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Background: Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that can impact the academic performance and well-being of college students, particularly those in healthcare programs. While both muscle energy technique (MET) and Pilates have shown promise in treating non-specific neck pain, their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. Aims: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Pilates and MET on pain, disability, and deep neck flexor strength in physiotherapy students with non-specific neck pain. Objectives: The objective was to assess the effects of Pilates and MET on pain, disability, and neck flexor strength using the painDETECT Questionnaire and Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire. Methodology: A total of 32 physiotherapy students were divided into two groups: Group A (Pilates, n = 16) and Group B (MET, n = 16). The painDETECT Questionnaire, Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire, and pressure biofeedback were used to assess pain, disability, and neck flexor strength. Both groups underwent a 3-week intervention, with three sessions per week. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in pain, disability, and neck flexor strength (p < 0.05). The MET group had a slightly greater reduction in pain (− 13.51%) compared to Pilates (− 11.27%), while the Pilates group showed marginally better improvement in disability (− 48.00% vs. − 46.53%). Conclusion: MET and Pilates are both effective in reducing pain, improving disability, and enhancing deep neck flexor strength in students with non-specific neck pain. Both interventions present viable treatment options for managing neck pain in college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-specific neck pain (NSNP) causes a great deal of discomfort, impacting a person's functionality and quality of life. This study aimed to determine the prevalence, activity limitations, and quality of life in patients with NSNP in Burundi. Patients and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical aims, covering the period from September 2023 to February 2024. It focused on NSNP patients received in three health facilities of Bujumbura. In addition to sociodemographic data, clinical data including pain, disability, psychological status and quality of life were collected. Results: Most of patients (47.1%) were over 40 years old, with an average of 49.30 (13.30) years. The majority was female, married, employed, and had a university education. Most of them (64.70%) described their pain as moderate to severe, with a mean score of 6.20 (1.60) on the numerical scale. A minority had poor health-related quality of life (20.60%). The majority had mild to moderate disability in both the psychological (41.20%) and physical (55.90%) components. Pain location during the current episode had a statistically significant association with social aspects (p=0.049). Individuals with lower levels of education, a more sedentary lifestyle, and greater psychological distress are likely to experience increased activity limitations (p< 0.05). Conclusion: NSNP is a significant public health concern in Burundi, impacting individuals' socio-professional lives and overall quality of life. Individuals with lower levels of education, a more sedentary lifestyle, and greater psychological distress are likely to experience increased activity limitations. The state of health was perceived as poor by 20.60% of the sample. The physical component of health status was more impaired than the mental component, and the majority of patients presented moderate to severe disabilities, highlighting the need for preventive and management measures to mitigate its impact on individuals and the healthcare system in Burundi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal condition that can impact the academic performance and well-being of college students, particularly those in healthcare programs. While both muscle energy technique (MET) and Pilates have shown promise in treating non-specific neck pain, their comparative effectiveness remains unclear. Aims This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Pilates and MET on pain, disability, and deep neck flexor strength in physiotherapy students with non-specific neck pain. Objectives The objective was to assess the effects of Pilates and MET on pain, disability, and neck flexor strength using the painDETECT Questionnaire and Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire. Methodology A total of 32 physiotherapy students were divided into two groups: Group A (Pilates, n = 16) and Group B (MET, n = 16). The painDETECT Questionnaire, Neck Bournemouth Questionnaire, and pressure biofeedback were used to assess pain, disability, and neck flexor strength. Both groups underwent a 3-week intervention, with three sessions per week. Results Both groups showed significant improvements in pain, disability, and neck flexor strength (p

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of post-isometric relaxation (PIR) compared to self-stretching (SS) in working-age individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain. A parallel-group study was conducted with 50 patients who were randomized to either the self-stretching (SS, n = 25) or post-isometric relaxation (PIR, n = 25) group and received interventions three times a week for four weeks. In addition to these interventions, all patients were prescribed transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Outcome measures were neck pain, the neck disability index (NDI), hand grip strength (HGS), and cervical spine range of motion (ROM). Data were collected at baseline and after four weeks of outpatient rehabilitation. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine within-group differences, and an independent t-test compared between-group differences. There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline in neck pain intensity. Following both interventions, pain intensity and functional disability decreased, cervical spine ROM increased, and HGS improved (p < 0.05). Between-group analysis showed that participants in the PIR group achieved lower pain intensity (p = 0.032, Cohen's d = 0.81), greater neck extension ROM (p = 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.96), and lower neck disability index (p = 0.004, Cohen's d = 0.85) compared to the SS group. In conclusion, both PIR and SS interventions effectively reduced neck pain, increased range of motion, and decreased the neck disability index in working-age individuals. Neither technique showed superiority in increasing neck ROM and HGS. However, PIR was superior to SS in reducing neck pain and NDI, indicating potential benefits from integrating these interventions during treatment sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-specific neck pain (NSNP) is one of the most significant health problems especially with frequent use of media devices as computers and cell phones that may be associated with some faulty postures as forward head posture or rounded shoulders. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation of neck, head and shoulders angles: cranio-cervical angle (CVA), forward shoulder angle (FSA), coronal shoulder angle (CSA) and sagittal head tilt angle (SHT) with the non-specific neck pain. A total of ‏ 100 females with non-specific neck pain, whose ages were ranged between 18-25 years old. Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and Digital Camera were used to assess neck pain, and neck different angles of cervical and shoulders, respectively. There was indicated a positive and significant correlation between NPRS and FSA (P < 0.045), while there were non-significant correlations between NPRS and other variables (P > 0.05). It was found that there was a significant positive correlation between forward shoulder angle and non-specific neck pain in the sample of female participants. However, no significant associations were observed between neck pain intensity and CCA, CSA, and SHT. Addressing and improving forward shoulder angles may be a potential strategy to reduce neck pain in individuals with non-specific neck pain.

