Effects of Exercise Therapy Using Elastic Bands on Strength and Pain in Women with Non-specific Neck Pain: A Randomised Controlled Trial

Overview

Journal Heliyon

Specialty Social Sciences

Date 2023 Dec 7

PMID 38058646

Authors

Pablo Hernandez-Lucas

Raquel Leiros-Rodriguez

Juan Lopez-Barreiro

Jose L Garcia-Soidan

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Cervical pain has a high incidence and worldwide socio-economic effect. Its incidence is lower in men than in women. Conservative and non-pharmacological therapeutic options include strength training. Elastic bands are commonly used in physiotherapy clinics for strength work in patients. Consequently, the objective of this research was to analyse the efficacy of an exercise therapy programme using elastic bands on decreasing pain and increasing strength of the neck flexor musculature, cervical extensor, and scapular stabilizing musculature in women suffering from non-specific cervical pain.

Methods: A randomised clinical trial was carried out with 35 subjects with non-specific neck pain (age = 51.7 ± 9.5 and baseline intensity of pain in Visual Analogue Scale = 52.4 ± 9.6). The experimental group (n = 18) performed the exercise programme with elastic bands, consisting of a total of 16 sessions that lasted 45 min. The control group, consisting of 27 participants, reported that they maintained their usual lifestyle throughout the study. The evaluation tools used in this research included the Visual Analogue Scale, Neck Flexor Endurance Test, Neck Extensor Muscle Endurance Test, and Scapular Muscle Endurance Test.

Results: The experimental group obtained significant improvements in the measurements taken using the Visual Analogue Scale (p < 0.001, = 4.2), the Neck Flexor Endurance Test (p < 0.001, = 3.4), the Neck Extensor Endurance Test (p < 0.001, = 6.3), in the Scapular Muscle Endurance Test (p = 0.016, = 0.9).

Conclusions: The assessed exercise therapy program utilizing elastic bands demonstrated favorable outcomes in managing non-specific neck discomfort. This intervention resulted in pain reduction and enhanced endurance of the cervical flexor and extensor muscles, along with improved endurance of the scapular stabilizing muscles.Protocol registration in ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05433649 (registered prospectively, date of registration: June 27, 2022).

Citing Articles

The comparison of Pilates with cognitive functional therapy in adults with chronic neck pain: a protocol for randomized controlled trial.

Lazoura E, Savva C, Ploutarchou G, Karagiannis C, Papacharalambous C, Christofi I Ann Med. 2024; 56(1):2423792.

PMID: 39503995 PMC: 11544729. DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2024.2423792.

Multimodal therapeutic intervention program associated with photobiomodulation therapy for individuals with chronic nonspecific neck pain: protocol for a clinical trial.

Barbosa da Silva A, Santana G, Santos I, Dos Santos P, de Oliveira A, Filho A Trials. 2024; 25(1):442.

PMID: 38961460 PMC: 11221013. DOI: 10.1186/s13063-024-08289-1.

References

Faul F, Erdfelder E, Buchner A, Lang A . Statistical power analyses using G*Power 3.1: tests for correlation and regression analyses. Behav Res Methods. 2009; 41(4):1149-60. DOI: 10.3758/BRM.41.4.1149. View

Iversen V, Mork P, Vasseljen O, Bergquist R, Fimland M . Multiple-joint exercises using elastic resistance bands vs. conventional resistance-training equipment: A cross-over study. Eur J Sport Sci. 2017; 17(8):973-982. DOI: 10.1080/17461391.2017.1337229. View

Rezasoltani A, Ali-Reza A, Khosro K, Abbass R . Preliminary study of neck muscle size and strength measurements in females with chronic non-specific neck pain and healthy control subjects. Man Ther. 2010; 15(4):400-3. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2010.02.010. View

Edmondston S, Bjornsdottir G, Palsson T, Solgard H, Ussing K, Allison G . Endurance and fatigue characteristics of the neck flexor and extensor muscles during isometric tests in patients with postural neck pain. Man Ther. 2011; 16(4):332-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2010.12.005. View

