Effect of Therapeutic Exercise on the Activation of the Neck Extensors in People With Chronic Neck Pain
Neck Pain
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Neck Pain focused on measuring Therapeutic exercise, Chronic pain, Neck extensors
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- Mild to moderate pain intensity between 3 and 5 from 10 Visual Analogue Scale)to avoid exacerbation of pain with the neck exercises;.
- Poor performance in the neck extensor resistance test as described by Lee et al. (Lee et al., 2005) and Parazza et al. (Parazza et al., 2014) of less than 250 seconds , which justify the application of an exercise program in the neck extensors.
Exclusion Criteria:
- neurological signs in the upper limb
- any contraindication for EMG like known risk of having infection following clinical needle insertion, coagulation disorders or medications affecting coagulation like aspirin
- pregnancy
- if they had participated in a neck exercise program in the past 12 months or had cervical spine surgery.
Sites / Locations
- University of Valencia
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Experimental
Emphasized exercise group
General exercise group
Patients in the emphasized exercise group performed exercises emphasizing the deep cervical extensor muscles applying a resistance at the level of the vertebral arch of C4 either therapeutically with the therapist's fingers or as a home exercise with the aid of a towel or belt. These exercises were performed in sitting and standing in front of a table propped up on both forearms. In the latter position, a dynamic exercise was added moving the head from maximal flexion to maximal extension keeping the gaze fixed at an object lying between both elbows hoping to activate more the extensors in the lower cervical spine.
Patients in the general exercise group performed exercises targeting all cervical extensor muscles including the superficial ones applying resistance at the head pushing against a wall or the therapist's hand or as a home exercise with the aid of a towel. As in the other group, these exercises were performed in sitting and standing in front of a table propped up on both forearms. In the latter position, the same dynamic exercise was added as in the other group with the only difference that the gaze was fixed at an object lying between both hands hoping to activate all cervical extensors