Clinical trial NCT03537300: Efficacy of Deep Cervical Flexor Muscles Training on Neck Pain, Functional Disability and Muscle Endurance in School Teachers
Official title: Efficacy of Deep Cervical Flexor Muscles Training on Neck Pain, Functional Disability and Muscle Endurance in School Teachers
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Neck Pain
Lead sponsor: King Saud University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2018-05-25
Enrollment: 65
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 25
Maximum age (years): 45
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: Neck pain (NP) is a common work related disorder. Teaching is one profession in which its prevalence is high. The Daily job of a school teacher involves head down posture while reading, writing, etc., exposing them to risk of developing NP. Deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles have been shown to have lower endurance in patients with cervical impairment which has been associated with disability. There is limited evidence that reports efficacy of DCF muscles training in occupational NP. This study was done to see the effect of DCF muscles training using pressure biofeedback on pain, muscle endurance and functional disability in school teachers with NP.

Detailed description: Neck pain (NP) is a common work related disorder. Teaching is one profession in which its prevalence is high. The Daily job of a school teacher involves head down posture while reading, writing, etc., exposing them to risk of developing NP. Deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles have been shown to have lower endurance in patients with cervical impairment which has been associated with disability. There is limited evidence that reports efficacy of DCF muscles training in occupational NP. This study was done to see the effect of DCF muscles training using pressure biofeedback on pain, muscle endurance and functional disability in school teachers with NP. 65 teachers, aged between 25 to 45 years with experience of more than 5 years were agreed to participate in this study. Subjects were randomly divided into two groups, experimental (EG) and control group (CG). In EG, subjects received DCF muscles training using pressure biofeedback in addition to conventional exercises for neck pain while in CG subjects received only conventional exercises. Pain, muscle endurance and disability measured at day 0 (before treatment), day 14 and day 42 after treatment. Endurance of DCF muscles was measured by CCF test using pressure biofeedback instrument, Pain intensity was measured using NPRS and Functional disability was assessed using NDI questionnaire.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* experience of more than 5 years
* neck pain score of more than 5 on numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), mild to moderate disability score on neck disability index (NDI) and poor cranio-cervical flexion (CCF) test

Exclusion Criteria:

* any neurological sign or symptom, history of spinal surgery or if they were taking any treatment for their pain.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change in Pain at day 42, day 14 after intervention from baseline
timeFrame: at day 0 (before treatment), day 14 and day 42 after treatment
measure: Change in muscle endurance at day 42, day 14 after intervention from baseline
timeFrame: at day 0 (before treatment), day 14 and day 42 after treatment
Secondary outcomes:
measure: disability
timeFrame: at day 0 (before treatment), day 14 and day 42 after treatment
Other outcomes:
Locations:
Study officials:
References:
citation: Iqbal ZA, Alghadir AH, Anwer S. Efficacy of Deep Cervical Flexor Muscle Training on Neck Pain, Functional Disability, and Muscle Endurance in School Teachers: A Clinical Trial. Biomed Res Int. 2021 Jan 13;2021:7190808. doi: 10.1155/2021/7190808. eCollection 2021.