Which exercise for nonspecific neck pain in office workers?

Researchers at Chulalongkorn University, in Bangkok, Thailand, reviewed research on exercise options to prevent and cure nonspecific neck pain.

First, the details.

• 9 studies were included in this review, of which 6 were rated as high-quality.

And, the results.

• Prevention
  • No exercise type was effective in preventing nonspecific neck pain in office workers.
• Neck pain
  • Strong evidence supported muscle strengthening and endurance exercises in treating neck pain.
  • Moderate evidence supported muscle endurance exercise to reduce disability attributed to neck pain.

And, the results.

The authors concluded, “For treatment of neck pain, either muscle strengthening or endurance exercise is recommended; whereas for reduction of pain-related disability, muscle endurance exercise is suggested.”

In another just published study, researchers at Uppsala University, in Sweden, reported that 6 weeks of qigong was associated with a small significant improvement of neck pain and disability compared with no treatment.

1/21/11 21:55 JR