Chronic non-specific neck pain (CNNP) poses a substantial health and economic burden in China. This study introduces a gamified motion-sensing health application framework to address the limitations of existing health applications. The gamified cervical spine somatic exercise application employs motion capture technology alongside the smartphone's built-in sensors to simulate accurate somatic interactions. Controlled experiments and data analyses demonstrated that the application significantly outperformed traditional text and video interventions in relieving participants' neck pain by increasing their average daily activity and compliance with the cervical spine exercise routine. The neck pain level of the participants is quantified by the Neck Disability Index (NDI). The results from the controlled experiments demonstrate that this gamified approach significantly decreases the Neck Disability Index (NDI) score from 1.54 to 1.24, highlighting its ability to alleviate neck pain and increase user compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neck pain is common and two common treatments for non-specific neck discomfort are Strain Counter Strain (SCS) and Muscle Energy Technique (MET). The purpose of this study is to evaluate how well MET and SCS work to treat non-specific neck pain. Methods: Sixty-two participants with non-specific. Neck discomfort was branched into two groups (A and B). Group “A” received MET with the SCS approach, while Group “B” received MET alongside traditional Physiotherapy. Interventions were administered three times a week for two weeks. Outcome measures such as the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Range of Motion ( ROM) were assessed before and after each session and at the beginning and end of both weeks. Result: Pain, neck disability index and cervical range of motion all significantly improved in both groups. After the intervention, one week later and two weeks later, both groups’ flexion and extension range of motion showed statistically significant improvements. At the end of the first or second week, there were no appreciable changes in the right-side lateral flexion, right-side rotation or left-side lateral flexion. Nonetheless, following one or two weeks of intervention, left-side rotation demonstrated a notable improvement. Conclusion: MET combined with SCS demonstrated superiority in reducing pain, alleviating cervical impairment and enhancing range of. motion of the cervical spine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To translate and cross-culturally adapt the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) into Hausa and assess its psychometric properties. The NPQ was translated and cross-culturally adapted into Hausa using recommended guidelines. A consecutive sample of 92 Hausa-speaking patients with non-specific neck pain recruited from three tertiary hospitals in north-western Nigeria, completed the questionnaire to assess factorial validity (using confirmatory factor analysis), convergent validity (by correlating the Hausa-NPQ with the Numerical Pain Rating Scale [NPRS]), and internal consistency (using Cronbach's α). A subsample of 50 patients completed the questionnaire again 3 days after the first administration to assess relative reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and absolute reliability using standard error of measurement (SEM), smallest detectable change (SDC), and 95% limits of agreement (LOA). The factor analysis confirmed a single-factor structure with excellent internal consistency (α = 0.94). The questionnaire showed a strong positive correlation with the NPRS (rho = 0.68). The ICC was 0.86, with SEM and SDC of 6.32 and 17.5, respectively. The LOA was − 29.3 to + 37.1 with no evidence of proportional bias. The Hausa-NPQ is a valid and reliable measure of disability due to neck pain. This study describes the translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric assessment of the Hausa-NPQ in Hausa-speaking patients with non-specific neck pain. The questionnaire demonstrated adequate psychometric properties in terms of factorial and convergent validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability. The questionnaire will be useful in clinical and research settings to assess disability due to neck pain for screening purposes, evaluation of treatment effectiveness, as well as cross-cultural comparisons involving Hausa-speaking individuals with neck pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Evidence exists on clinical benefits of synchronous and asynchronous telerehabilitation for patients with non-specific neck pain (NSNP); however, limited studies are comparing synchronous and asynchronous telerehabilitation (TR) programs in this population. The aim of this study was to estimate the relative effectiveness of an 8-week synchronous or asynchronous TR in improving pain, functional disability, kinesiophobia, and mobility in patients with NSNP. Materials and methods: This was a randomized, controlled clinical trial carried out on 60 individuals with NSNP. Participants were randomly assigned to synchronous TR group (n = 30) or asynchronous TR group (n = 30) that received the same exercise program for 8 weeks. Pain measured by Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), disability measured by Neck Disability Index (NDI), kinesiophobia measured by Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and cervical range of motion were used as outcome measures. Assessments were performed at baseline, 4th week, 8th week, and 16th week. Results: The analysis showed a significant effect of time and significant interaction between group and time in NPRS, NDI, TSK, and cervical mobility scores (p < 0.05), yet the group effect was not significant (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups at all time points (p > 0.05) except for cervical right lateral flexion at 8th week (p = 0.036). Conclusion: Telerehabilitation technologies are expanding at a rapid rate, and it is essential to understand the outcomes produced using these technologies in health conditions. This study showed that synchronous and asynchronous telerehabilitation produces similar results in patients with NSNP, supporting that either method can be used interchangeably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of post-isometric relaxation (PIR) compared to self-stretching (SS) in working-age individuals with chronic non-specific neck pain. A parallel-group study was conducted with 50 patients who were randomized to either the self-stretching (SS, n = 25) or post-isometric relaxation (PIR, n = 25) group and received interventions three times a week for four weeks. In addition to these interventions, all patients were prescribed transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). Outcome measures were neck pain, the neck disability index (NDI), hand grip strength (HGS), and cervical spine range of motion (ROM). Data were collected at baseline and after four weeks of outpatient rehabilitation. Repeated measures ANOVA was used to determine within-group differences, and an independent t-test compared between-group differences. There were no significant differences between the groups at baseline in neck pain intensity. Following both interventions, pain intensity and functional disability decreased, cervical spine ROM increased, and HGS improved (p < 0.05). Between-group analysis showed that participants in the PIR group achieved lower pain intensity (p = 0.032, Cohen’s d = 0.81), greater neck extension ROM (p = 0.001, Cohen’s d = 0.96), and lower neck disability index (p = 0.004, Cohen’s d = 0.85) compared to the SS group. In conclusion, both PIR and SS interventions effectively reduced neck pain, increased range of motion, and decreased the neck disability index in working-age individuals. Neither technique showed superiority in increasing neck ROM and HGS. However, PIR was superior to SS in reducing neck pain and NDI, indicating potential benefits from integrating these interventions during treatment sessions.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. Morbidity and disability related to non-fatal events are increasing exponentially. There are several symptoms that may arise after invasive therapeutic approaches such as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), including chronic pain in anatomical areas connected to the mediastinum; these pains can be found not only initially after surgery but also years later. We present a case where non-specific neck pain (NNP), in a patient undergoing CABG five years earlier, was resolved with an osteopathic technique, working the pericardial area. To the knowledge of the authors, it is the first article illustrating an osteopathic approach with resolution of NNP, with a manual technique used on the pericardial area.

