Effects of the inclusion thoracic mobilization into cranio-cervical flexor exercise in patients with chronic neck pain

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a cranio-cervical flexor exercise and thoracic mobilization are effective for muscular endurance (Endurance), visual analog scale (VAS) pain, and neck disability index (NDI) of patients with chronic neck pain. [Subjects] The subjects in this study were 53 patients who had chronic neck pain. [Methods] The experimental group (n=27) did both cranio-cervical flexor exercises and thoracic mobilizations and the control group (n=26) did cranio-cervical flexor exercises. [Results] A paired t-test analysis revealed significant pre-post score changes within both groups. The 2-way group time interaction for the repeated measures ANOVA was statistically significant for Endurance, VAS and NDI. The experimental group showed greater improvement in Endurance, with a between-group difference of 14.26 seconds, VAS pain, with a between-group difference of 2.02 points, and NDI, with a between-group difference of 2.07 points. [Conclusion] These results suggest that the combination of thoracic mobilization with cranio-cervical flexor exercise was more effective at increasing Endurance and reducing VAS pain and NDI.