Alexander Technique Neck Pain (ATNeck)

Universität Duisburg-Essen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Chronic Non-specific Neck Pain

Treatments: Device: Heat pad application; Behavioral: Alexander Technique; Behavioral: guided imagery

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02209480

07-3497

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aimed to test the efficacy of five Alexander Technique lessons compared to the same period of heat pad application and guided imagery in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain.

Full description

see above

Enrollment: 72 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 50 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• chronic non-specific neck pain
• at least 3 months
• 40mm pain intensity on visual analog scale

Exclusion criteria

• neck pain as consequence of disc protrusion or prolapse, whiplash, congenital deformity of the spine, spinal stenosis, neoplasm, inflammatory rheumatic disease, neurological disorder,
• active oncologic disease
• affective disorder
• addiction
• psychosis.
• pregnancy
• invasive treatment of the spine within the previous three weeks
• spinal surgery
• previous experiences in Alexander Technique
• ongoing application for disability pension
• simultaneous participation in other clinical trials on neck pain

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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72 participants in 3 patient groups

Alexander Technique

Experimental group

Description:

5 lessons of AT, each lasting up to 45 minutes, weekly intervals The lessons aimed at sensory awareness of everyday movements and movement sequences, such as sitting, walking, lying, or lifting in order to replace habitual patterns using conscious control; and different techniques were applied, such as demonstration, verbal instructions, hands on techniques and others

Treatment:

Behavioral: Alexander Technique

Heat pad application

Active Comparator group

Description:

5 treatments by means of a heat pad, 15-0 minutes, sitting or lying position, quiet room Heat pad: Zapp-Sack® contained certain grains and a ginger extract, and could be heated up in the microwave.

Treatment:

Device: Heat pad application

guided imagery

Active Comparator group

Description:

guided imagery relaxation technique , 45 minutes, 5 sessions in weekly rhythm including body scan, breathing relaxation, visualization

Treatment:

Behavioral: guided imagery