Effects of Home-Based Exercise Manual on Pain and Disability in Patients of Postural Neck Pain

The main aim of this study is to determine the effects of routine physical therapy with and without home-based exercise manual on pain and disability in patients of postural neck pain. To exceptional time, the effects and outcomes of home-based exercise manual for the patients with postural neck pain have not yet been explored. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic and social isolation, most of the individuals with office based occupations are performing their duties from their homes, which has some negative impact on their neck biomechanics and leads to the postural neck pain, this study will not only enlighten the beneficial effects of home-based exercise manual for the patients of postural neck pain, to reduce the risk of disability and improve their quality of life, but it will also be cost effective for them.

After back pain, most commonly found musculoskeletal ailment is the neck pain. Due to the poor neck posture, postural neck pain appears. It is estimated that, about 60% of the neck pain patients' have the forward head posture. Many people visit hospitals or other medical centers at least once in their life due to this problem.

Those individuals with chronic neck pain who work in offices, industries or perform other computer-based tasks, that require sitting for longer period of time have altered postural behaviors. Persistent neck pain has the negative impact as it has the potential to change the biomechanics of cervical spine specifically in individuals who spend most of their time in sitting position in front of computer screens. Continuous postural neck pain may lead to the forward head posture that rises load on the posterior structures of the cervical spine such as ligaments, muscles, bones and joint capsules and brings changes in scapular kinetics and kinematics.

According to the previous researches, forward head posture causes tightening of the shoulder and anterior neck muscles, shortening of the posterior neck extensors, and affects the kinematics and position of the scapula. Proper posture of the body is believed to be the state in which there is a musculoskeletal balance and minimal amount of strain and stress on the body. However most of the people are not able to maintain that equilibrium in the musculoskeletal structures of the body.

An ideal posture is considered only when the external auditory meatus is lined up with the vertical postural line. As seen in in the lateral view, the vertical line passes through external auditory meatus, the shoulder joint, slightly behind the hip joint, through the center of the knee joint and slightly in front of the ankle joint. Postural neck pain is believed to be associated with the forward head posture and is one of the common types of poor head posture seen in patients with neck disorders.

Neck pain is the most commonly occurring clinical condition, and its associated social and economic costs related to disability and days off work are just about equal to the lumbar pain. Individuals with the postural neck pain have been reported with the change in muscular control such as increased activity of the superficial muscles of the cervical spine and upper trapezius. Although the exact association between posture and neck pain is unresolved. Cervical neck posture is believed to have impact on dorsal neck muscle activity during lifting or even at rest. Moreover, postural neck pain may lead to the forward head posture linked with the thoracic kyphosis which has indirect impact on the rotational range of motion and cervical flexion. Occupations with sustained computer use and prolong computer usage may lead to the functional kyphosis, that seems to affect posture of the neck and scapular positioning and activity of the upper trapezius. Modifications in the workplace environment and postural correction have been shown in reducing postural neck pain.

The main aim of the study is to compare the effects of routine physical therapy with and without home-based exercise manual on pain and disability in patients of postural neck pain.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

* All patients with postural neck pain aged 18-60 years shall be included.
* Patients experiencing postural neck pain at least once a week.
* A symptom duration of greater than 3 months.
* Postural neck pain that is aggravated by the sustained postural loading, and relieved by postural modification.
* Patients who are able to read and write.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Neck pain due to specific causes i.e. disc protrusion, radicular syndrome
* Any accidental injury of spine
* Inflammatory rheumatic disease
* Congenital deformity of the spine
* Spinal canal stenosis
* Neoplasm
* Females who are pregnant
* Patients who had spinal surgery within the previous 12 months or any other invasive treatment of the spine within the previous 4 weeks.