Effects Of Deep Neck Flexor And Extensor Exercises

Riphah International University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Mechanical Neck Pain

Treatments: Other: Deep Neck Flexors & Extensors exercises

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05618964

REC/RCR & AHS/22/0154 Zahra

Details and patient eligibility

About

Deep cervical flexor and extensor muscles show decreased strength in patients with Mechanical neck pain. Exercises involving deep cervical muscles has improved coordination and motor control. This study aim to determine the effects of deep flexor muscle exercises along with deep extensor muscle exercises on pain, range of motion and muscle strength in mechanical neck pain.

Full description

This study will be a randomized controlled trial and will be conducted in Riphah Rehabilitation Clinic Lahore and Physiotherapy outpatient department of WAPDA Teaching Hospital Lahore. Non-probability consecutive sampling will be used to collect the data. Sample size of 36 subjects with age group between 18-40 years will be taken. Data will be collected from the patients having present complaint of Mechanical Neck pain. Outcome measures will be taken using Numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) for pain, Manual Muscle Testing (MMT) for muscle strength and Universal Goniometer (GU) for Range of motion. An informed consent will be taken. Subjects will be selected on the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria and will be equally divided into two groups by random number generator table. Both the Groups will receive Hot Pack, superficial neck muscles stretching and Neck isometrics, while Group A will receive deep neck flexor and extensor exercises, and Group B will receive conventional treatment. Outcome measures will be measured at baseline and after 4 weeks. Data analysis will be done by SPSS version 25.

Enrollment: 36 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 40 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Males and Females
• 18 and 40 years of age
• Forward Head Posture
• Manual Muscle testing (MMT) grade less than 6
• Deep Flexor strength measured by pressure biofeedback unit (20 mmHg), patients who cannot hold craniocervical flexion (indicating yes) for 10 seconds

Exclusion criteria

• Cervical radiculopathy
• History of whiplash injury
• History of cervical and thoracic spine surgery
• Neck pain associated with vertigo
• History of spinal osteoporosis
• Vertebral Fractures
• Tumors
• Diagnosed psychological disorders

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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36 participants in 2 patient groups

Group A: Deep Neck Flexors & Extensors exercises

Experimental group

Description:

Group A Patients will receive: Deep neck flexor exercises (2 set of 10 repetitions) that includes: * Contraction of deep neck flexor muscle in supine * Craniocervical flexion in supine Deep Neck Extensor exercises (2 set of 10 repetitions) that includes: * Contraction of deep neck extensors in quadruped position * Segmented extension movement with the head bent down onto their chest in a horizontal direction,

Treatment:

Other: Deep Neck Flexors & Extensors exercises

Group B: Standardized Physical Therapy

No Intervention group

Description:

Standardized Physiotherapy treatment will be: * Hot pack for 10 minutes, * SNAG manual therapy at Cervical spine 6 repetitions for 60 seconds. * Superficial neck muscles (upper trapezius, Levator scapulae, Pect.Major) stretching for 3 times with 30 seconds and * Neck isometrics 10 times with 6 seconds hold. Both groups will come thrice per week for a total of 4 weeks. Pre and post treatment values of both groups will be analyzed