Home Exercises Protocol for Neck Pain

Home Exercises for Neck Pain: a Delphi Survey

Delphi study about home exercise protocol development for neck pain.

Introduction: Neck pain is rising globally as a musculoskeletal disorder, as a result of several factors. Currently, there are several types of treatments for cervicalgia, applied according to the therapist's choice and patient's conditions and preferences, however, there are no reports of an effective self-performing treatment aiming to stabilizing the cervical, giving musculoskeletal balance, and focus on reducing pain.

It is important the promotion of a self-performing treatment, resulting in a high cost benefit because patient does not have to move to perform the treatment outside his or her home, does not need financial resources and demands little time to perform it. In addition to decreasing the frequency and intensity of hospitalizations and government costs incurred in this musculoskeletal disorder. Therefore, the study aims to construct, validate and adapt a self-performing exercise protocol in reducing cervical pain.

Methods: The first phase was the development of the first version of the protocol, through literature search; in the second phase, the content was validated, through evaluation by a committee of nine physiotherapists judges using the Delphi technique; and the last phase of the protocol, the cultural adequacy, is being performed through evaluation by fifteen participants of the target population to assemble the final version of the protocol.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Judges: physical therapists with at least 2 years of experience in cervical area.
• Target population: chronic neck pain.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Vestibular system problems, balance impairment, nervous system-related disorders, inability to perform exercises, history of cervical trauma or surgery in the region, history of cervical radiculopathy, history of cervical spine injury, temporomandibular dysfunction.