Abstract
BackgroundIn this study, the effect of adding a smartphone app to an 8-week global postural reeducation (GPR) on neck pain, endurance, quality of life, and forward head posture (FHP) in patients with chronic neck pain and FHP was evaluated.MethodsSixty male and female office workers (38.5 ± 9.1 years) with chronic neck pain were randomly assigned into three groups: group 1 (GPR+ a smartphone app, n = 20), group 2 (GPR alone, n = 20), and group 3 (the control group, n = 20). The primary outcome was pain and the secondary outcomes were disability, quality of life, endurance, and posture. Pain, disability, endurance, quality of life, and posture were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS), neck disability index (NDI), progressive iso-inertial lifting evaluation (PILE) test, quality of life questionnaire (SF-36), and photogrammetry, respectively, at pre-and post-8-week interventions. A one-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) has been conducted to statistically analyze the data.ResultsThe GPR+ a smartphone app had statistically significant improvements versus GPR alone in pain (mean difference, − 2.05 ± 0.65, ES (95% CI) − 0.50 (− 1.04 to − 0.01), P = 0.04), disability (difference = 11.5 ± 1.2, ES (95% CI) = 0.31 (0.22 to 0.97), p = 0.033), FHP (difference = 1.6 ± 0.2, ES (95% CI) = 0.31 (0.09 to 0.92), p = 0.047), and endurance (difference = 2 ± 3.3, ES (95% CI) = 0.51 (0.02 to 1.03), p = 0.039). Both of the GPR+ a smartphone app and GPR alone groups had statistically significant differences versus the control group in all outcomes.ConclusionWhen a workplace assessment and management could not be as part of any intervention, adding a smartphone app to GPR for NP may be an appropriate tool to administer a home and work exercise program resulting in elevating pain and disability, as well as improving FHP and endurance.Trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials using the UMIN-RCT website UMIN000039720. Retrospectively registered on January 9, 2020.
Highlights
Non-specific is a common musculoskeletal complaint [1] with an incidence of 42–63% in computer office workers [2]
When treatment comes to patients with neck pain (NP), changes relative to pain, function, and disability must be considered as important symptoms [3]
No statistically significant differences were observed between the global postural reeducation (GPR)+ a smartphone app, GPR alone, or control groups as with participants’ age, mass, computer using time, pain duration, and sex, and no difference was observed with mass between the 2 data collection time points
Summary
Non-specific is a common musculoskeletal complaint [1] with an incidence of 42–63% in computer office workers [2]. When treatment comes to patients with neck pain (NP), changes relative to pain, function, and disability must be considered as important symptoms [3]. Environmental (prolonged static or awkward postures, highly repetitive movements and computer work) and physical (inadequate strength or muscle endurance and poor posture) factors contribute to the development of work-related neck pain [5]. Some authors proposed that NP can be managed through different exercise programs [7, 8] such as global postural reeducation (GPR) [9,10,11,12]. The effect of adding a smartphone app to an 8-week global postural reeducation (GPR) on neck pain, endurance, quality of life, and forward head posture (FHP) in patients with chronic neck pain and FHP was evaluated
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