Mindfulness Plus Supervised Rehabilitation vs Supervised Rehabilitation Alone for Chronic Neck Pain in Office Workers

N/ANot Yet RecruitingNCT07576556

University of Monastir48 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if adding mindfulness to supervised rehabilitation exercises improves outcomes in office workers with chronic neck pain. It will also evaluate the impact of this combined approach on psychosocial factors and quality of life. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does mindfulness combined with supervised exercises reduce neck pain intensity more than supervised exercises alone? Does the combined intervention improve neck-related disability, psychosocial outcomes, and quality of life? Researchers will compare a mindfulness-based intervention plus supervised rehabilitation exercises to supervised rehabilitation exercises alone to determine whether the combined approach provides additional benefit. Participants will: Be randomly assigned to receive either mindfulness plus supervised exercises or supervised exercises alone for 8 weeks Attend weekly 60-minute mindfulness sessions (experimental group only) and twice-weekly supervised exercise sessions Undergo assessments at the beginning and at the end of the intervention period

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Chronic Neck Pain

Interventions

MindfulnessBEHAVIORAL

Mindfulness training incorporates structured practices such as mindful breathing, body scanning, guided imagery, and relaxation techniques. Mindful breathing focuses on sustained, non-judgmental attention to the breath to enhance present-moment awareness and modulate pain perception. Body scanning involves systematic attention to body regions to increase awareness of physical sensations and tension. Guided imagery and relaxation techniques, including progressive muscle relaxation and meditation, aim to promote relaxation and reduce pain-related distress.

supervised exerciseOTHER

The program will focus on standardized stretching, strengthening, and postural exercises commonly prescribed in routine musculoskeletal rehabilitation. Stretching exercises will target the cervical region and will include neck flexion, extension, and lateral flexion stretches, each performed in a seated upright position, held for 30 seconds, and repeated three times per direction. Strengthening exercises will emphasize cervical muscle activation and endurance and will include neck retraction exercises (chin pull-back) and isometric neck strengthening performed against manual resistance in flexion, extension, and lateral directions, with standardized hold times and repetitions. Postural exercises will focus on cervical and scapular alignment and will include chin tucks and shoulder blade squeezes, performed with controlled holds and repeated sets.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Office workers aged 18 years or older * diagnosed with chronic neck pain for more the three months Exclusion Criteria: * history of neck surgery * history of cervical trauma * history of neurological disorders affecting the neck or upper extremities * currently receiving other treatments for neck pain, such as injections or surgical interventions * Participants with significant psychiatric disorders that could interfere with study participation or adherence to the intervention

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Neck pain using the VAS

Neck pain intensity is the primary outcome, assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). Participants rate their pain on a 100-mm horizontal line ranging from "no pain" (0) to "worst imaginable pain" (100), with higher scores indicating greater pain intensity.