Effect of Neck Stabilisation Exercise on Cranio-Vertebral Angle in Patients with Non- Specific Neck Pain
Authors:   Research scholar, Lecturer in Physiotherapy.Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Rajah Muthiah Medical College &Hospital,  Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu, India – 608002., Karthik V , Arulpragassame S ,   Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Rajah Muthiah Medical College &Hospital,  Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu, India – 608002, Parkavi K ,   Lecturer in Physiotherapy, Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Rajah Muthiah Medical College &Hospital,  Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu, India – 608002., Priyanka K ,   Physiotherapist, Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Rajah Muthiah Medical College &Hospital,  Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu, India – 608002., Jayalakshmi P ,   Physiotherapist, Department of Physical Medicine &Rehabilitation, Rajah Muthiah Medical College &Hospital,  Annamalai University, Annamalai Nagar, Chidambaram, Tamilnadu, India – 608002.
Published: March 2022

Background: Nonspecific neck pain refer to neck pain whose underlying cause cannot be traced and problem associated with the population spent more time on smart phones and computers tends to develop forward head posture . Objective: This experimental study was aimed to find out the effect of neck stabilisation exercise on cranio-vertebral angle in patients with non –specific neck pain. Methods: 30 patients with non –specific neck pain (NSNP) satisfying the selection criteria were randomly allotted into two groups. Group A (15) was given neck stabilization exercise (NSE) along with conventional physical therapy for three sessions per week for the period of 3 weeks and Group B(15) was given conventional physiotherapy alone. Outcome measures: Evaluation of pain intensity using Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), Cranio-Vertebral angle (CV) angle by Electronic Head Posture Instrument (EHPI) and Cervical range of motion using goniometer was done at two stagespre-treatment and at the end of 3rd week. The two periodical readings i.e. the pre and post intervention evaluation of outcome measures were taken for statistical analysis. Results: The mean age of study participants in both groups were same (A= 34.8± 5.2; B = 34.8± 5.7). Group A shows highly significant changes in all the outcome measures (p=0.001). Group B shows significant reduction in NPRS score (t =6.48; p =0.001) and improvement in cervical rotations (t =4.79, 3.50; p=0.001, 0.004) cervical extension (t= 6.08; p= 0.001), and CV angle (t=10; p=0.001) whereas the cervical flexion remains the same. On comparing the post outcome measures of group A with B, NPRS scores, cervical flexion & extension and CV angle shows significant difference (p<0.05), there exists no significant difference in the movement of cervical extension & lateral rotation (p=0.6; 0.4 respectively) Conclusion: The study findings concluded that, three weeks of Neck Stabilisation exercises proves good in reducing pain, improves cervical ROM and helps in normalizing the decreased CV angle.