Objective: To determine the effectiveness of strength training combined with stretching compared to specific strength training in office workers with chronic neck pain. Methods: A single blind randomized clinical trial will be conducted. Participants will be adult of both sexes with sedentary office work and chronic neck pain. The intervention will consist of a strength training program for the neck and shoulder muscles combined with static stretching of the neck, while the comparison group will only perform strength training. In addition, both groups will receive ergonomics guidelines. Short-term, medium-term, and long-term evaluations will be performed using the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPQ), Neck Disability Index (NDI), and Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
40
The intervention will consist of specific strength training composed of 5 exercises performed with dumbbells: front raises, lateral raises, reverse flies, shoulder shrugs, and wrist extensions. In addition to the following static stretches: stretching towards lateral flexion of the upper part of the trapezius muscle, the scalene muscles, and the sternocleidomastoid muscle on both sides; extension of the extensor muscles; flexion of the flexor muscles; and contralateral flexion and rotation combined with scapular depression of the scalene muscles and elevation of the scapula on both sides, holding each stretch for 10 seconds. This sequence of stretches will constitute one set, with 6 sets performed with a 30-second rest between sets, lasting 8 minutes. Therefore, the intervention will have a total duration of 28 minutes per session, conducting 3 sessions per week.
The intervention will consist of specific strength training comprised of 5 exercises using dumbbells: front raises, lateral raises, reverse flies, shoulder shrugs, and wrist extensions. Four sets will be performed, with a 1-minute rest between sets. Each exercise will be executed for 30 seconds, followed by a 25-second rest between exercises. Three 20-minute sessions will be conducted per week.
Pain intensity
We will use the "Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire", which consists of 9 questions with 5 statements of increasing difficulty. The minimum and maximum values are from 0 to 50 points. Higher scores indicate greater severity of neck pain.
Time frame: It will be measured 4 times: before the start of the intervention, short-term (4 weeks), medium-term (2 months), and long-term (1 year).
Kinesiophobia
We will use the "Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia," which consists of 11 questions with 4 numeric options, ranging from 1 (completely disagree) to 4 (completely agree). The minimum and maximum values range from 17 to 68 points; higher scores indicate higher levels of kinesiophobia.
Time frame: It will be measured 4 times: before the start of the intervention, short-term (4 weeks), medium-term (2 months), and long-term (1 year).
Neck Disability
We will use the "Neck Disability Index," which consists of 10 questions with 6 statements of increasing difficulty. The values range from 0 to 50, where 0 indicates no disability and 50 indicates total disability.
Time frame: It will be measured 4 times: before the start of the intervention, short-term (4 weeks), medium-term (2 months), and long-term (1 year).
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