Active Intervention for Patients With Neck Pain

Effects of an Active Program in Patients With Chronic Neck Pain: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Neck pain is a complex biopsychosocial disorder often precipitated or aggravated by neck movements or sustained neck postures. More than 80 % of individuals experience neck pain and neck associated disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 4-week active exercising program in patients with chronic neck pain.

While neck pain can be severely disabling and costly, treatment options have shown moderate evidence of effectiveness. The optimal physiotherapy intervention is currently unclear. Consequently, more research in this area combining different techniques in patients with a specific clinical profile is needed. It has been previously shown that participants prefer self-care measures for the management of neck pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a 4-week active exercising program in patients with chronic neck pain.

Inclusion Criteria:

• To suffer from chronic neck pain (at least 3 months' duration)
• Neck pain of at least 3 on a visual analogue scale.
• Participants' symptoms should be at least partly related to increased nerve mechanosensitivity in the neck and upper limb confirmed by the reproduction of participants' symptoms by median nerve upper-limb neurodynamic test.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Whiplash related neck pain.
• Previous cervical surgical intervention.
• Cognitive impairments which prevent them to follow instructions.
• Visual or acoustic limitations.