Effectiveness of Scapular Muscle Stretching and Strengthening Exercises for Chronic Neck Pain Patients attended at CRP

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to explore the effectiveness of Scapular stretching and strengthening exercises with conventional physiotherapy compare to only conventional physiotherapy for chronic Neck Pain. Objectives: To evaluate the effect of pain and range of motion at Scapular strengthening and stretching exercises for chronic neck pain patients using pre and post test assessment with conventional physiotherapy and conventional Physiotherapy alone in Patients with Chronic Neck Pain. Methodology: Fourteen patients with chronic neck pain were randomly selected from outdoor musculo-skeletal unit, CRP and then7 patients with Chronic Neck Pain were selected and randomly assigned to Scapular stretching and strengthening exercises with conventional physiotherapy group and 7 patients to the only conventional physiotherapy group for this randomize control trial study. The study was conducted at musculoskeletal department of CRP, Savar. Visual Analogue Scale was used to measure pain intensity in different functional position and Goniometer to measure ROM. Unrelated "t" test was used to compare the result in ROM analysis and Pain was analyzed by Calculating mean difference between two groups. Results: Following treatment the study found significant improvement of pain. In Experimental group, Mean difference of reduction of resting pain was 4.28 which were 2.29 more than Mean difference in control group. Also there was significant improvement of pain in sitting, forward bending, turning, travelling and sleeping, as the mean difference were consecutively 2.56, 1.57, 1.85, 0.86 and 0.86 more than control group. Researcher also found significant Improvement of ROM In case of neck flexion (p<.0.001), extension (p<0.01), right side bending (p<0.02), left side bending (p<0.001), left side rotation (p<0.001) but not statistically significant improvement has been found in Right side rotation of neck. Conclusion: This experimental study shows that Scapular stretching and strengthening exercises with conventional physiotherapy is more effective than conventional physiotherapy alone for patients with Chronic Neck Pain.