The effect of one period of exercise program on non athlete's neck ROM and chronic neck pain

After low back pain, the neck pain is the most prevalent pain among (especially elderly) peoples. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of one period of exercise program on subjects neck ROM and chronic neck pain. For executing this study 60 elderly patient (24 Males and 36 Females) with mean age 56± 4.5 years old and 71± 4.4 kg with chronic neck pain randomly were selected. Executed exercise program was stretching (for three month) and strengthening exercises (for three month) to accompany with external support in remedial period. Training protocol started with one set of 8 repetition (in first session) and ended with three sets of 16 repetitions (in final session). For measurement of neck muscles flexibility, neck pain, neck range of motion and neck extensor muscles strength were used flexometer, visual analog scale (VAS), Leighton flexometer and dynamometer respectively. Independent and paired t test were used for statistical analysis (p≤ 0.05). The results showed that after accomplishment of exercise program, neck rang of motion and neck extensor muscles strength was increased but cervical lordosis degree and pain score was decreased. Based on this study results, we concluded that exercise program can decrease the amount of pain in people with neck pain. The probable mechanisms that through them exercise program have better results in patients with neck pain, we can refer to increasing cervical muscles strength, increasing range of motion and decreasing cervical lordosis degree.