Acute and long‐term effect of specific and non‐specific exercises in patients with chronic neck pain: A protocol for a randomized controlled trial
2025

Effects of Specific and Non-Specific Exercises on Chronic Neck Pain

Sample size: 110 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Gaban Giovanna Laura Neves Antonio, Vægter Henrik Bjarke, Vivaldini Maria Ramela Schalch, Broisler Camila Nepomuceno, Nunes Giovanna Silva, Selistre Luiz Fernando Approbato

Primary Institution: Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar)

Hypothesis

How do the acute and long-term effects of specific and non-specific exercises for chronic neck pain compare?

Conclusion

The study aims to determine which type of exercise is more effective in reducing pain and improving pain processing in individuals with chronic neck pain.

Supporting Evidence

  • Chronic neck pain is a significant public health issue affecting a large portion of the population.
  • Exercise therapy is commonly recommended for chronic neck pain, but the best type of exercise remains unclear.
  • This study is the first to compare specific and non-specific exercises in a randomized controlled trial setting.

Takeaway

This study is trying to find out if doing specific exercises or general exercises is better for people with neck pain.

Methodology

This is a randomized controlled trial comparing two exercise protocols over 8 weeks with assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and at 6-month follow-up.

Potential Biases

Participants and physiotherapists cannot be blinded due to the nature of the exercise interventions.

Limitations

The absence of a control group and potential confounding factors due to home-based interventions.

Participant Demographics

Participants are aged between 18 and 65 years with chronic non-specific neck pain.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1113/EP091907

Want to read the original?

Access the complete publication on the publisher's website

View Original Publication