Acute Effects of Motor Imagery and Motor Control Exercises in Individuals With Chronic Neck Pain

Primary outcomes

1. Pain Severity

   Time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention

   The rest, activity and night pains of the participants will be evaluated with a 10 cm Visual Analog Scale before the treatment and at the end of the application. "0" means no pain, "10" means excruciating pain. Results will be recorded in cm.

2. Pressure Pain Threshold

   Time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention

   Pressure Pain Threshold will be assessed using a digital pressure algometer. The algometer probe (1 cm²) will be applied perpendicularly to the skin surface over predetermined anatomical points. Pressure will be increased at a constant rate of approximately 1 kg/cm² per second. Participants will be instructed to indicate the moment when the sensation of pressure first becomes painful. The value at this point will be recorded as the PPT (kg/cm²).

3. Cervical proprioception

   Time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention

   Cervical proprioception will be evaluated using the CROM Device. The assessment will be performed by measuring joint position sense (JPS) error. Participants will be seated in an upright position with feet flat on the floor. The CROM device will be securely positioned on the participant's head according to the manufacturer's guidelines. A target position (e.g., 30° cervical rotation or flexion) will be demonstrated by the examiner. Participants will be asked to actively move their head to the target position, hold it for 3 seconds, return to the neutral position, and then attempt to reposition their head to the same target position with eyes closed.

4. Motor Imagery

   Time frame: Baseline and immediately post-intervention

   Motor imagery ability will be assessed using the Movement Imagery Questionnaire 3 (MIQ-3). The questionnaire consists of items assessing visual imagery (clarity of the image) and kinesthetic imagery (intensity of the sensation). Each item is scored on a 7-point scale (1 = very hard to imagine, 7 = very easy to imagine). Subscale scores (visual and kinesthetic) and a total score will be calculated. Higher scores indicate better motor imagery ability.