• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.63-74
• /
• 2022

PURPOSE: This study aimed to compare the effects of manual therapy with stabilization exercises to manual therapy alone, on neck pain and body functions in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain. METHODS: Twenty patients with chronic mechanical neck pain were recruited and randomly allocated into two groups. A control group(n = 10) was given the manual therapy alone and an experimental group(n = 10) was given the manual therapy with stabilization exercises. The intervention was carried out 3 days per week for 4 weeks. The cervical resting pain, the most painful motion pain, craniocervical flexor endurance, forward head posture and neck disability index were used to assess participants at baseline and after 4 weeks. RESULTS: A comparison of the parameters before and after the intervention showed that both groups experienced significant improvements in the resting pain, the most painful motion pain, craniocervical flexor endurance, and forward head posture except for the forward head posture in the control group. A comparison of the parameters between the groups did not show a significant difference. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that the combined intervention of manual therapy with stabilization exercise does not seem to be more effective than manual therapy alone for improving neck pain, craniocervical flexor endurance, forward head posture, and the neck disability index in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.35-45
• /
• 2015

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate how upper thoracic manipulation and cervical stability training affects cervical range of motion and neck disability index of patients with chronic mechanical neck pain. METHODS: 30 patients with chronic mechanical neck pain, and randomly divided into the upper thoracic manipulation and the cervical stability training group. Upper thoracic manipulation group was conducted to the upper thoracic manipulation, and cervical stability training was conducted to the cervical stability training. Intervention period was 6 weeks, and 3 sessions, each of which was run for 5~10 minutes. The subjects were measured neck range of motion before and after intervention by electro-goniometer. Neck disability index was used to measure neck disability index Korean version. RESULTS: Comparison within groups, there were significant difference in neck range of motion before and after intervention, and Neck disability index significantly reduced in the cervical stability training group. The comparison between groups, there were no significant difference in neck range of motion and neck disability index. CONCLUSION: Upper thoracic manipulation and cervical stability training to the patients with chronic neck pain was helpful to improve neck range of motion and cervical stability training was helpful to improve neck disability index.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.32 no.2
• /
• pp.126-131
• /
• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the change in pain, Neck Disability Index score, and the craniovertebral angle by performing scapular correction exercise or general neck exercise for five weeks in participants with mechanical neck pain. Methods: A total of 31 participants were randomly assigned between the scapular correction exercise and the general neck exercise groups, and all participants performed intervention for 40 minutes each, three times a week for five weeks The effects were evaluated by measuring the Visual Analog Scale score, the Neck Disability Index score, and the craniovertebral angle, before and after the intervention. Independent t-tests were used to compare differences between two groups, and to compare differences between pre- and post-intervention, paired t-tests were used. Results: As measured before and after the intervention, the scapular correction exercise group showed significant improvement in all variables (p<0.05), while the general neck exercise group improved only in the neck disability index score. The differences between the two groups revealed further improvement in the scapular correction exercise group compared to the general neck exercise group (p<0.05). Conclusion: We found that five weeks of the scapular correction exercise to modify the position and movements of the scapula is clinically an important treatment tool for recovery from chronic mechanical neck pain symptoms and restoration of proper neck function.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.16 no.2
• /
• pp.61-66
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of TENS by physiotherapist versus home based TENS intervention to reduce pain and improve disability in patients with mechanical neck disorder. Methods: The subjects of the study were 30 selected patients who had been diagnosed with subacute or chronic neck disorders without neurological damage, during the period of four weeks, three times a week, and thirty minutes for one session, 15 patients received TENS by physiotherapist. 15 patients received home based TENS intervention. The primary outcome was pain intensity measured in using the Visual Analog Scale(VAS). The second outcome was Neck Disability Index to patient's disability. Results: The change in the pain perception degree were statistically significant in both group(p<0.05). TENS by physiotherapist group showed significantly improvement in disability, but, Home based TENS intervention group is not. TENS by physiotherapist group showed significantly greater improvement in pain intensity and patient's disability than the home based TENS intervention group. Conclusion: This study shows that received TENS by physiotherapist was effective in reducing pain, improving disability for mechanical neck disorder patient, physiotherapist' knowledge need to improve patient's pain and disability.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.514-550
• /
• 1996

There are many theory in acupuncture mechanism, so we must know the detail contents. and then we can use the acupuncture as we know. the follow article will be helpful in this part. 1. Spinal cord are role in intermediate part in somatosensorypathway also in acupuncture stumulating tract 2. Acute pain pathway started in laminae I, V of gray colmn, next are the spinothalamic tract(trigeminal spinothalamic tract in above neck part) and then go to the specific thalamic nucleus. but chronic pain in laminae II, III, VI, VII, next are spinoreticular tract(trigeminal spinoreticular tract in the neck part) and finally to the nonspecific thalamic nucleus. 3. Thalamus is very important area in somatosensory stimuation including acupuncture stumulating sensory also as a pain control center. but except this, there are Hypothalamus, Limbic system Cerebral cortex and Cerebellum as intermediator. as we Know hypothalamus is related to the emotional analgesic system with a limbic system. 4. A ${\delta$ fiber has relationship in Acute, sharp and initial pain, contrary this C fiber is related with Chronic, dull and last pain. 5. In Acupuncture mechanism of pain analgesia, there are two theory, one is gate control theory as large fiber another is stimuation produced analgesia as small diameter fier. 6. In DNIC, the stimulation sources are mechanical, thermal, heating, pain and acupuncture stimulation etc. we call these as a Heterotopic Noxious Stimulation. 7. In DNIC, SRD(Subnucleus reticularis dorsalis)is core nucleus in pain imtermediated analgesic mechanism. 8. Takeshige insisted nonacupuncture point dependent analgesic mechanism and acupuncture point dependent analgesic mechanism. and protested that Stimulation acupuncture piing evoke blocking nomacupuncture point analgesic pathway.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 2010

Background: The pathophysiological and neurochemical changes following spinal injury are not yet elucidated. This study was designed to evaluate the morphological changes of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord and profiles of pain behaviors following intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats. Methods: Rats were randomized into three groups: a sham-operated control group and groups where the rats received 10 mM or 100 mM N-methyl-D-aspatate (NMDA) injected into their spinal dorsal horn. Following injection, hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli and excessive grooming behaviors were assessed serially for four weeks. Morphological changes of the spinal cord were evaluated four weeks after intraspinal injection. Results: Few animals in the NMDA groups developed hypersensitivity to cold and mechanical stimuli. The number of groomers and the severity of excessive grooming were significantly higher in the 100 mM NMDA group than those values of the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. The size of the neck region (lamina III-IV) was significantly smaller in the 100 mM NMDA group than in the control and 10 mM NMDA groups. Conclusions: In conclusion, intraspinal injection of NMDA in rats leads to the pathological sequela in the spinal cord and to excessive grooming behavior. These results support the use of NMDA and excessive grooming behavior after excitotoxic SCI as a model to study chronic pain after SCI.