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Is Cervical Stabilization Exercise Immediately Effective in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain and Upper Cervical Spine
Jacobo Rodríguez-Sanz1,2, Miguel Malo-Urriés3, María Orosia Lucha-López3,4
1Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, 08195 Barcelona, Spain.
Life (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 28, 2022
Summary
Manual therapy combined with exercise improved upper cervical spine function and reduced pain in chronic neck pain patients more than exercise alone. Restoring mobility may be key before stabilization exercises.
Area of Science:
- Orthopedics
- Physical Therapy
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Chronic neck pain is often associated with upper cervical spine dysfunction and mobility deficits.
- Current treatments focus on exercise, but the role of manual therapy in conjunction with exercise for upper cervical spine issues is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the effectiveness of manual therapy plus exercise versus exercise alone for chronic neck pain with upper cervical spine mobility deficits.
- To evaluate the impact on cervical range of motion, upper cervical mobility, and pain intensity.
Main Methods:
- A single-blind randomized controlled trial involving 58 patients with chronic neck pain and upper cervical spine dysfunction.
- Interventions included a single exercise session (deep muscle focus) or a combination of manual therapy (manipulations, mobilizations) and exercise.
- Outcomes measured: cervical range of motion, flexion-rotation test, pressure pain threshold, and pain intensity.
Main Results:
- The exercise-only group showed significant decreases in range of motion, flexion-rotation test, and pressure pain threshold.
- The manual therapy and exercise group demonstrated significant improvements in upper cervical flexion, the flexion-rotation test, and pain intensity.
- Statistical significance was noted at p < 0.05 for all reported significant findings.
Conclusions:
- Combining manual therapy with exercise appears more effective than exercise alone for improving upper cervical spine function and reducing pain in this patient group.
- Normalizing upper cervical spine mobility prior to initiating cervical stabilization training may be a crucial step for patients with chronic neck pain and related deficits.
