Lluch E1, Giménez-Costa M2, Blanco-Hernández T3, Schomacher J4, Falla D5
1University of Valencia, Department of Physical Therapy, Valencia, Spain, 2Diputación de Valencia, Valencia, Spain, 3Hospital General de Valencia, Valencia, Spain, 4Freelance Physiotherapist, Erlenbach, ZH, Switzerland, 5Centre of Precision Rehabilitation for Spinal Pain, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
Background: Exercise is known to be effective for the management of neck pain yet there remains little evidence of superiority of one exercise programme over another in terms of the amount of pain relief gained. Yet, further research is needed to fully appreciate the value of implementing specific exercises over a more general neck exercise approach
Purpose: To evaluate, for the first time, the effects of specific exercises for the deep and the superficial neck extensor muscles on neck pain, associated disability and range of motion (ROM).
Methods: 46 women with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to one of two 6-week exercise interventions; one involving specific exercises which emphasize the deep neck extensor muscles and the other involving more general exercises for the neck extensors. Participants were supervised by a physiotherapist once a week and were encouraged to practice at home daily. Outcome was measured pre and post intervention with measures of neck pain intensity on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Global Rating of Change (GROC), Range of Motion (ROM) and Pressure Pain Thresholds (PPT) measured locally over the neck.
Results: A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed for both groups (general exercise: pre 3.7 (SD: 0.6), post 1.0 (SD: 0.9), p 0.05; specific exercise: pre 3.6 (SD: .7), post 1.0 (SD: 1.0), p 0.05), but there was no difference between groups (p>0.05). A significant change in NDI was also found for both groups (general exercise: pre 9.0 (SD: 4.6), post 4.0 (SD: 2.5), p 0.05; specific exercise: pre 10.0 (SD: 3.4), post 4.0 (SD: 2.8), p 0.05) with no difference between groups (p>0.05). The perceived benefit of exercise was comparable between groups (general exercise: 3.0 (SD: 1.1); specific exercise: 3.1 (SD: 1.0). Both groups showed some improvement in ROM but neither group showed a change in PPT.
Conclusion(s): Neck pain and associated disability as well as some directions of ROM improved after 6 weeks of supervised home exercises involving either specific or general exercise of the neck extensor muscles. There was no difference in outcome between groups indicating that both exercise programmes were effective at reliving pain and disability in women with chronic neck pain. Whether or not the different exercise programs had a differential effect on neck extensor muscle behavior remains to be investigated.
Implications: The results of this study are relevant for designing effective rehabilitation/training programs for patients with neck pain.
Keywords: Neck pain, cervical extensors, exercise
Funding acknowledgements: No funding has been received for the conduct of this study.
Purpose: To evaluate, for the first time, the effects of specific exercises for the deep and the superficial neck extensor muscles on neck pain, associated disability and range of motion (ROM).
Methods: 46 women with chronic neck pain were randomly allocated to one of two 6-week exercise interventions; one involving specific exercises which emphasize the deep neck extensor muscles and the other involving more general exercises for the neck extensors. Participants were supervised by a physiotherapist once a week and were encouraged to practice at home daily. Outcome was measured pre and post intervention with measures of neck pain intensity on a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Neck Disability Index (NDI), Global Rating of Change (GROC), Range of Motion (ROM) and Pressure Pain Thresholds (PPT) measured locally over the neck.
Results: A significant reduction in pain intensity was observed for both groups (general exercise: pre 3.7 (SD: 0.6), post 1.0 (SD: 0.9), p 0.05; specific exercise: pre 3.6 (SD: .7), post 1.0 (SD: 1.0), p 0.05), but there was no difference between groups (p>0.05). A significant change in NDI was also found for both groups (general exercise: pre 9.0 (SD: 4.6), post 4.0 (SD: 2.5), p 0.05; specific exercise: pre 10.0 (SD: 3.4), post 4.0 (SD: 2.8), p 0.05) with no difference between groups (p>0.05). The perceived benefit of exercise was comparable between groups (general exercise: 3.0 (SD: 1.1); specific exercise: 3.1 (SD: 1.0). Both groups showed some improvement in ROM but neither group showed a change in PPT.
Conclusion(s): Neck pain and associated disability as well as some directions of ROM improved after 6 weeks of supervised home exercises involving either specific or general exercise of the neck extensor muscles. There was no difference in outcome between groups indicating that both exercise programmes were effective at reliving pain and disability in women with chronic neck pain. Whether or not the different exercise programs had a differential effect on neck extensor muscle behavior remains to be investigated.
Implications: The results of this study are relevant for designing effective rehabilitation/training programs for patients with neck pain.
Keywords: Neck pain, cervical extensors, exercise
Funding acknowledgements: No funding has been received for the conduct of this study.
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine; Pain & pain management
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: University of Valencia
Ethics committee: Ethics Committee of the University of Valencia
Ethics number: H1472552616890.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
