EFFICACY OF MUSCLE ENERGY TECHNIQUE AND DEEP NECK FLEXORS TRAINING IN MECHANICAL NECK PAIN- A RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL

Abstract

BACKGROUND: A long term habitual posture with abnormal loading of ligaments and muscles, leads to development of neck pain. More recently, muscle based treatments approaches for MNP (Mechanical Neck Pain) evolved from a passive treatment technique such as myofascial release towards more active treatment technique such as MET (Muscle Energy Technique) and DNF (Deep Neck Flexors) training. METHOD: 33 patients including 18 males and 15 females were selected and randomly allocated into three groups using sealed opaque envelope containing treatment allocation. Group A (n=11) received conventional treatment such as MHP (Moist Heat Pack), Static Stretching exercises, Cervical spine nonthrust mobilization, Cervical spine active ROM (Range of Motion) exercises and Postural exercises. Group B (n=11) received DNF training with conventional treatment. Group C (n=11) received MET in additional to conventional treatment. Primary outcome measure functional disabilities and secondary measure pain and ROM were recorded at baseline, 7 th day and 14 th day. RESULTS: One-way ANOVA was used for within group analysis. Repeated measure ANOVA followed by post hoc analysis was employed for between group comparisons. The results suggest that there was a significant improvement in mean change scores of NDI, VAS and ROM after treatment of 2 weeks in all three groups - A, B and C, but significant improvement was found in group B and group C (p value ≤0.05). Between group effect size was medium (f> 0.25) for primary outcome measure NDI. CONCLUSIONS: Both DNF training and MET have additional therapeutic effects over a standard care by reducing functional disabilities, pain and in improving ROM in mechanical neck pain patients. Whereas, on comparing DNF training group and MET group, the former have statistically more significant improvement than the later.