Acute Effects of Action Observation on Neck Pain

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study aims to assess the immediate effects of action observation therapy on the cervical muscles' strength, pain intensity, tactile acuity and pain pressure threshold in individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain.

Detailed Description
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This study is a randomized controlled trial with two arms: action observation group vs control group. The action observation group will be asked to watch videos of neck exercises with full attention and concentration and not perform any motion or execute any movement during the observation time. The control group will be asked to watch videos of a landscape. Participants will be assessed at baseline and at post-intervention for muscle strength, pain intensity, pressure pain threshold and tactile acuity.

Official Title
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Acute Effects of Action Observation on Pain Intensity, Muscle Strength, Tactile Acuity and Pressure Pain Threshold.

Conditions
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Neck Pain

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: Action-observation therapy
* Other: Placebo


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Have nonspecific chronic neck pain, defined as a recurrent or persistent pain that lasts more than 3 months, with no trauma or etiology/diagnosis associated. Exclusion Criteria: Visual and hearing dysfunction not corrected by eyeglasses/contact lenses or a hearing aid; Infectious diseases; Cervical myelopathy; Cervical surgery; Cervical fracture or/and subluxation; Vestibular pathology; Neurological disorder/deficits; Rheumatic autoimmune diseases; History of cancer; Severe cervical trauma.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Months
Maximum Age: 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Action-observation arm<br>Participants will be asked to watch videos of neck exercises without performing any exercise. The intervention will take approximately 15 minutes. | Other: Action-observation therapy<br>* Action observation therapy involves the observation and perception of human movement performed by others. The observation of actions performed by others activates in the perceiver the same neural structures responsible for the actual execution of those same actions.<br>|
| Placebo Comparator: Placebo intervention<br>Participants will be asked to watch videos of landscapes. The intervention will take approximately 15 minutes. | Other: Placebo<br>* Participants will watch a natural landscape without any human.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pressure pain thresholds | Pressure pain thresholds are the minimum amount of pressure applied with an algometer that is perceived as being painful; is measured in Kgf | Baseline | 
| Pressure pain thresholds | Pressure pain thresholds are the minimum amount of pressure applied with an algometer that is perceived as being painful; is measured in Kgf | Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that). | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pain intensity | Measured with a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale | Baseline | 
| Pain intensity | Measured with a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale | Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that). | 
| Tactile acuity | Assessed as the ability of the participant to distinguish two points using a caliper and the measurement units is millimetres. | Baseline | 
| Tactile acuity | Assessed as the ability of the participant to distinguish two points using a caliper and the measurement units is millimetres. | Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that). | 
| Neck flexors strength | A dynamometer will be used against the forehead of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons. | Baseline | 
| Neck flexors strength | A dynamometer will be used against the forehead of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons. | Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that). | 
| Neck extensors strength | A dynamometer will be used against the posterior part of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons. | Baseline | 
| Neck extensors strength | A dynamometer will be used against the posterior part of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons. | Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that). | 
| Neck lateral flexors strength | A dynamometer will be used against the lateral aspect of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons. | Baseline | 
| Neck lateral flexors strength | A dynamometer will be used against the lateral aspect of the head of the participants to quantify the isometric strength and units of measurement will be Newtons. | Post-intervention (within the same session of the baseline assessment but approximately 30 minutes after that). |