Effect of Functional Training and Isometric Exercises on Pain, ROM, and Functional Status in Patients With Neck Pain

Summary

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have been rising fast around the globe leading to neck pain and scapular muscle dysfunction, contributing to a decrease in neck movements and functional limitations. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of scapular functional exercise (SFE) in combination with cervical isometric exercises (CIE) on neck pain, cervical range of motion, and functional limitations among participants with chronic mechanical neck pain.The study was based on a two-arm parallel group pretest-posttest randomized control trial design. Thirty participants (females 21 and males 9; average age 28.94±3.77 years) were randomly allocated to groups A and B (n=15/group). The group's A and B participants received a common intervention, such as CIE and hot packs. However, group A received the SFE in addition to common interventions. The outcomes, such as neck pain, cervical ROM, and functional limitations, were evaluated using a numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), standard universal goniometer, and neck disability index questionnaire at baseline and 4-week post-intervention. The paired and unpaired t-test was used to analyze the intervention effects on the outcomes within-group and between-group, keeping the significance level alpha set at p\<0.05.

Conditions

• Chronic Pain

Interventions

OTHER

Scapular functional training

The scapular functional training consists of press up and push up plus. Press up was done in sitting position on the training bench, feet on the floor with straight arm and the palms on the edge of the bench fingers pointing forward and then lift off and dip down just in front of the seat by moving the shoulder girdle. Progression is done by placing weight on the thigh. Push-up plus exercise started from a push up position on the hand, feet or knees and keeping the torso rigid by bracing the abdominals followed by protracting the scapula as high as possible. Progression is done moving from knees to the feet or adding resistance on the upper back. The training continued for three sessions per week for four weeks.

OTHER

Cervical isometric exercises

The isometric neck exercises taught to all the participants to perform in neutral sitting positions at home thrice a day for 15-days continuously. The sequences of exercises were shoulder circling in clockwise and anticlockwise direction, scapular retraction with cervical retraction, neck flexion, extension, either side of lateral bending/flexion, left and right rotation. Each exercise follows a set of 10 repetition of maximum voluntary contraction with a progressive hold time of 3, 5, 7, and 10 seconds depending on the severity of pain and tolerance of the participants.

OTHER

Moist heating

A hydrocollator moist heat packs was applied over back of the neck in supine position to receive optimal heating. It was given for 20 minutes/day, five-day a week for four-week.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Majmaah University

  collaborator OTHER

• King Saud University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Amir Iqbal, MPT · King Saud University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

22 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2019-08-23

Primary Completion

2019-12-11

Completion

2020-03-29

Countries

• Saudi Arabia

Study Locations