Effectiveness of Fustra-Exercise Program in Neck and Low Back Pain
Condition: Neck Pain; Low Back Pain, Recurrent
MeSH terms: Back Pain; Low Back Pain; Neck Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of Fustra® exercise program in
      relieving recurrent pain in the neck or/and back, and thus improve quality of life in female
      and male office workers. The hypothesis is that neuromuscular exercise will improve control
      of posture and movement, neck shoulder and trunk flexibility, trunk muscular endurance and
      leg strength, and thus decrease intensity of pain by 30% compared to non-exercise group. In
      addition, financial feasibility of the exercise program and effects of training on quality of
      life and perceived work ability are studied.
    

Detailed description: 
      Neck and low back pain (LBP) are the two major reasons for visiting a physician and they
      cause significant sickness absence from work. Neuromuscular exercise of at least moderate
      intensity is the only mode of therapeutic exercise, which has been shown to be effective in
      relieving pain and disability in recurrent or chronic neck and LBP.

      This study examines the effects of a standardized exercise program Fustra20 Neck & Back
      applied individually by educated exercise leaders in about 30 private sports clubs located in
      different parts of Finland. The target is to have 5-6 participants in each club. Recruitment
      began with advertisements in two national level newspapers. Interested individuals were asked
      to contact UKK Institute (UKKI) by phone or e-mail. In addition, the website of UKKI and the
      sports clubs are used to reach people more locally. Structured telephone interview is
      conducted to screen the eligible participants. Two researchers select the participants
      according to eligibility criteria.

      Accepted participants are invited to the study by personal e-mail including the detailed
      announcement of the study and approval papers to be signed in. The tester of each sport club,
      responsible for conducting the fitness measurements (baseline, 3 months, 12 months) will
      receive text message from UKKI including names and phone numbers of accepted study
      participants. After that UKKI sends similar type of text message to each Fustra exercise
      leaders including only those participants that were randomly allocated to exercise group.

      The exercise group will participate in individually guided, graded exercise twice a week for
      20 times. Each session lasts one hour. Fustra exercise leaders have a personal diary for each
      participant, where they make notes on compliance and contents of each exercise session. After
      20 sessions participants are encouraged to continue exercising at home with a help of an
      individual home exercise plan including diary of compliance.

      Participants allocated to control group are asked to continue their usual physical activity
      and exercise habits. After the final measurements at 12-month they have a possibility to
      participate to Fustra20 Neck & Back exercise for five times.
    

Intervention name(s): Neuromuscular exercise
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Fustra20 Neck & Back is individually guided, graded neuromuscular exercise program which is conducted twice a week for 20 times. Each session lasts one hour. After 20 sessions participants are encouraged to continue exercising at home with a help of an individual home exercise plan including diary of compliance.
The main targets are to
improve movement control in different posture and movements of the neck and back
improve flexibility with active functional movements
improve pelvic, spine and shoulder-neck stability using co-contraction of several muscle groups, and thus enhancing gross movement of the whole kinetic chain
improve muscular endurance of shoulder neck area, trunk, pelvis and lower extremities
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: sedentary work; musculoskeletal pain; neuromuscular exercise; physical fitness; quality of life; work ability