Neck pain (NP) is one of the most common complaints of patients in outpatient practice and is predominantly non-specific (musculoskeletal) in nature. When examining a patient with NP, it is necessary to rule out a specific cause of the condition. The diagnosis of nonspecific NP (NNP) is based on a clinical examination that excludes signs of specific NP (“red flags”). If there are no signs of specific NP (“red flags”), early (in the first 4 weeks) magnetic resonance imaging is not indicated. It is recommended to inform the patient with NNP about the favorable prognosis of the disease, its risk factors, avoidance of prolonged excessive static and physical activity, incorrect (non-physiological) positions and postures, the effectiveness of therapeutic exercises (kinesiotherapy) and the advisability of maintaining physical activity. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants can be used to relieve NNP. For subacute and chronic NNP, kinesiotherapy, manual therapy in combination with psychological therapy methods (for depressive and anxiety disorders, pain catastrophizing, pain behavior), and antidepressants are recommended. Radiofrequency denervation may be effective for chronic NNP associated with cervical facet joint pathology. There are no convincing data on the efficacy of electrotherapy, ultrasound, traction, and wearing a cervical collar in the absence of orthopedic indications. For preventive treatment of NNP, kinesiotherapy and an educational program to avoid excessive static and physical activity, incorrect positions and postures are recommended. The issues of duration and frequency of therapeutic exercises for the treatment and prevention of NNP need further investigation.

Objective:Non-specific neck pain is pain in the lateral and posterior of the neck that is not caused by any specific reason. The preferred sleeping position in individuals with neck pain may affect pain severity, disability, upper extremity function, and sleep quality. In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of sleep positions on the parameters of young individuals with non-specific neck pain.Materials and Methods:The study was conducted with 91 (12 male, 79 female) university students aged 18-30 years with non-specific neck pain. Sleep positions were determined using sleep position images. Pain was assessed with the “Numerical Rating Scal”, neck disability with the “Bournemouth Neck Questionnaire”, upper extremity functionality with the “Upper Extremity Functional Index” and sleep quality with the “Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index”.Results:60.4% of those who experienced neck pain also reported that they also experienced shoulder pain. With the sleeping position, there was no statistically significant relationship between neck pain severity, shoulder pain severity, neck disability, upper extremity function, and sleep quality (p

Lin Chen,1,&ast; Qi Zhang,2,&ast; Zheng Huang,1,&ast; Weiwei Da,1 Shuang Liu,1 Chunchun Xue,1 Chao Ding,1 Deta Chen,1 Tianyou Fan,1 Qi Shi,1 Xiaofeng Li1 1Department of Orthopedics, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xuhui District Tianping Street Community Health Center, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China&ast;These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Xiaofeng Li, Shanghai Municipal Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 274 Middle Zhijiang Road, Shanghai, 200071, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86-13816504131, Email lixiaofeng0409@163.comPurpose: Non-specific chronic neck pain (NSCNP) is an increasingly common musculoskeletal disease and an important issue in the global healthcare system. Some studies have shown that the combination of manual therapy and exercise is effective in treating NSCNP but still with several limitations. Traditional Chinese manual therapy (tuina) is a Chinese manual therapy that consists of soft tissue manipulation and spinal manipulation. This study aims to design a randomized controlled trial to assess the effect of a tuina combined with specific therapeutic neck exercise modified protocol for NSCNP patients.Patients and Methods: This is a study protocol for a randomized, participant-, assessor- and analyst-blinded controlled trial. Eighty-eight eligible NSCNP patients will be randomly allocated into tuina combined with specific therapeutic neck exercise group (TSTE group) and tuina combined with sham therapeutic neck exercise group (TS group) in a ratio of 1:1. All participants will receive 8 treatment sessions applied in 4 weeks and then be followed up for another 12 weeks. Clinical data will be collected at baseline, during treatment phase (at the 2- and 4-week) and at the 8-, 12-, 16-week follow-ups. The primary outcome is the changes in neck pain intensity (visual analogue scale). The secondary outcomes include neck disability (Neck Disability Index), cervical range of motion (ROM), neck muscle endurance, cervical muscle cross-sectional area, cervical curvature and analgesic consumption. Adverse events will be collected and recorded throughout the study.Conclusion: We will discuss whether our tuina combined with specific therapeutic neck exercise modified protocol is more effective at improving pericervical muscle endurance, ROM, cervical muscle cross-sectional area and cervical curvature than tuina alone, thereby decreases neck pain and disability in individuals with NSCNP more effectively.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trials Registry, ChiCTR2300067903. Registered on 31 January 2023.Keywords: manual therapy, non-specific neck pain, specific therapeutic exercise, randomized controlled trial

Background: Mobile phones, laptops, and computers have become an indispensable part of our lives in recent years. Workers may have an incorrect posture when using a computer for a prolonged period of time. Using these products with an incorrect posture can lead to neck pain. However, there are limited data on postures in real-life situations. Methods: In this study, we used a common camera to record images of subjects carrying out three different tasks (a typing task, a gaming task, and a video-watching task) on a computer. Different artificial intelligence (AI)-based pose estimation approaches were applied to analyze the head's yaw, pitch, and roll and coordinate information of the eyes, nose, neck, and shoulders in the images. We used machine learning models such as random forest, XGBoost, logistic regression, and ensemble learning to build a model to predict whether a subject had neck pain by analyzing their posture when using the computer. Results: After feature selection and adjustment of the predictive models, nested cross-validation was applied to evaluate the models and fine-tune the hyperparameters. Finally, the ensemble learning approach was utilized to construct a model via bagging, which achieved a performance with 87% accuracy, 92% precision, 80.3% recall, 95.5% specificity, and an AUROC of 0.878. Conclusions: We developed a predictive model for the identification of non-specific neck pain using 2D video images without the need for costly devices, advanced environment settings, or extra sensors. This method could provide an effective way for clinically evaluating poor posture during real-world computer usage scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally. Morbidity and disability related to non-fatal events are increasing exponentially. There are several symptoms that may arise after invasive therapeutic approaches such as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), including chronic pain in anatomical areas connected to the mediastinum; these pains can be found not only initially after surgery but also years later. We present a case where non-specific neck pain (NNP), in a patient undergoing CABG five years earlier, was resolved with an osteopathic technique, working the pericardial area. To the knowledge of the authors, it is the first article illustrating an osteopathic approach with resolution of NNP, with a manual technique used on the pericardial area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-specific neck pain is a common neuromusculoskeletal problem and affects about two thirds of people worldwide. Purpose: To find out the efficacy of the combination therapy in individuals with non-specific neck pain. Case: The intervention was given in 12 sessions (3 times per week for 4 weeks) with the total duration of therapy per session is 20 minutes. The sequence of interventions includes: ultrasound therapy, application of muscle energy techniques, and SNAGs mobilization. Evaluation of therapy in the form of pain was measured by a visual analogue scale and the range of motion of the cervical spine’s lateral flexion was measured by a goniometer. Result: The results of the case series showed a decrease in pain scores from an average of 5.67 to 2.73. In the range of motion of the cervical spine’s lateral flexion there was an increase from an average of 30 degrees to 36 degrees. Conclusion: The combination of ultrasound therapy, muscle energy technique, and sustained natural apophyseal glides provided benefits in reducing pain and increasing the range of motion of the cervical spine’s lateral flexion in individuals with non-specific neck pain. This case series can be used as a preliminary study to develop further research with experimental methods in proving the effectiveness of the combination therapy in treating non-specific neck pain.

