Body Awareness and Mental Fatigue in Neck Pain

The primary aim of the study was to examine the difference between mental fatigue, in-body, out-of-body and mindfulness parameters in people with chronic neck pain compared to a healthy control group, and to analyze the relationships between mental fatigue and neck disability level and awareness levels, and between awareness levels and neck disability level and quality of life.

The secondary aim was to examine the relationships between pain intensity, frequency, duration, pain self-efficacy, physical condition, anxiety and depression, mental fatigue and awareness levels in people with chronic neck pain.

Neck pain is a prevalent musculoskeletal issue that can cause significant disability. Individuals with neck pain may experience changes in muscle structure and behavior, as well as sensory-perceptual-motor issues such as decreased proprioception and related neuromuscular changes. Additionally, neck pain can lead to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.Although some awareness parameters have been evaluated in studies on neck pain in the literature and it has been shown that chronic pain is associated with impaired body awareness and that this impairment contributes to and/or maintains chronic pain, no study has been found to examine all awareness parameters in detail. Another cause that compromises the accuracy of information contributing to body awareness is mental fatigue. Mental fatigue can negatively affect a person's level of perception. In one study, it was stated that mental fatigue was a determinant of neck disability, but studies on this subject were found to be very insufficient. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the sub-parameters of awareness and mental fatigue in people with chronic neck pain, to compare them with healthy people and to examine the relationship between the parameters evaluated.

Eligibility Criteria:
Study Group Inclusion Criteria:

* Having chronic neck pain for at least 3 months.
* Being between 18 and 65 years of age.
* Scoring 5 and above on the Neck Disability Questionnaire.
* Scoring 24 and above on the Mini Mental State Examination.
* To be able to read and write.
* Being volunteer to participate in the study.

Study Group Exclusion Criteria:

* Participation in any physical therapy program in the last 3 months.
* Having the following problems:
* Radiculopathy, myleopathy (motor and sensory loss) and other neurological diseases.
* Inflammatory diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, etc.).
* History of malignancy.
* Congenital spinal cord anomaly and congenital spinal deformities.
* Spinal pathologies, traumatic medulla spinalis injury and other medulla spinalis pathologies.
* Vestibular disorders.
* Diagnosed psychiatric illnesses such as bipolar disorder, psychotic illnesses and panic attacks.
* Vision problems that do not fully recover despite vision aids (glasses, etc.).
* Pregnancy status

Control Group Inclusion Criteria:

* Age between 18 and 65 years.
* Scoring 24 and above on the Mini Mental State Examination.
* To be able to read and write.
* Volunteering to participate in the study.

Control Group Exclusion Criteria:

* Having chronic pain in the spine, especially in the neck.
* Exclusion criteria for the study group