Effects Of Neck Resistance Training On Patients With Chronic Neck Pain

Chronic neck pain (CNP) is an increasingly common musculoskeletal disease and an important issue in the global healthcare system. Sedentary lifestyles and long-term poor posture have led to an increased prevalence of CNP and a trend towards to younger population. Resistance training may improve neck muscle strength and local blood circulation, which may a choice of treatment for CNP. PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of neck resistance training on patients with CNP. METHODS: Twenty-four participants with CNP were randomized into an experimental group (EG: n = 12, 24 ± 1.8 yrs, 172.6 ± 8.3 cm, 68.6 ± 10.8 kg) and a control group (CG: n = 12, 23.8 ± 2.0 yrs, 174.8 ± 7.0 cm, 67.2 ± 13.5 kg). The EG underwent neck resistance training for continuous 6 weeks. The training program was based on the 4 basic patterns of neck movement: flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation. Each training session began with low-load cranio-cervical flexion to activate the deep neck muscles, and was progressed by adding hand resistance and different colored elastic bands. The CG had no intervention. Both groups were assessed at baseline and after the training. Neck pain was assessed by a visual analog scale (VAS). Maximum isometric muscle strength was measured by a hand-held dynamometer. Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was utilized to determine the significance in the aforementioned variables. RESULTS: Significant interactions between time and group were noted for VAS (F = 46.108, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.667); maximum isometric muscle strength of neck flexion (F = 22.350, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.504), extension (F = 18.876, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.462), left lateral flexion (F = 16.388, p = 0.001, η2p = 0.427), right lateral flexion (F = 29.862, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.576), left oblique upper rotation (F = 30.309, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.579), right oblique upper rotation (F = 41.492, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.653), left oblique lower rotation (F = 16.610, p = 0.001, η2p = 0.430), and right oblique lower rotation (F = 21.445, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.494). CONCLUSIONS: This study found that resistance training of the neck significantly reduced pain levels and improved neck muscle strength in patients with CNP.