Physiotherapy for Non-specific Neck Pain in Working Age Persons

Lithuanian Sports University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Non-specific Neck Pain; Neck Pain

Treatments: Other: Post-isometric relaxation exercise group; Other: Self-stretching exercise group

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06200064

LithuanianSportsU-19

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effects of two different physiotherapy methods on non-specific neck pain in working age individuals. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• What is the effect of self stretching exercise on non-specific neck pain, functional disability, range of motion of the cervical spine and hand muscle strength in working age individuals?
• What is the effect of post-isometric relaxation exercise on non-specific neck pain, functional disability, range of motion of the cervical spine and hand muscle strength in working age individuals?
• Is any of the applied interventions (self-stretching or post-isometric relaxation exercise) superior to each other?

Participants will:

• be evaluated by an experienced physiotherapist who will perform the interview and physical examination. Interview includes questions about the age, sex, work profile, pain intensity and duration, and other complaints. Physiotherapy examination includes a range of motion measurement, hand grip muscle strength and functional disability index evaluation.
• Two different interventions will be prescribed to the randomly assigned study participants: post-isometric relaxation and self-stretching. Duration of interventions for both groups is 4 weeks (3 times per week, 12 sessions). Duration of one session - 45 min.

Full description

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about the effects of two different physiotherapy methods on non-specific neck pain in working age individuals. The main questions it aims to answer are:

What is the effect of self stretching exercise on non-specific neck pain, functional disability, range of motion of the cervical spine and hand muscle strength in working age individuals? What is the effect of post-isometric relaxation exercise on non-specific neck pain, functional disability, range of motion of the cervical spine and hand muscle strength in working age individuals? Is any of the applied interventions (self-stretching or post-isometric relaxation exercise) superior to each other?

Participants will:

be evaluated by an experienced physiotherapist who will perform the interview and physical examination. Interview includes questions about the age, sex, work profile, pain intensity and duration, and other complaints. Physiotherapy examination includes a range of motion measurement, hand grip muscle strength and functional disability index evaluation.

Two different interventions will be prescribed to the randomly assigned study participants: post-isometric relaxation and self-stretching. Duration of interventions for both groups is 4 weeks (3 times per week, 12 sessions). Duration of one session - 45 min.

Enrollment: 50 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 30 to 60 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• current neck pain,
• neck pain duration for at least 12 weeks,
• admission through outpatient clinic in Lithuania.

Exclusion criteria

• neurological disorders related to neck pain,
• red flags (night pain, severe muscle spasm, loss of involuntary weight, symptom mismatch),
• previous neck surgery,
• low back pain,
• medications used for pain.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

50 participants in 2 patient groups

Self-stretching exercise group

Experimental group

Description:

Static neck muscle self-stretching exercises were performed for 30 min. after the TENS procedure. Every muscle in the neck region (head rotator cuff, neck stair muscles, upper part of the trapezius muscle, scapula levator muscle, semiscapular neck muscle, upper oblique head muscle, girdle head and neck muscles, and deep anterior neck flexor muscles) were stretched 3 times for 30 seconds per muscle group. While performing exercises, the subjects applied resistance with their hands. All exercises were performed without causing pain.

Treatment:

Other: Self-stretching exercise group

Post-isometric relaxation exercise group

Experimental group

Description:

The investigators used one of the autogenic inhibition techniques - post-isometric relaxation (PIR), known as the muscle "contraction-relaxation" technique, during which, the subject is lying on his back, he is asked to press his head in the specified direction (50% of the subject's maximum pressure force). to the resistance provided by the therapist. During the press, resistance was provided for 10 seconds and followed by a passive stretch of the muscle in the opposite direction of movement. A total of 5 repetitions are performed for each muscle with a 5-second break. All movements are performed without causing pain of more than moderate intensity.

Treatment:

Other: Post-isometric relaxation exercise group