Dose-response of strengthening exercise for treatment of severe neck pain in women

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dose-response of strengthening exercise for treatment of severe neck pain in women

AU - Andersen, Christoffer H

AU - Andersen, Lars Louis

AU - Pedersen, Mogens T

AU - Mortensen, Peter

AU - Karstad, Kristina

AU - Mortensen, Ole S

AU - Zebis, Mette Kreutzfeldt

AU - Sjøgaard, Gisela

N1 - CURIS 2013 NEXS 110

PY - 2013/12

Y1 - 2013/12

N2 - Specific strength training is shown to relieve neck pain in office workers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of specific strength training in women with severe neck pain and to analyze the dose-response relationship between training adherence and pain reduction. One hundred eighteen untrained women with severe neck pain (>30 mm VAS pain) were included from a larger study, in which the subjects were randomized to 20-week specific strength training for the neck/shoulders or to a control group. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the training group experienced greater pain relief than the control group (p < 0.01). Participants who adhered "per protocol" decreased pain by 35 mm VAS (95% confidence interval: -26 to -44) from baseline to follow-up corresponding to a 70% reduction. In the dose-response analyses, participants with medium and high training adherence showed better pain relief than the control group and those with low adherence (p < 0.0001). The decrease from baseline in the medium and high adherence groups was 37 mm VAS (28-46 mm) and 33 mm VAS (24-43 mm), respectively. Specific strength training reduces pain intensity in women with severe neck pain, and 1-2 training sessions per week for 20 weeks (∼30 training sessions) seems sufficient for optimal pain relief.

AB - Specific strength training is shown to relieve neck pain in office workers. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of specific strength training in women with severe neck pain and to analyze the dose-response relationship between training adherence and pain reduction. One hundred eighteen untrained women with severe neck pain (>30 mm VAS pain) were included from a larger study, in which the subjects were randomized to 20-week specific strength training for the neck/shoulders or to a control group. In the intention-to-treat analysis, the training group experienced greater pain relief than the control group (p < 0.01). Participants who adhered "per protocol" decreased pain by 35 mm VAS (95% confidence interval: -26 to -44) from baseline to follow-up corresponding to a 70% reduction. In the dose-response analyses, participants with medium and high training adherence showed better pain relief than the control group and those with low adherence (p < 0.0001). The decrease from baseline in the medium and high adherence groups was 37 mm VAS (28-46 mm) and 33 mm VAS (24-43 mm), respectively. Specific strength training reduces pain intensity in women with severe neck pain, and 1-2 training sessions per week for 20 weeks (∼30 training sessions) seems sufficient for optimal pain relief.

U2 - 10.1519/jsc.0b013e31828f12c6

DO - 10.1519/jsc.0b013e31828f12c6

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 23478473

SN - 1064-8011

VL - 27

SP - 3322

EP - 3328

JO - Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

JF - Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

IS - 12

ER -