The etiology of chronic neck pain h...

The etiology of chronic neck pain has not been well established, on a level though it is a belonging to all condition, with an estimated 7 percent prevalence in women In working-age women trauma and degenerative disease rarely contribute to neck pain, although stres and physical strain resulting in microtrauma may contribute. Effective therapeutic modalities have not been established. Ylinen and colleagues directioned a study to investigate the efficacy of isometric neck power training and lighter endurance training of neck muscles in the rehabilitation of women with chronic, nonspecific neck pain.

A total of 180 working women 25 to 53 years of age with constant or not seldom occurring neck pain for more than six month were included in the contemplation and randomized to two training clusters and a control group. Disability and pain were assessed after a 12-month intervention period, along with secondary consequence measures such as isometric neck impregnability range of motion, and general strength

The training collections consisted of an endurance training arrange and a strength training form into groups each participating in nine practice sessions to enable them to learn the program. Endurance trainees exercised neck muscles with head lifts, and solidity trainees used an elastic rubber band to strengthen flexor muscles. the one and the other groups performed dynamic shoulder and upper-extremity strengthening exercises using dumbbells, as well as stalk and leg muscle exercises and stretching exercises. Participants were encouraged to exercise at least three hours a week at place of abode Both training groups participated in a multimodal rehabilitation program that included relaxation, aerobic training, behavior modification, and four sessions of physical therapy.

The repress group was tested at baseline and at intervals of pair months and spent three days at the rehabilitation center participating in recreational activities. They were advised to perform aerobic exercise and were given written information about the same stretching exercises that were taught to the training clusters to practice at home, with a single training session. Muscle strengthening was not included in the teaching.

All assessments were similar for the three clusters at baseline, while pain and other indexes were significantly lower in the training arranges than in the control assign places to at the end of the subject of attention No statistically significant difference was noted between the brace training groups. The strength training arrange had a 73 percent reduction in pain, the endurance collection a 59 percent reduction, and the superintend group a 21 percent reduction. Neck force increased significantly in all three arranges but the strength training form into groups had the most improvement. Range of motion in the sagittal and frontal planes increased significantly in all collections but rotation improved significantly merely in the training groups. Visits to a physician, analgesic use, and use of therapies decreased in all clusters but most markedly in the training groups

The authors have fix that endurance and strength training lead to greater reductions in pain and disability compared with a govern group. The authors attribute the succes of their intervention to the representation of exercises and the fulness of the training period, as well as to the careful selection of participants, using stricter exclusion criteria than other studies. Although to a great degree of the training occurred beneath guidance in a rehabilitation center the authors note that long-term benefits could be obtained from training only twice a week. solidity and endurance training are more effective than aerobic and stretching exercises.

Ylinen J et al. Active neck muscle training in the treatment of chronic neck pain in women A randomized controll trial. JAMA May 21 2003;289:2509-16

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