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of Virtual reality on neck pain and function in patients with non-specific neck dysfunction. Design: A pre-test post-test randomized control trial was performed at Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Thirty female students, 18-25 years, were assigned to study group or control group randomly. The control group received traditional treatment in form of exercises; the study group received Virtual reality therapy plus traditional treatment. The intervention duration was 6 weeks. Before and after 6 weeks of training, pain, neck range of motion, and neck function were examined. Results: there was no statistically significant difference in pain, neck range of motion, and neck functional activity between pre and post-treatment mean values of majority measured variables in both groups except pressure pain threshold variable in favor of the study group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Virtual reality and traditional exercises have positive effect on non-specific neck dysfunction and they nearly have the same effect on neck pain, range of motion and functional level with favor of Virtual reality on pressure pain threshold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Studies have shown that aerobic exercise (AE) may improve symptoms related to non-specific neck pain (NNP); however, the variables of the exercise programs and the overall effectiveness of AE have not been evaluated in a systematic review. Therefore, this review aimed to describe and discuss the variables of the AE programs used in clinical trials for patients with NNP. Included studies were analyzed for the selected AE variables such as intensity, frequency, duration, delivery, supervision, and adherence. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. From the literature search, six studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated. After reviewing all the included studies, it was found that a range of AE interventions were used such as cycling, brisk walking, aerobics, stationary bike, treadmill running, circuit training, and swimming. Further, the duration was between 30 and 45 min for each session, with or without progressive increases from week to week. The intervention periods ranged from 1 month to 6 months in duration. Most studies used AE three times per week. Furthermore, exercise intensity was measured with either subjective (BORG) or objective measures (heartrate reserve). Justification for the specified intensity and reporting of adverse events was reported only in two studies and differed between studies. Exercise interventions were poorly reported. This review showed that moderate-intensity AE undertaken three times per week, in patients with NNP, may be beneficial for pain and function; however, the development of reporting standards is essential for the successful replication of studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Non-specific neck pain is the most prevailing musculoskeletal disorder which has a large socioeconomic burden worldwide. It is associated with poor posture and neck strain which may lead to pain and restricted mobility. Physical therapists treat such patients through several means. Post isometric relaxation and Myofascial release therapy are used in clinical practice with little evidence to be firmed appropriately. So, this study was conducted to explore the effect of Post-isometric relaxation in comparison to Myofascial release therapy for patients having non-specific neck pain. Methodology Sixty patients were randomly allocated to Post isometric group and the Myofascial group. The treatment period was of 2 weeks. All the patients were evaluated using the Visual analogue scale (VAS), Neck disability index (NDI), Universal Goniometer, and WHO BREF Quality of life-100 in the 1st and 6th sessions. Recorded data was entered on SPSS 21. Data were examined using two-way repeated ANOVA to measure the variance of analysis (group x time). Results Analysis of the baseline characteristics revealed that both groups were homogenous in terms of age and gender i.e. a total of 60 participants were included in this research study 30 in each group. Out of 60 patients, there were 20(33.3%) males and 40(66.7%) females with a mean age of 32.4(5.0) years. Participants in the Post Isometric group demonstrated significant improvements (p

