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Chronic neck pain is a significant cause of disability worldwide, and there is a need for further research in identifying better ways of managing this condition.
The study provides
no insight in favour of replacing general physical exercise with progressive
resistance training in multidisciplinary rehabilitation of chronic neck pain.
Chronic neck pain is a significant cause of disability
worldwide, and there is a need for further research in identifying better ways
of managing this condition. Several studies have indicated the beneficial
effects of progressive resistance training (PRT) of the neck and shoulder
muscles for the management of chronic neck and shoulder pain. A recent Cochrane
review stated that PRT appears to be beneficial in the management of chronic
neck pain, but the evidence was insufficient to make clear recommendations.
Current guidelines provide vague recommendations regarding the type of exercise
to be preferred. It has been suggested that PRT targeting whole body muscle
strength could be more beneficial than specific back exercises in low back pain
due to overall improved physical functioning. It can be the case of persons
with chronic neck pain, as this condition can lead to pain in other body regions
and patients with chronic pain are often deconditioned.
Multidisciplinary rehabilitation (MDR) is often used to
address physical and psychosocial aspects of chronic neck patients. It usually
includes general physical exercise (GPE), group discussions, patient education
and individual meetings with therapists. In Norway, the exercise therapy of MDR
focusses on introduction to activities and exercises that fit patient
interests. However, high-intensity strength training such as PRT is not
included. The promising results of high-intensity strength training make it
possible to improve the effects of MDR by replacing GPE with PRT. While conventional resistance training
equipment is relatively spacious and expensive, elastic resistance bands can be
used as a viable alternative while performing PRT in small clinics or at home.
Rationale behind research:
Previous studies have evaluated the beneficial effects of
progressive resistance training (PRT) in the management of chronic neck pain,
but there are insufficient recommendations for the use of PRT. The resent randomised controlled trial
has elucidated the role of progressive resistance training as compared to
general physical exercises in the treatment of chronic neck pain.
Objective:
The present study was intended to investigate the
effectiveness of progressive resistance training using elastic resistance bands
in improving neck-related disability more than a general physical exercise in
multidisciplinary rehabilitation of chronic neck pain.
Study outcomes:
Time Points: 3-12 weeks
Outcomes:
Baseline: There were no
significant differences observed at baseline
Study outcomes:
The current
randomised trial provides no evidence in favour of replacing GPE with PRT using
elastic resistance bands in MDR in the improvement of neck pain-related
disability. There is a need for future trials with a higher number of
participants that can investigate whether progressive resistance training was
effective in reducing pain more than the general physical exercises.
The present randomised study advises the clinicians to
recommend the use of either of these exercise types in the management of moderate
to severe type non-specific neck pain based on the patient`s interests and
motivation.
J Rehabil Med 2018; 50: 743–750
Resistance training vs general physical exercise in multidisciplinary rehabilitation of chronic neck pain: A randomized controlled trial
Vegard Moe Iversen et al.
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