Falla D . Unravelling the complexity of muscle impairment in chronic neck pain. Man Ther. 2004; 9(3):125-33. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2004.05.003. View

Jahre H, Grotle M, Smedbraten K, Dunn K, Oiestad B . Risk factors for non-specific neck pain in young adults. A systematic review. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2020; 21(1):366. PMC: 7285427. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-020-03379-y. View

Kazeminasab S, Nejadghaderi S, Amiri P, Pourfathi H, Araj-Khodaei M, Sullman M . Neck pain: global epidemiology, trends and risk factors. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2022; 23(1):26. PMC: 8725362. DOI: 10.1186/s12891-021-04957-4. View

Ylinen J, Salo P, Nykanen M, Kautiainen H, Hakkinen A . Decreased isometric neck strength in women with chronic neck pain and the repeatability of neck strength measurements. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2004; 85(8):1303-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.09.018. View

Ljungquist T, Harms-Ringdahl K, Nygren A, Jensen I . Intra- and inter-rater reliability of an 11-test package for assessing dysfunction due to back or neck pain. Physiother Res Int. 1999; 4(3):214-32. DOI: 10.1002/pri.167. View

10.

Yip C, Chiu T, Poon A . The relationship between head posture and severity and disability of patients with neck pain. Man Ther. 2007; 13(2):148-54. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2006.11.002. View

11.

Karaagac A, Aydogan Arslan S, Keskin E . Assessment of pain, scapulothoracic muscle strength, endurance and scapular dyskinesis in individuals with and without nonspecific chronic neck pain: A cross-sectional study. J Bodyw Mov Ther. 2023; 35:261-267. DOI: 10.1016/j.jbmt.2023.04.008. View

12.

Sarig-Bahat H . Evidence for exercise therapy in mechanical neck disorders. Man Ther. 2003; 8(1):10-20. DOI: 10.1054/math.2002.0480. View

13.

Chiu T, Lam T, Hedley A . Maximal isometric muscle strength of the cervical spine in healthy volunteers. Clin Rehabil. 2002; 16(7):772-9. DOI: 10.1191/0269215502cr552oa. View

14.

Lindstrom R, Schomacher J, Farina D, Rechter L, Falla D . Association between neck muscle coactivation, pain, and strength in women with neck pain. Man Ther. 2010; 16(1):80-6. DOI: 10.1016/j.math.2010.07.006. View

15.

Ylinen J, Takala E, Nykanen M, Kautiainen H, Hakkinen A, Airaksinen O . Effects of twelve-month strength training subsequent to twelve-month stretching exercise in treatment of chronic neck pain. J Strength Cond Res. 2006; 20(2):304-8. DOI: 10.1519/R-17284.1. View

16.

Wilhelm M, Donaldson M, Griswold D, Learman K, Garcia A, Learman S . The Effects of Exercise Dosage on Neck-Related Pain and Disability: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2020; 50(11):607-621. DOI: 10.2519/jospt.2020.9155. View

17.

Sihawong R, Janwantanakul P, Sitthipornvorakul E, Pensri P . Exercise therapy for office workers with nonspecific neck pain: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2011; 34(1):62-71. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2010.11.005. View

18.

Cakmak Baser O, Ay S, Evcik D . Cost-effectiveness analysis of chronic mechanical back pain treatment modalities. Turk J Phys Med Rehabil. 2020; 66(4):413-422. PMC: 7756827. DOI: 10.5606/tftrd.2020.4174. View

19.

Modarresi S, Lukacs M, Ghodrati M, Salim S, MacDermid J, Walton D . A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Psychometric Properties of the Numeric Pain Rating Scale and the Visual Analog Scale for Use in People With Neck Pain. Clin J Pain. 2021; 38(2):132-148. DOI: 10.1097/AJP.0000000000000999. View

20.

Harris K, Heer D, Roy T, Santos D, Whitman J, Wainner R . Reliability of a measurement of neck flexor muscle endurance. Phys Ther. 2005; 85(12):1349-55. View