Background: Non-specific neck pain is the most prevailing musculoskeletal disorder which has a large socioeconomic burden worldwide. It is associated with poor posture and neck strain which may lead to pain and restricted mobility. Physical therapists treat such patients through several means. Post isometric relaxation and Myofascial release therapy are used in clinical practice with little evidence to be firmed appropriately. So, this study was conducted to explore the effect of Post-isometric relaxation in comparison to Myofascial release therapy for patients having non-specific neck pain.Methodology: Sixty patients were randomly allocated to Post isometric group and the Myofascial group. The treatment period was of 2 weeks. All the patients were evaluated using the Visual analogue scale (VAS), Neck disability index (NDI), Universal Goniometer, and WHO BREF Quality of life-100 in the 1st and 6th sessions. Recorded data was entered on SPSS 21. Data were examined using two-way repeated ANOVA to measure the variance of analysis (group x time).Results: Analysis of the baseline characteristics revealed that both groups were homogenous in terms of age and gender i.e. a total of 60 participants were included in this research study 30 in each group. Out of 60 patients, there were 20(33.3%) males and 40(66.7%) females with a mean age of 32.4(5.0) years. Participants in the Post Isometric group demonstrated significant improvements (p < 0.025) in VAS, NDI, Cervical Extension, left side rotation ranges, and QoL (Social Domain) at the 2-week follow-up compared with those in the Myofascial group. In addition, the Myofascial group indicated significantly better improvement in the mean score of CROM (flexion and right and left side bending).Conclusion: The study demonstrated patients with nonspecific neck pain can benefit from the post isometric relaxation with significant improvement in pain, disability, cervical ROM, and Quality of life compared with myofascial release therapy.Trial Registration: Clinical Trial registered on clinicaltrial.gov (NCT number) NCT04638062 , 20/11/2020 (prospectively registered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of bilateral cervical extensors and flexors on the sagittal, frontal, and horizontal planes of healthy adults during motions of the neck in a sitting position, which has not been satisfactorily investigated by surface electromyogram (sEMG). Materialand Methods: We recruited 35 healthy participants (mean ± standard deviation of age, 20.3 ± 2.4). sEMG recordings of the cervical extensors and flexors were performed for a total of nine seconds in three phases: Phase I involved the motion of the neck from the neutral position to the maximum range of motion; Phase II involved maintaining the neck at the maximum range of motion; and Phase III involved the motion of the neck from the maximum range of motion to the neutral position during neck flexion, extension, right and left lateral flexion, right and left rotation, and maintaining the neck in the neutral position. Muscle activities in each motion were normalized as a percentage of maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) so that the muscles could be compared. Results: The %MVC of the extensors was significantly larger than that of the flexors in the neutral position (p < 0.001). In addition, the %MVCs of the following were significantly larger than the %MVC in the neutral position: the extensors in flexion (p = 0.014) and extension (p = 0.020), the ipsilateral extensors (p = 0.006) and flexors (p < 0.001) in lateral flexion in Phase I; the flexors in flexion (p < 0.001), the extensors in extension (p = 0.010), and the ipsilateral extensors and flexors in lateral flexion (p < 0.001) in Phase II; the extensors and flexors in flexion (p < 0.001), the flexors in extension (p < 0.001), the ipsilateral flexors (p < 0.001), the contralateral flexors (p = 0.004) and the contralateral extensors (p = 0.018) in lateral flexion in Phase III; and the bilateral extensors and contralateral flexors during rotation in all three phases (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The typical sEMG activities of the extensors and flexors during motion of the neck in healthy adults were identified in this study; this information can be used to understand the pathophysiology of non-specific neck pain and to provide an index for evaluating the effect of treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of bilateral cervical extensors and flexors on the sagittal, frontal, and horizontal planes of healthy adults during motions of the neck in a sitting position, which has not been satisfactorily investigated by surface electromyogram (sEMG). Materialand Methods: We recruited 35 healthy participants (mean ± standard deviation of age, 20.3 ± 2.4). sEMG recordings of the cervical extensors and flexors were performed for a total of nine seconds in three phases: Phase I involved the motion of the neck from the neutral position to the maximum range of motion; Phase II involved maintaining the neck at the maximum range of motion; and Phase III involved the motion of the neck from the maximum range of motion to the neutral position during neck flexion, extension, right and left lateral flexion, right and left rotation, and maintaining the neck in the neutral position. Muscle activities in each motion were normalized as a percentage of maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) so that the muscles could be compared. Results: The %MVC of the extensors was significantly larger than that of the flexors in the neutral position (p < 0.001). In addition, the %MVCs of the following were significantly larger than the %MVC in the neutral position: the extensors in flexion (p = 0.014) and extension (p = 0.020), the ipsilateral extensors (p = 0.006) and flexors (p < 0.001) in lateral flexion in Phase I; the flexors in flexion (p < 0.001), the extensors in extension (p = 0.010), and the ipsilateral extensors and flexors in lateral flexion (p < 0.001) in Phase II; the extensors and flexors in flexion (p < 0.001), the flexors in extension (p < 0.001), the ipsilateral flexors (p < 0.001), the contralateral flexors (p = 0.004) and the contralateral extensors (p = 0.018) in lateral flexion in Phase III; and the bilateral extensors and contralateral flexors during rotation in all three phases (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The typical sEMG activities of the extensors and flexors during motion of the neck in healthy adults were identified in this study; this information can be used to understand the pathophysiology of non-specific neck pain and to provide an index for evaluating the effect of treatment.

Fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ) is a self-report, valid and reliable questionnaire to quantify fear and avoidance beliefs related to physical activity and work. Furthermore, it can be used to predict prolong disability in patients with non-specific neck pain. Although it was originally developed to manage patients with low back pain, it has also been studied in individuals with neck pain. This questionnaire was translated into several languages following reports of potential benefits in patients with neck pain. Recently, Thai neck clinical trials, international multi-centre trials and data sharing are growing throughout the world but no validated Thai version of the FABQ is available for clinical and research uses. Our objectives were to translate and cross-culturally adapt the FABQ into Thai version and evaluate its psychometric properties in Thai patients with non-specific neck pain. Cross-cultural translation and adaptation of the FABQ were conducted according to standard guidelines. A total of 129 participants with non-specific neck pain were invited to complete the Thai versions of the FABQ (FABQ-TH), neck disability index and visual analogue scale for pain intensity. Psychometric evaluation included exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, agreement, and convergent validity. Thirty participants completed the FABQ-TH twice with a 48-h interval between tests to assess the test-retest reliability. Factor analysis identified four components for the FABQ-TH (66.69% of the total variance). The intraclass correlation coefficient of test-retest reliability was excellent for the total score (0.986), work attitudes (0.995), physical activity attitudes (0.958), physical activity experiences (0.927), and expected recovery (0.984). Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was excellent (range 0.87–0.88) for all items. The minimal detectable change of the FABQ-TH was 5.85. The FABQ-TH correlated to its subscales (range 0.470–0.936), indicating the strongest association with work attitude. The weakest correlation was observed between the FABQ-TH and disability (rs=0.206, p=0.01). Missing data and significant floor or ceiling effects were not found. The Thai version of the FABQ for non-specific neck pain was successfully adapted. It is a valid and reliable instrument to quantify fear and avoidance beliefs among patients with non-specific neck pain who speak and read Thai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neck pain poses a huge medical challenge in terms of pain and disability on patient. Therapeutic exercise has been reported to be an effective intervention for the treatment of patients with chronic neck pain. This study therefore determined the effects of neck stabilization and Pilates exercises on pain, sleep disturbance, neck disability and kinesiophobia in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain. Forty five patients with non-specific chronic neck pain (NSCNP) participated in this study. They were randomly assigned into 3 different groups; Neck stabilization exercise, Pilates exercise and Neck dynamic isometric exercise using computer generated number. Pain intensity, sleep disturbance, neck disability, kinesiophobia were assessed using numerical pain rating scale, insomnia severity index, neck disability index, tampas scale of kinesiophobia respectively at baseline, 4th week (mid-intervention) and 8th week (post intervention). Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics at alpha level of less than or equal to 0.05. Findings from this study revealed an improvement in all outcome parameters (pain intensity, quality of sleep, neck disability and kinesiophobia) in the three groups post-intervention (p < 0.05). However, there was statistically significant difference between neck stabilization and Pilates exercises on pain intensity (p < 0.05). The two groups (neck stabilization and Pilates) showed similar effect in the entire clinical outcomes aside pain intensity therefore both exercises are efficacious in the treatment of patients with NSCNP. However, neck stabilization exercises demonstrated a more superior effect than Pilates exercises in reducing pain intensity in patients with NSCNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate whether pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy when applied in addition to a conventional physical therapy program would provide any further benefits in reducing pain and functional limitation in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. Patients and methods: This double-blind, prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled study included a total of 63 patients (15 males, 48 females; mean age 45.1; range, 25 to 59 years) with a complaint of mechanical neck pain between January 2016 and September 2016. The patients were divided into two groups as PEMF therapy group (n=33) and control group (n=30). A total of 15 sessions of conventional physical therapy program were applied to both groups for a total of three weeks. In addition, the active group received 20-min PEMF and the control group received 20-min sham PEMF. The patients were evaluated at baseline and after treatment. The therapeutic effect was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), Neck Pain Disability Scale (NPDS), Short Form-36 (SF-36), and Physician Global Assessment (PGA). Results: At baseline, two groups were similar in terms of the demographic and clinical characteristics (p>0.05). There were significant improvements in the VAS, NPDS, SF-36, and physician global assessment after treatment in both groups. However, the PEMF group was not found to be superior to the sham group in terms of improvements in the outcome parameters. Conclusion: Our study findings indicate that PEMF therapy is safe in patients with chronic non-specific neck pain. However, it does not provide further improvement in pain and functionality when applied in addition to a conventional physical therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Previous studies have shown poor health-related outcomes among patients with spinal sagittal malalignment of the thoracolumbar or spinopelvic region, and less interest has been paid to the relationship between cervical sagittal balance and functional outcome of the patients. This study aims to compare the cervical sagittal parameters between patients with non-specific neck pain and asymptomatic controls.Method: Twenty-five patients (21 females/4 males) with non-specific neck pain and 25 age-, sex- and BMI-matched controls (18 females/7 males) participated in the study. Using a standard lateral cervical radiography, the Cobb angle between occiput-C2, C1-C2, C1-C7 and C2-C7 as well as the thoracic inlet angle (TIA) and C7 and T1 slope angles was measured. Also the spine cranial angle (SCA) and the C2-SVA (sacral vertical axis) and C1-SVA were measured. The primary outcome measure of the study was comparison of the sagittal balance variables between the patients and the healthy controls. Secondary outcome measures were correlation between pain intensity of the patients in neck pain group and their demographic and radiographic findings. Data analysis was performed using independent sample T test and Pearson's correlation for primary and secondary outcome measurements, respectively.Results: There was no difference in cervical lordosis curvature (measured by C2-C7 and C1-C7 lordosis angle) between patients with non-specific NP and healthy controls (P value = 0.45 and 0.37, respectively). We found that T1 slope angle was significantly (P value = 0.02) lower in patients with neck pain.Conclusion: Our findings showed that the slope of the upper endplate of T1 vertebrae body (T1 slope) is significantly lower among patients with non-specific neck pain compared to controls. A compensatory mechanism to bring the center of head gravity back to the spinal axis might be the possible explanation for this difference. These slides can be retrieved under Electronic Supplementary Material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction The aim was to evaluate if pain, disability, and work productivity are influenced by physical and psychosocial work exposures as well as by stress, up to 1 year after a randomized controlled trial treatment intervention, and to determine whether any such association differed between treatment and control groups. Methods Ninety-seven working women suffering non-specific neck pain (n = 67 treatment group, n = 30 control group) were followed from end of treatment intervention and at 9- and 15-month follow-ups, respectively. Physical and psychosocial exposures, as well as perceived stress, were assessed after the treatment intervention. Pain, neck disability, and work productivity were assessed at baseline, after intervention 3 months later and at 9- and 15-month follow-ups. Longitudinal assessment was conducted using the exposure level at 3 months as predictor of pain, disability, and work productivity at 3, 9, and 15 months, respectively. Mixed models were used to estimate longitudinal associations, accounting for within-individual correlation of repeated outcome measures by incorporation of a random intercept. Age and duration of neck pain were adjusted for in all models. To evaluate group differences, interactions between exposures and treatment groups were estimated. Results High perceived stress was associated with more neck pain, more neck disability, and decreased work productivity in both cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. High ‘control of decision’ was associated with less neck pain, less neck disability, and higher work productivity in cross-sectional analyses but only to less disability and higher productivity in longitudinal analyses. Shoulder/arm load was the only physical exposure variable that was significantly associated with work productivity in the univariate analyses. Only small differences were observed between treatment and control groups. Conclusion High perceived stress and low ‘control of decision’ were associated with more neck pain, increased neck disability, and decreased work productivity. Treatment interventions for individuals with neck pain should take into account psychosocial workplace exposures and stress to improve intermediate and long-term results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A cross-sectional observational study of three-dimensional cervical kinematics in 35 non-specific neck pain patients and 100 asymptomatic controls. To compare qualitative and quantitative aspects of cervical kinematics between healthy subjects and subjects with non-specific neck pain and to determine the effect of age on cervical kinematics in healthy subjects. Methods Three-dimensional kinematics of active lateral bending and flexion-extension of 35 patients and 100 controls were registered by means of an electromagnetic tracking system. The means of several kinematic parameters were compared using t -tests. In addition, we assessed the age-dependency of the three-dimensional kinematic parameters by stratifying the 100 control subjects in 6 age categories. Findings Comparison of the patient group with the control group reveals no statistically significant differences in qualitative and quantitative parameters. Analysis of the effect of age showed that the range of motion decreases significantly (p < 0.01) with increasing age. In lateral bending, the ratio between axial rotation and lateral bending increases significantly (p < 0.01) among older subjects. Differences in acceleration, jerk and polynomial fit are seen between the age categories, but are not significant. Interpretation This study demonstrates no significant differences in kinematic parameters between healthy subjects and subjects with non-specific neck pain. Healthy subjects in higher age categories demonstrate higher ratios of coupled movements and lower ranges of motion. Future research should focus on classifying patients with non-specific neck pain in order to gain a better insight on possible subgroup specific differences in kinematics. More studies on this subject are warranted. Level of evidence: 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint in computer users due to prolonged static or awkward work postures. It has been shown that pathogenesis of neck pain is associated with scapular movement impairment syndromes. However, there is a dearth of literature in treatment based on these syndromes. Aim To identify the effects of movement impairment-based treatment in the management of mechanical neck pain, in computer users. Methods In the present study, twenty-seven subjects were recruited. Based on the identified scapular impairment syndrome, they were trained with scapular movement impairment-based exercises for four weeks. Pain, disability and cervical range of motion were measured with numeric pain rating scale, neck disability index and inclinometer, respectively, at baseline and at four weeks. Results Twenty-one subjects completed the study. After four weeks, a significant difference of 4.81 points for numeric pain rating scale and 24.47% for neck disability index at 95% CI were found. The cervical range of motion showed a significant change (p < 0.05) of 10.09° for flexion, 24.47° for extension, 7.42° for right lateral flexion, 6.23° for left lateral flexion, 15.52° for right rotation and 14.95° for left rotation at 95% CI. Conclusions Exercises based on scapular impairment syndromes were given for four weeks. It was found to be effective in relieving pain and reducing dysfunction in computer users with mechanical neck pain [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-specific neck pain is a common health problem of global concern for office workers. This systematic review ascertained the latest evidence for the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise versus no therapeutic exercise on reducing neck pain and improving quality of life (QoL) in office workers with non-specific neck pain. Method: Seven electronic databases using keywords, that is, ‘office workers’, ‘non-specific neck pain’, ‘exercise’ and/or ‘exercise therapy’, ‘QoL’, ‘strengthening’, ‘stretching’, ‘endurance’, ‘physiotherapy’ and/or ‘physical therapy’, were searched from inception until March 2017. Heterogeneous data were reported in narrative format and comparable homogenous data were pooled using Revman. Results: Eight randomised control trials were reviewed and scored on average 6.63/10 on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Five studies performed strengthening exercise, one study had a strengthening and an endurance exercise group, one study performed stretching exercise and one study had an endurance intervention group and a stretching intervention group. Five and four studies reported significant improvement in neck pain and QoL, respectively, when conducting strengthening exercise. When performing endurance exercises, one and two studies reported significant changes in neck pain and QoL, respectively. The one study incorporating stretching exercise reported significant improvement in neck pain. The meta-analysis revealed that there is a clinically significant difference favouring strengthening exercise over no exercise in pain reduction but not for QoL. Conclusion: There is level II evidence recommending that clinicians include strengthening exercise to improve neck pain and QoL. However, the effect of endurance and stretching exercise needs to be explored further.

