Effects of Neck Stabilization Exercise on Pain, Disability, Craniovertebral Angle and Psychological Status in Patient with Non-Specific Chronic Neck Pain

• Published in: Journal Riphah College of Rehabilitation Sciences Vol. 6; no. 1; pp. 10 - 15
• Main Authors: Ashiyat Kehinde Akodu, Fatima Abiodun Odunsi, Suleiman Olayiwola Giwa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Rehabilitation & Allied health sciences, Riphah International University 01.03.2018
• ISSN: 2226-9215; 2410-888X

Background: Nonspecific chronic neck pain (NSCNP) is a great discomfort to individual suffering from it and serious problem to physiotherapist managing them. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of neck stabilization exercises on pain, disability, craniovertebral angle and psychological status in patient with non-specific chronic neck pain. Methodology: Fourteen patients (6 male and 8 female participants) with non-specific chronic neck pain with a mean age of 41.64±14.78 were involved in this study. They were recruited from selected hospitals in Lagos state. Subjects performed stabilization exercise two times in a week for eight consecutive weeks and were assessed for pain severity, level of disability, anxiety, depression and cranio-vertebral angle using the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), neck disability index (NDI), hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). The craniovertebral angle (CVA) was obtained and recorded photographically and was measured using coral draw X7 software at pre-intervention, 4 weeks and 8 weeks post intervention. Data analysis were done with Friedmann test, Wilcoxon sign rank test and spearman correlation. Level of significance was set at p≤0.05. Results: There was significant reduction in pain severity (p=0.001) and improvement in function disability level (p=0.001) of the subjects following intervention. There was also improvement in depression level (p=0.001), anxiety level (p=0.001) and increase in the craniovertebral angle (p=0.001) of the subject’s post intervention. Conclusions: This study revealed that neck stabilization exercises alone are effective in the treatment of individuals with NSCNP. Keywords: Cranio-vertebral angle, Neck pain, Neck stabilization exercise