- the publication year,
- and the journal’s credibility.
  We always include journal names, volume numbers, and DOI or reference links at the end of every digest.
Simplified, Not Altered
We rewrite the findings in simple, clear language — especially for readers aged 14 to 80 — but the data, results, and scientific integrity remain untouched.
Continuous Updates
Our library grows weekly with new papers from Australia, Europe, Asia, and North America, highlighting only verified studies on EMS, FES, and natural healing mechanisms.