Introduction: Non-specific mechanical neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that is generally treated conservatively using electro/thermal therapeutic agents, exercise, soft tissue techniques, and manual therapy. In this review, we evaluated the effectiveness of Thoracic Manipulation (TM) compared to cervical manipulations, multi-level TM with single-level TM, and TM with other interventions such as electro/thermal therapy and exercise. Material and Methods: PubMed, Google scholar and PEDro database were searched from inception until May 2016 by the following keywords: “neck pain”, “thoracic manipulation”, “physical therapy treatment”, “cervical manipulation”, and different combinations. Quality of the included studies were evaluated using physiotherapy evidence database [PEDro] scale. Results: A total of 15 studies out of 47 based on PEDro score were included in this review. All studies measured pain intensity as a parameter indicating effectiveness of interventions, 9 studies measured disability as a key outcome and used either NDI or NPQ for its assessment. Conclusion: Thoracic manipulation is equally effective as cervical manipulation in reduction of pain and improving function. Thoracic manipulation is also more effective than electrotherapy or exercise therapy alone. When combined with multimodal neck program, thoracic manipulation for patients with neck pain significantly improves function and reduces pain intensity.

Objective To obtain reference values for the isometric endurance test (IET) of the cervical flexor muscles, investigate its reproducibility, and compare the results with the maximal isometric strength test (MIST) of the cervical flexor muscles. Design Cross-sectional non-comparative study with single group repeated measurements. Methods Altogether 219 healthy females aged 20–59 years volunteered to participate in the study. The IET was performed in the supine position and MIST seated. The reproducibility was evaluated by the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and an analysis described by Bland and Altman. The relationship between the two measuring methods was evaluated by Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results The mean (SD) IET time was 60 (33) seconds with no significant differences between the age groups of each decade. The ICC for intrarater repeatability was 0.80. However, the Bland-Altman analysis suggested moderate variation in repeated measurements. Pearson's correlation coefficient between the IET and MIST was 0.56. Conclusion Normative reference values for the IET are presented. Although the ICC showed good repeatability, one should consider that the change at follow-up visits has to be considerable to be clinically relevant. The correlation between the endurance time and maximal flexion strength was moderate. Thus IET of the cervical flexor muscles may be used in the clinic like the Biering-Sorenson test has been used to assess fatigue of the trunk extensor muscles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background While a considerable amount of information on neck pain is available online, the quality and comprehensiveness of this information can vary greatly. Particularly, the representation of the biopsychosocial model - which recognizes neck pain as an interplay of biological, psychological, and social factors - in online information remains unclear. Given the prevalence and accessibility of online health information, it is important to understand its quality and how it may shape individuals' understanding and management of neck pain. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the quality of online Japanese information on the causes of neck pain from a biopsychosocial perspective. Methodology A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The search term "neck pain" was utilized on Google's search engine in June 2023, and the websites from the first two pages of the search results were included in the study. Ten advertisement websites were excluded, resulting in 19 websites being analyzed. Each website was evaluated based on the presence of the Health-on-the-Net (HON) code. Biomedical and psychosocial factors present in each website were identified using the biopsychosocial analysis tool. Websites were then categorized as biomedical, limited biopsychosocial, or biopsychosocial based on the number of psychosocial factors they mentioned. Results Among the 19 evaluated websites, only one possessed the HON certification, indicating a potential lack of credibility for the remaining sites. Of these websites, a large majority (63.2%) were classified as biomedical, while the remaining (36.8%) were classified as limited biopsychosocial. All the websites included some form of biomedical information on the causes of neck pain, while only seven websites mentioned psychological factors and one website mentioned social factors. The most common biomedical causes of neck pain discussed were cervical muscle strain and radicular pain due to cervical disc prolapse. On the other hand, the limited biopsychosocial websites highlighted perceived stress, depressed mood, and job-related mental stress as psychosocial factors contributing to neck pain. Conclusions This analysis revealed that freely accessible Japanese online information on the causes of neck pain, as found through Google, predominantly focuses on the biomedical causes, often neglecting or insufficiently addressing the psychosocial aspects. This finding underscores a gap between the available online resources and the comprehensive understanding promoted by the biopsychosocial model of health. Healthcare professionals need to be proactive in guiding their patients toward reliable, well-rounded resources that acknowledge the crucial role of psychosocial factors in neck pain. Furthermore, developers of online health information must aim to improve the depth and breadth of psychosocial factors discussed, promoting a more holistic understanding of neck pain for the Japanese public., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Kondo et al.)

