Comparison of the Effectiveness of Different Exercise Types in Individuals with Chronic Neck Pain

Summary

The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of craniocervical flexion, static and dynamic isometric exercise training applied with a conventional physiotherapy program in individuals with chronic neck pain.

Conditions

• Chronic Neck Pain

Interventions

OTHER

Craniocervical Flexion Exercise Group

The patient will first be taught to contract the deep cervical flexors. Patients will be placed in a supine position (without a pillow) to ensure a neutral neck position. Patients will be asked to perform slow, controlled head and upper cervical flexion by bringing the chin closer to the chest ("yes" movement). The stabilizer will be inflated to 20 mmHg. Gradual training will be given to increase the pressure value by 2 mmHg between 20 and 30 mmHg. Each pressure value (22, 24, 26, 28 mmHg) will be held for 10 seconds and repeated 10 times. The exercise will be performed with 10 repetitions, 10 seconds of contraction and 5 seconds of relaxation. Exercise training will begin with 20 mmHg and once the patient can hold it for 10 seconds with 10 repetitions, the next level on the pressure stabilizer will be moved on.Treatments will be performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks.

OTHER

Conventional Treatment Group

TENS will be applied with a TENS device at an intensity of 10-30 mA and a frequency of 80 Hz for 20 minutes. A pair of surface electrodes will be placed on the painful area of the neck. The intensity of TENS will be adjusted according to the patient's sensory thresholds so that the patient is not disturbed by a numb feeling. After TENS, continuous ultrasound will be applied to the cervical region to produce thermal effects. The intensity will be 1.5 W/cm² and the duration will be 5 minutes. Hotpack will be applied to the trapezius muscle for 10 minutes. Chin tuck exercise will be applied to the cervical region.Treatments will be performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks.

OTHER

Dynamic Isometric Exercise Group

The exercises will be performed by the patient with an elastic band. The progression of the exercises will be performed using different colors of Thera-bands with different resistances. It will start with the red Thera-band with the lowest resistance and then move on to the green and then blue Thera-bands with increasing resistance. Cervical isometric exercises will be performed with elastic resistance bands, maintaining the chin tuck position, forward, backward, crosswise, right and left. There will be 10 repetitions for 10 seconds for each. Progression in Therabands will be according to the patient. When the patient does 10 repetitions for 10 seconds, the next Theraband will be used.Treatments will be performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks.

OTHER

Static Isometric Exercise Group

The patient will perform isometric exercises with maximal effort against neck flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation with his/her hand in a sitting position. Each exercise will be performed for 10 seconds, with 15-second breaks in between, for 10 repetitions. Each patient will start with submaximal resistance to help them adapt to isometric exercises, and then progress will be checked until the patient reaches the maximum resistance that can be tolerated by each session. It will consist of cervical flexion, cervical extension, right lateral flexion, left lateral flexion, right rotation, left rotation exercises. Progress in the exercises will be according to the Rating of Perceived Exertion Borg (RPE) Scale according to the weeks.Treatments will be performed 3 days a week for 8 weeks.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Muğla Sıtkı Koçman University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

55 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-06-24

Primary Completion

2025-01-31

Completion

2025-02-28

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations