The Effect of Stabilization Exercises on Pain, Posture, and Sleep in Office Workers With Neck Pain

Today, technological devices play a significant role in both professional and personal aspects of our lives. While computer use in office workers increases work productivity, it also brings about certain health risks by affecting posture and the musculoskeletal system. During screen use, the repetitive and prolonged forward movement of the head and arms results in a kyphotic posture and an increased neck flexion angle, which causes pain in the cervical region. When the head is in a neutral position, the amount of load carried by the cervical region is estimated to be around 4.5-5.5 kg, whereas with a 15° neck flexion, this load increases to 12.25 kg, and with a 30° flexion angle, it reaches approximately 13.61 kg. Increased flexion angles in the cervical region lead to an increase in mechanical stress on ligaments, tendons, muscles, and bones, and this stress poses a potential risk for the development of arthritis, disc degeneration, and headaches.

Musculoskeletal disorders caused by these symptoms are believed to reduce work productivity and lead to employees taking breaks from their tasks. Prolonged use of smartphones or computers is associated with increased anxiety and stress levels, as well as sleep problems. Pilates has become an increasingly popular form of exercise in the rehabilitation field in recent years. Joseph Pilates referred to the core region as the "powerhouse" and considered core control to be a fundamental component of body movement. According to Pilates, learning to properly engage the core muscles improves movement quality, enhances posture, and provides better stabilization. Exercises targeting the deep stabilizing muscles strengthen the torso, correct posture, and improve balance.

Pilates training plays a role in increasing strength and endurance, restoring normal proprioceptive mechanisms, and maintaining flexibility. For this reason, it is recommended in both preventive and therapeutic exercise programs. The aim of this study is to create two different exercise programs for office workers with neck pain and to investigate the effects of stabilization exercises, applied in addition to neck exercises, on neck pain, posture, and sleep quality.

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria for the Study:

• Volunteering to participate in the study and approving the informed consent form,
• Using a computer, tablet and/or phone for more than 3 hours per day for the last 6 months,
• Having recurrent or persistent pain in the neck region for at least 3 months,
• Having a Neck Disability Scale score of 15 points or higher,
• Having a VAS Pain score of 5 or higher.

Exclusion criteria

• Having a neurological diagnosis,
• Having a radiologically confirmed orthopedic diagnosis from the neck region (neck hernia, fracture, dislocation, spondylolisthesis),
• Having a systemic and chronic disease diagnosis that can affect the neck region and joints,
• Having a history of surgical intervention or trauma from the neck region,
• Having cognitive impairment that makes communication and evaluation difficult.