Eagle syndrome is a rare condition that is characterized by, among other things, pain in the face and neck, with the majority of cases being unilateral and isolated to the lower jaw. It is not uncommon for the pain to radiate to the ear. Symptoms can be constant or intermittent and may increase with yawning or rotation of the head, causing Eagle syndrome to be frequently misdiagnosed. The objective of this report is to summarize the symptoms, diagnostic workup, necessary imaging, and management of Eagle syndrome., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Vernon et al.)

Background: Neck pain is a common problem within our society. Upper trapezius sternocleidomastoid and the levator scapulae are the most common postural muscles that tends to get shorten leading to restricted neck mobility. There is lack of evidence to allow conclusions to be drawn about the effectiveness of post isometric relaxation when compared with static stretching exercises. The aim is to find out the effectiveness of Post isometric relaxation Versus Static stretching in the subjects with chronic nonspecific neck pain. To evaluate the effectiveness of post isometric relaxation technique on pain by using Visual analoge scale, range of motion by using Universal Goniometry, and functional disability by using Neck Disability Index in chronic nonspecific neck pain. Methods: A convenient sample of thirty seven subjects was diagnosed with nonspecific neck pain was randomly allocated to one of the two treatment groups on the basis of the inclusion criteria. The experimental group (n=15) received three sessions of post isometric relaxation technique for trapezius, sternocleidomastoid and the levator scapulae and control group (n=15 received the three sessions of static stretching for trapezius, sternocliedomastiod and levator scapulae for four weeks. Results: Non parametric tests demonstrated a statistically significant difference with experimental group showing greater improvement in ROM, VAS, and NDI than the control group and significant difference within the group also. Conclusion: This study concluded and the results reflected that post isometric relaxation technique group had better improvement in reduction of pain, improvement in the range of motion, and increased neck functional activities than the static stretching group.

Introduction: Non-specific mechanical neck pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that is generally treated conservatively using electro/thermal therapeutic agents, exercise, soft tissue techniques, and manual therapy. In this review, we evaluated the effectiveness of Thoracic Manipulation (TM) compared to cervical manipulations, multi-level TM with singlelevel TM, and TM with other interventions such as electro/thermal therapy and exercise. Material and Methods: PubMed, Google scholar and PEDro database were searched from inception until May 2016 by the following keywords: "neck pain", "thoracic manipulation", "physical therapy treatment", "cervical manipulation", and different combinations. Quality of the included studies were evaluated using physiotherapy evidence database [PEDro] scale. Results: A total of 15 studies out of 47 based on PEDro score were included in this review. All studies measured pain intensity as a parameter indicating effectiveness of interventions, 9 studies measured disability as a key outcome and used either NDI or NPQ for its assessment. Conclusion: Thoracic manipulation is equally effective as cervical manipulation in reduction of pain and improving function. Thoracic manipulation is also more effective than electrotherapy or exercise therapy alone. When combined with multimodal neck program, thoracic manipulation for patients with neck pain significantly improves function and reduces pain intensity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on a medical study analyzing impact of home exercise programs (HEP) on patients with non-specific and specific neck pain. Topics discussed include involvement of degenerative pathology, diagnosis of neck to forecast radiculopathy and cervicogenic headache, and Active Range Of Motion (AROM).

An observational study design was used for the study. A case-control type of observational study design was used. To find out the performance of single arm military press test (SAMP test) among the patient group with non-specific neck pain and healthy group of young females. The study was carried out on 60 females (mean age 22.93±2.25) selected from the campus of the Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana. The subjects were first screened for the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then they were assigned into two groups: Group A-healthy females (n=30) and Group B female patients with nonspecific neck pain (n=30). The visual analog scale (VAS) score of maximum pain in last 24 h was noted before the inclusion of the patients in Group B. Patients with VAS more than 2 and <8 were included in Group B. The SAMP test was performed under supervision for both the groups. Data were analyzed using SPSS (21 version) and significance level was set at P<0.01. No statistically significant difference was found in performance of SAMP test between the dominant hand and non-dominant hand of the normal group (t=0.008, P<0.01). No statistically significant difference was found in performance of SAMP test between the dominant hand and non-dominant hand in Group B (t=0.0007, P<0.01). However, statistically significant difference was found in performance of SAMP test for the dominant hand (t=4.24, P<0.01) between Group A and Group B. Furthermore, statistically significant difference was found in performance of SAMP test for the non-dominant hand (t=1.2774, P<0.01) between Group A and Group B on within group analysis (intra-group analysis). Performance of SAMP test was found to be better in healthy females when compared to nonspecific neck pain patients both for dominant and non-dominant hand. Thus, it was concluded that the SAMP test can be used as a performance-based measure to assess the upper limb disability among females with non-specific neck pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: To investigate relevant change on the Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD) and Neck Disability Index (NDI) and which questionnaire is the most responsive in patients with non-specific chronic neck pain (CNP). Methods: Seventy-six patients with non-specific CNP in an outpatient tertiary rehabilitation setting were dichotomized into 'improved' and 'stable' based on global perceived effect (GPE) scores. To investigate relevant change minimal detectable change (MDC) and minimal important change (MIC) with the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) cut-off point were assessed. Comparison of responsiveness was performed using areas under the ROC curve (AUC) and correlations between change scores of NPAD and NDI, and GPE. Results: MDC and MIC on NPAD (scale 0-100) were 31.7 and 11.5 points, respectively. MDC and MIC on NDI (scale 0-50) were 8.4 and 3.5 points, respectively. Changes should exceed this MDC or MIC cut-off to be interpreted as relevant. AUC was 0.75 for both NPAD and NDI. Correlations between change scores of NPAD and NDI, and GPE were, respectively, 0.48 (95 % CI 0.29-0.64) and 0.49 (95 % CI 0.30-0.64). Conclusions: Relevant change on both NPAD and NDI assessed with MDC and MIC resulted in different cut-offs and consequently with different amounts of certainty that the patient is improved. Responsiveness of NPAD and NDI was similar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]