The Effectiveness of Exercises Protocol in Management of Neck Pain
Condition: Neck Pain
MeSH terms: Neck Pain
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study will verify whether the cranio-cervical flexion coordination (motor control) and
      muscle strength training protocol is more effective in improving muscle than the
      proprioception and muscle strength protocol in patients with chronic neck pain.

      Hypothesis: The craniocervical flexion (motor control) and muscle strength training protocol
      will improve muscle function more than the proprioception and muscle strength protocol in
      patients with chronic cervical pain.

      Objective: To find out if applying the strength therapeutic exercise protocol and the
      craniocervical flexion coordination (motor control) training is more effective than the
      strength and articular repositioning protocol when carrying out the craniocervical flexion
      test in patients with chronic cervical pain.
    

Detailed description: 
      Neck pain is delimited by two horizontal lines, one through the lower portion of the
      occipital region and one through the spinous process of the first thoracic vertebra. This
      pain is reproduced by neck movements or exploratory provocation tests. Scientific studies
      show that at least two out of three people will experience neck pain throughout life. Some of
      the causes are traumatism and whiplash although sometimes pain is idiopathic.

      This study will verify whether the cranio-cervical flexion coordination (motor control) and
      muscle strength training protocol is more effective in improving muscle than the
      proprioception and muscle strength protocol in patients with chronic neck pain.

      The project design will be a randomized controlled evaluator-blinded clinical trial with two
      intervention groups:

      Group 1 (experimental) will carry out motor control exercises through cranio-cervical flexion
      training and strength-endurance exercises.

      Group 2 (control) will carry out exercises to improve muscle strength-endurance and
      proprioception. Measurements will be done at the beginning of the study, pre and
      post-treatment, one month and two months after treatment and throughout the six month
      treatment. Each session will last 45 minutes and therapy will be performed without provoking
      the patient symptoms.

      Intervention

      Experimental group 1: will carry out intermuscular coordination exercises through
      cranio-cervical training, following Jull et al1, 2 and exercises to increase
      strength-endurance on the neck flexor muscles.

      Control group 2: will carry out proprioception exercises through articular repositioning
      training and exercises to increase strength-endurance on the neck flexor muscles. They will
      be performed in the same way as the experimental group protocol.
    

Intervention name(s): motor control exercises; muscle strength-endurance and proprioception
Intervention type(s): Other; Other
Intervention description(s): Will carry out intermuscular coordination exercises through cranio-cervical training, following Jull et al. and exercises to increase strength-endurance on the neck flexor muscles; Will carry out proprioception exercises through articular repositioning training and exercises to increase strength-endurance on the neck flexor muscles. They will be performed in the same way as the experimental group protocol.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary purpose: Treatment