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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01806519

Motor_Control_Neck_SSED

Neck pain is a common problem in the western world. There is a group of people suffering from neck pain with a reduced ability to maintain an upright posture showing a forward head position and an altered muscle function.

The aim of the study was to evaluate a motor control intervention for patients with persistent neck pain and a forward head posture.

This pilot study used a Single System Experimental Design (SSED) with an A-B-A-design and multiple baselines.

The tailored motor control intervention addressed the faulty postural alignment and the deep muscles of the cervical spine.

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Key information

Conditions

Neck Pain Forward Head Posture Neurologic Manifestations Pain Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Signs and Symptoms

Age range

20 year–50 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

OMT-kliniken

Luleå, 97238, Sweden

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 20 - 50 years of age with pain originating from the neck for at least three months.
  • A visual forward head posture.
  • Less than105 points on the Örebro musculoskeletal pain screening questionnaire

Exclusion criteria

  • neurological dysfunction.
  • former cervical surgery or compression fracture of the spine
  • no mental retardation
  • no physiotherapy treatment during the last 6 months.

Treatment and study plan

Motor control intervention of head posture

Behavioral

The tailored motor control intervention used for motor learning-procedure described by Fitts and Posner, further developed and adapted to rehabilitation of the spine by O´Sullivan.

The stages involved in the process was the Cognitive stage, Associative stage and the Autonomous stage

Primary outcomes

  1. Head posture

    Time frame: Effect from baseline to 8 weeks and being maintained to 12 month

    The craniovertebral (CV) -angle was used to estimate the cervical curvature and head posture in relation to the thorax being measured with the Head Posture Spinal Curvature Instrument

  2. Muscle function of the deep cervical flexors

    Time frame: Effect from baseline to 8 weeks and being maintained to 12 month

    The Cranio-Cervical Flexion Test (C-CFT) was used to assess the tonic holding abilities of the deep cervical muscles by using a Pressure biofeedback unit.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Disability

    Time frame: Effect from baseline to 8 weeks and being maintained to 12 month

    The Neck Disability Index (NDI) is a self-reported questionnaire with 10 categories where each question estimates the current status, from no disability (0) to full disability within that category used to assess disability.

  2. Pain intensity

    Time frame: Effect from baseline to 8 weeks and being maintained to 12 month

    The pain intensity was evaluated using the 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) with the anchors "no pain" and "worst pain imaginable" that assessed the average pain intensity in the neck over the last seven days.

Other outcomes

  1. Posture

    Time frame: Effect from baseline to 8 weeks and being maintained to 12 month

    The category Relation to Body Center (items Postural activity, Deviation in standing, Stability in stance and In sitting) and Relation to Ground (items Contact surface, Load, Stance on one leg) from the Body Awareness Scale (BAS) was used to measure the theoretical plumb line perpendicular to the body´s center to estimate the ability to maintain a neutral posture.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Luleå Tekniska Universitet

Other

Registry information

Official study title

A Motor Control Intervention of Patients With Forward Head Posture and Persistent Neck Pain - A Single System Experimental Design With 12 Month Follow-up

Important dates

Study start
2009
Primary completion
2011
Study completion
2011
First posted
Mar 7, 2013
Registry last updated
Mar 7, 2013

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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