NCT06306807

Investigation of the Effectiveness of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Techniques in Text Neck Syndrome

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 38 (actual)
• Sponsor: Atlas University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Smartphones and tablets are increasingly widespread mobile technological devices used for many purposes such as communication, transportation, entertainment, education and security. Increasing use of mobile technology leads to various symptoms such as insomnia, difficulty concentrating and anxiety, especially musculoskeletal problems. "Text neck" is a musculoskeletal problem seen in individuals who use smartphones and tablets for a long time due to increased head and neck flexion posture. It causes neck, back, shoulder, and head pain, insomnia, tingling and numbness in the hands. Implementation of exercise programs for both preventive and therapeutic purposes is one of the main goals in this picture dominated by posture and pain problems. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) treatment technique; In the 1940s by H. Kabat and M. Knott, PNF was expressed as a means of facilitating neuromuscular responses by stimulation of proprioceptors. It is stated that it increases joint stabilization, strength, normal range of motion, endurance and circulation and is effective in improving coordination. Although PNF techniques have been used for different spinal problems, there is no study investigating PNF techniques in text neck syndrome. The study was aimed to compare the effect of a method including muscle relaxation in the anterior elevation direction and repetition techniques in the posterior depression direction from PNF neck patterns on pain intensity, neck normal range of motion, neck muscle endurance, posture and functionality in individuals with text neck syndrome with another method including ergonomic adjustments and simple cervical exercises recommended in the literature to be included in standard treatment.

Detailed description

Smartphones and tablets are increasingly widespread mobile technological devices used for many purposes such as communication, transportation, entertainment, education and security. Increasing use of mobile technology leads to various symptoms such as insomnia, difficulty concentrating and anxiety, especially musculoskeletal problems. "Text neck" is a musculoskeletal problem seen in individuals who use smartphones and tablets for a long time due to increased head and neck flexion posture. It causes neck, back, shoulder, and head pain, insomnia, tingling and numbness in the hands. Implementation of exercise programs for both preventive and therapeutic purposes is one of the main goals in this picture dominated by posture and pain problems. Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) treatment technique; In the 1940s by H. Kabat and M. Knott, PNF was expressed as a means of facilitating neuromuscular responses by stimulation of proprioceptors. It is stated that it increases joint stabilization, strength, normal range of motion, endurance and circulation and is effective in improving coordination. Although PNF techniques have been used for different spinal problems, there is no study investigating PNF techniques in text neck syndrome. The study was aimed to compare the effect of a method including muscle relaxation in the anterior elevation direction and repetition techniques in the posterior depression direction from PNF neck patterns on pain intensity, neck normal range of motion, neck muscle endurance, posture and functionality in individuals with text neck syndrome with another method including ergonomic adjustments and simple cervical exercises recommended in the literature to be included in standard treatment. Our study is planned as a randomized controlled, prospective, single-blind case-control study. Demographic and clinical information of all participants to be included in the study will be recorded with the "Demographic and Clinical Information Form". Neck pain will be assessed by visual analog scale (VAS), cervical joint normal range of motion will be assessed by cervical flexion, cervical extension, cervical lateral flexion and cervical rotation normal range of motion measurements, neck muscle endurance will be assessed by neck flexor and extensor muscle endurance tests, posture will be assessed by New York Posture Evaluation Scale and functionality will be assessed by Neck Disability Index.

Conditions

• Neck Muscle Issue

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Exercise program including active cervical range of motion, strengthening, and posture correction exercises and ergonomic modifications	Active cervical range of motion exercise program consists of the general range of movement for flexors, extensors, both sides flexors, and rotator neck muscles. Participants were instructed to perform exercises in a sitting position, but they were allowed to perform exercises in supine and prone lying if they had problems with sitting position. Strengthening exercises were planned for weak, lengthened, inhibited muscles e.g. Longus colli, and longus capitis. Chin tucks, chin tucks against gravity, and chin nod exercises were selected. Ergonomic modifications while using a smartphone were taught such as taking breaks and changing positions frequently while using a smartphone, avoiding cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder, choosing a smartphone that fits your hands properly, holding the smartphone near chest level rather than waist level, and using features including predictive text or auto-complete tools
OTHER	PNF exercise program	The contract-relax technique for the neck extension pattern and the replication technique for the scapular posterior elevation pattern were used.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-12-31
• Primary completion: 2024-03-14
• Completion: 2024-03-15
• First posted: 2024-03-12
• Last updated: 2024-03-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)