Violin performers received three 40-45 minute exercise sessions each week for eight weeks. The selected exercise program designed to correct postural alignment.

Ney performers received three 40-45 minute exercise sessions each week for eight weeks. The selected exercise program designed to correct postural alignment.

The violin and ney groups performed a structured exercise training program 3 times a week for a total of 8 weeks. Adherence to the exercise training program was checked using a follow-up schedule to ensure regular participation of the musicians. The 8-week exercise training program was given with same physiotherapist under the same conditions. The every exercise session consisted of warm-up (3-5 min), main exercise (30-35 min) and cooling periods (3-5 min). The main exercise period was included ROM (10 min), stretching (5-7 min), isometric (5-10 min) and stabilization exercises (5 min).

Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to measure the severity of pain. In this scale, "0" indicates no pain, "10" indicates the highest value for perceived pain. Participants were asked to illustrate the intensity of the pain they felt on a material with a horizontal line of 10 cm and was recorded as VAS score.

The Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ) was used to specify functional status. NPQ was developed to designate the level of disability in neck pain; It is a 9-item scale including neck pain severity, neck pain and sleep, numbness and tingling in the arms at night, duration of symptoms and complaints, weight-bearing, reading and watching television, work and housework, social activities, and driving. It evaluates the severity, symptoms, duration of neck pain and disability in the activities specified in each item. Each of them consists of 5 items and is scored between 0-4 points. Neck pain total score consists of 36 points. If the patients are not driving, the total score is calculated over 32 points.

Quality of life was evaluated with the SF-36 scale. The scale consists of 8 sub-parameters with a total of 36 items. These sub-parameters are listed as; physical function, physical role limitation, pain, general health, energy (vitality), social function, emotional role limitation and mental health.

Muscle strength was measured with a digital muscle dynamometer (Jtech Commander Muscle Testing). Anterior and middle part of deltoid, serratus anterior, upper and middle part of trapezius, cervical flexor and extensor muscles were measured.