Postural Garment Versus Exercises for Women With Cervical Pain

A Comparative Study of Postural Garment Versus Exercises for Women With Non-specific Cervical Pain: a Randomised Crossover Trial.

This study aim to compare a new postural garment (Posture Plus Force ®) versus exercises in women with non specific cervical pain. The investigators focus on nurses and allied health professionals due to the importance of posture in work related musculoskeletal disorders.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a postural garment versus exercises in nurses with non-specific cervical pain.

DESIGN: Randomized cross over clinical trial with a 3 months sequence treatment and a 3 months washout period..

PARTICIPANTS: Nurses and allied health professionals with cervical pain aged 21 to 55 years.

INTERVENTIONS:

Participants are allocated at random to receive interventions in two groups:

• P+ : a postural garment (Posture Plus Force - FGP srl ® - Italy) to be worn from 2 to 4 hours per day, during 90 days.
• Ex: five physiotherapy sessions to learn stretching and strengthening exercises (20 minutes) with instructions to continue at home on a daily basis for 90 days.

The subjects in each group will be cross over after three months of wash out period.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The primary outcomes are postural control and pain intensity. Pictures on sagittal and frontal plane as well as measurements of static posturography with a scan (SpinalMouse ®) are conducted at T0 (pre-intervention), T1 immediately after garment fitting for P+ group and after the 5th session for Ex group, T30, T60 and T90 at day 30, day 60 and day 90 of follow-up. Pain is measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) on the same assessment days.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS:

Statistical analysis is conducted following intention-to-treat principles, and the treatment effects calculated using linear mixed models.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Nurses and health allied professionals females with cervical pain
• Voluntarily signed informed consent
• Able to wear the garment and to do exercises and follow up assessments

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy
• Malignancy or other severe disease
• Cervical pain with significant extremity symptoms and/or neurological dysfunction (cervical radiculopathy and cervical spondylotic myelopathy)
• Unable to perform exercises
• Unwilling to do follow up assessments
• Psychiatric disorders