Effect of Body Mind Exercises and Specific Neck Exercises in Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain

Обзор

To investigate the effect of body mind exercise and specific neck exercises in chronic mechanical neck pain on neck pain severity, functional disability, neck flexion range of motion, isometric neck muscle strength and quality of life.

Подробное описание

Chronic mechanical neck pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders affecting middle-aged and older adults and is associated with pain, reduced cervical mobility, functional disability, and decreased quality of life. Exercise therapy is widely recommended as a first-line conservative treatment for chronic neck pain. Previous studies have shown that both specific neck exercises and general physical activity can reduce pain and improve functional outcomes.

Body-mind exercises, which combine physical movement with focused attention and breathing control, may provide additional benefits by improving both physical and psychological aspects of chronic pain. However, the comparative effectiveness of body-mind exercises and specific neck exercises when combined with conventional physical therapy remains unclear.

The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effect of body-mind exercises and specific neck exercises on pain intensity, functional disability, cervical range of motion, isometric neck muscle strength, and quality of life in individuals with chronic mechanical neck pain.

A total of 80 participants aged 50 to 65 years with chronic mechanical neck pain will be recruited and randomly allocated into four groups using a parallel-group design. Group A will receive conventional physical therapy alone. Group B will receive conventional physical therapy combined with body-mind exercises in the form of mindful aerobic treadmill walking. Group C will receive conventional physical therapy combined with specific cervical and scapular stabilization exercises. Group D will receive a combination of conventional physical therapy, body-mind exercises, and specific neck exercises.

All interventions will be performed over a treatment period of six weeks. Outcome measures will include pain intensity measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), functional disability assessed by the Neck Disability Index (NDI), cervical range of motion measured using a Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) device, isometric neck muscle strength measured using a handheld dynamometer, and quality of life assessed using the RAND-36 Health Survey. Measurements will be taken before the intervention and after completion of the six-week treatment period.

The results of this study will help determine the most effective exercise approach for improving clinical outcomes in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain and may provide evidence to guide physical therapy practice.

Вмешательства

• Поведенческое Conventional physical therapy group.
  conventional therapy which includes: heat therapy (infrared) for 10 minutes, massage therapy 10 min, stretching of neck (Scalene, SCM, UFT, Levator scapulae) and pectoral muscles 20 min.
• Поведенческое Body mind exercises group (mindful aerobic exercises)
  Group B will receive conventional physical therapy (infrared, massage, and neck stretching) in addition to Body mind exercises (mindful aerobic exercises). The aerobic exercise will be performed at an intensity of at least 60% of maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂ max) to effectively improve cardiorespiratory fitness. The program will include treadmill walking 30 minutes.
• Поведенческое specific neck exercise group
  Group C will receive conventional therapy in addition to specific neck exercises. Specific exercises will include: cervical and scapular stabilization exercises.
• Поведенческое Combined exercise group.
  Group D will receive conventional therapy in addition to mindful aerobic exercises, cervical and scapular stabilization exercises.

Первичные конечные точки

• Pain Intensity [Срок оценки: (pre-intervention) and after 6 weeks (post-intervention).]
• Quality of Life Measured by RAND-36 Health Survey [Срок оценки: (pre-intervention) and after 6 weeks (post-intervention).]
• Functional Disability [Срок оценки: (pre-intervention) and after 6 weeks (post-intervention).]
• Cervical ROM [Срок оценки: (pre-intervention) and after 6 weeks (post-intervention).]
• Isometric Neck Strength [Срок оценки: (pre-intervention) and after 6 weeks (post-intervention).]

Критерии участия

Критерии включения

• Adults aged between 50-65 years
• Diagnosis of chronic mechanical neck pain (pain duration ≥ 3 months)
• Pain intensity of at least 3/10 on the NPRS

Критерии исключения

• History of cervical surgery
• Specific neck conditions (fractures, neoplasm, infection)
• Pregnancy
• Severe cardiopulmonary disease or other systemic illness affecting participation

Критерии приведены из реестра в оригинале (на английском). Окончательную оценку соответствия проводит исследовательский центр.

Здоровые добровольцы: Нет

Дизайн исследования

Распределение

Рандомизированное

Модель

Параллельные группы

Маскирование

Простое слепое

Основная цель

Лечение

Центры проведения

Египет · 1 центр

• Faculity of Physical Therapy in Cairo University — Cairo

Публикации

• Kisner, C., & Colby, L. A. (2017). Therapeutic Exercise: Foundations and Techniques (7th ed.). F.A. Davis Company.
• IBRAHIM M. ELNAGGAR, Ph.D., H. S. E. M., & Sh. ABDELSALAM, Ph.D., M. (2022). Cervical Stabilization Exercises Versus Scapular Stabilization Exercises in Treatment of Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain. The Medical Journal of Cairo University, 90(9), 1729-1735. doi: 10.21608/mjcu.2022.272095
• Wewege MA, Jones MD. Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia in Healthy Individuals and People With Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Pain. 2021 Jan;22(1):21-31. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2020.04.003. Epub 2020 Jun 26. PMID 32599154
• Rosa MABMV, Bastos RM, Vieira Rosa DK, Scola LFC, Albertini R, Yi LC. General exercises are not superior to specific exercises for pain and functional disability in individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain. A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2024 Oct;40:1957-1966. doi: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2024.10.013. Epub 2024 Oct 18. PMID 39593550
• Vernon H, Mior S. The Neck Disability Index: a study of reliability and validity. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1991 Sep;14(7):409-15. PMID 1834753
• Valenza-Pena G, Martin-Nunez J, Heredia-Ciuro A, Navas-Otero A, Lopez-Lopez L, Valenza MC, Cabrera-Martos I. Effectiveness of Self-Care Education for Chronic Neck Pain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Healthcare (Basel). 2023 Dec 13;11(24):3161. doi: 10.3390/healthcare11243161. PMID 38132051
• Yu LJ, Yan X, Kim TH. Effects of combined jaw and cervicoscapular exercises on mouth opening and muscle properties in cervical extension type. Sci Rep. 2025 May 30;15(1):19049. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-03846-3. PMID 40447683
• Suh JH, Kim H, Jung GP, Ko JY, Ryu JS. The effect of lumbar stabilization and walking exercises on chronic low back pain: A randomized controlled trial. Medicine (Baltimore). 2019 Jun;98(26):e16173. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000016173. PMID 31261549

Идентификаторы

NCT: NCT07477145 · P.T.REC/012/006226.

Первоисточники (государственные реестры)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (NIH, США)

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